Samuel Riddle (textile manufacturer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Riddle
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| Born | October 5, 1799 |
| Died | February 19, 1888 (aged 88) |
| Resting place | Middletown Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Elwyn, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Textile manufacturer |
Samuel Riddle (born October 5, 1799 – died February 19, 1888) was a successful businessman. He made fabrics in his factories, called textile mills. Samuel was from Belfast, Ireland, but he moved to the United States. He owned many mills in Pennsylvania.
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Early Life of Samuel Riddle
Samuel Riddle was born near Belfast, Ireland. He went to a private school. But when he was just 14, he left school. He started working in a fabric factory, called a textile mill.
In 1823, Samuel traveled across the ocean to Philadelphia, United States. He found a job at a cotton mill there. This mill was in the Manayunk part of the city.
Samuel Riddle's Business Career
In 1827, Samuel Riddle decided to start his own business. He rented a mill in Springdale, Pennsylvania. This mill had 480 "mule spindles" and 10 employees. Spindles are parts of machines that spin thread.
Expanding the Business
By 1830, Samuel and his brother James moved their business. They went to the Parkmount Mill in Aston, Pennsylvania. This mill was located on Chester Creek. The Riddle brothers ran the Parkmount Mill until 1841. After that, they leased it to other fabric makers.
Eventually, Samuel Riddle owned five different mills. He gave jobs to about 400 people. His mills had around 10,400 spindles for cotton and wool. They also had 270 "power looms." Power looms are machines that weave fabric using power.
Glen Riddle Community
In the 1840s, Samuel Riddle started building a large property. It covered hundreds of acres of land. He decided to name this big estate "Glen Riddle."
This area later became a small town. It is now known as the unincorporated community of Glen Riddle. It is located in Middletown Township.
Samuel Riddle's Family Life
Samuel Riddle's first wife, Martha, passed away in 1850. This happened after the birth of their first child, Henry. Later, Samuel married Linda Doyle. She was 23 years old.
Samuel and Linda had four children together. One of their sons was Samuel Doyle Riddle. He became a well-known businessman. He was also famous for owning racehorses. Samuel Riddle passed away on February 19, 1888. He is buried at Middletown Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Elwyn, Pennsylvania.
