Family Group Sheet


Name Commodore Riddle, GGG Uncle
Birth abt 1847, Bath Co., Kentucky
Father John William Riddle (~1808->1887)
Mother Mary Adeline Myers (1810->1887)
Marriage abt 1870, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Amanda Elizabeth Nickells
Birth 17 Sep 1852, Carter Co., Kentucky
Father Shelby Nickles (1832-1913)
Mother Margaret Ann Welch (1832-1911)
Children
1 M Nathan Riddle, 1C3R
Birth 1873, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 1929 (?), Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Mary Elizabeth Brown, 1C3R
2 F Margaret ("Huttie") Riddle, 1C3R
Birth 7 May 1874, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 10 Apr 1913, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Joseph Francis ("Frankie") Jones, GGG Uncle
3 M James Riddle, 1C3R
Birth Sep 1879, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 1959, Pendleton, Madison Co., Indiana
Spouse Millie Prather
Spouse Lucy [Riddle]
4 F Amanda Riddle, 1C3R
Birth Jul 1881, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 10 Oct 1956, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Alex Baldridge
5 F Mollie Riddle, 1C3R
Birth Aug 1885, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse James ("Jimmie") W. Jones, 1C3R
6 M Johnnie Riddle, 1C3R
Birth Mar 1888, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 29 Nov 1934, Hancock Co., Indiana
Spouse Lizzie Loveless
7 F Mirtle Riddle, 1C3R
Birth Apr 1892, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Charles Foster, 2C3R
8 M Robert Riddle, 1C3R
Birth 18 Feb 1895, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Death 13 Aug 1974, Morehead, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Spouse Alice Foster, 2C3R
Notes for Commodore Riddle
Commodore's birthdate is questionable. The 1900 census says Aug 1849, but it is very unreliable on birthdates3, and the 1860 census (the earliest reading I have) lists him as 12, and the 1870 as 22. His next-in-birth-order sister Nancy is listed as 11 in 1860, and her death certificate gives her birthdate as 17 Mar 1848. If Commodore is older than her, he couldn't be born in Aug 1847, because that would be only 7 months before March 1848. August 1846 is a possibility (it would make him really 13 in 1860 when the census was taken), as is Jan or Feb in 1847. If he was really born in mid-1847 or later, then his sister Nancy's birthdate as listed on her death certificate must be incorrect.
Census
1870 census of Rowan County, KY, Pearce Precinct, page 1, lists:
Riddle, Coummadore 22, Amanda 17, Mary 26, all born in KY. The relationship of Mary is not given; possibly she is a sister-in-law. The ages may be in error.

1880 Census of Rowan Co., KY, Morehead precinct, lists family #51:
Riddle, Commodore, 28, farmer; Amana, 26; Nathan, 8; Hudda, 6; James, 2. All born in Ky. The age for Commodore is very inconsistent with other censuses.

1900 census of Rowan Co., KY, lists:
Comador Riddell, Aug 1849; Amanda, Apr 1850; Manda, July 1881; Mollie, Aug 1885; John, Mar 1888; Mirtie, Apr 1892; Robert, Sept 1893. All born in Kentucky. It says the couple has been married 5 years, with 5 children, all living.

All these numbers are incorrect; they had been married about 30 years and had at least 8 children still living in 1900. There were 5 children living at home, perhaps Commodore & Amanda interpreted "number of children" to mean the number at home, and the enumerator then accidentally put the 5 in three columns instead of two. The birthdates are wrong as well; Amanda's birth was recorded in Carter Co. on 11 Sep 1852, and the date for Commodore conflicts with all past censuses and with the birthdate of his sister Nancy.3
Notes for Amanda Elizabeth Nickells
Carter County birth records on microfilm list Amanda Elizabeth Nichols, born 17 Sept 1852, at the home of Isabel Welch, parents Shelby Nichols and Margaret Ann Welch, residence Carter Co.
Last Modified 6 Feb 2001 Created 30 Jun 2002 by Reunion for Macintosh