Family Photos

Elisha Riddell
17 April 1881 - 29 Aug 1977

Elisha was born in Rice Station, Estill Co KY to William Taylor and Fannie Kirby Riddell. He worked his entire lifetime, until retirement, for the railroad. In 1901, he married Ada Winkler Riddell. After Ada died, he continued to live in their home at 331 Broadway in Irvine, Estill Co KY, until 1974, when at the age of 93, he sold his place to go live with his daughters in Hamilton, Ohio. He was very much loved by children.

ELISHA SAID THAT THE KIRBY NAME IS SPELLED WITH AN 'I', NOT AN "E". It is usually found in Estill Co KY records, spelled with an "e".

Ada was a devoted wife and mother. The following poems written by Elisha and a son, Russell Riddell, express their love for her, and continue to remind us about how special she was.

Ada Winkler
25 Sept 1882 - 1 Jan 1961

ADA

I have always had a feeling that God led me the day that I met her.
God must of seen that I would need her along the way.
Through the long years I have learned that I could trust her when the
days seem dark and cloudy.
Somehow, she moved the clouds away.

And when the temptest was high and the wind rocked my ship,
She was my anchor and my stay.
How glad I am that I met her on that day.
When I would get discouraged and maybe, would have given up,
Her words would strengthen me along the way.

When I would get nervous and my head would ache with pain,
her hand would smooth me and I would feel strong again.
No difference what I did, or where I went, she was always with me.
Let it be night or day, she was always with me to help me on my way.

Now we are getting old and our heads are getting gray,
but we still walk together and help each other on our way.
My God, help our children to walk hand in hand as we have walked
before them.

My Mother's Hands
by Russell Riddell, son of Ada Winkler Riddell

I think of her hands, her gentle hands,
And their touch so cool and light.
On my fevered head, as beside my bed,
She watched through a long, long night.

I think of her hands, her busy hands,
As they toil the long days through,
At the endless tasks that a family asks
of a mother kind and true.

I think of her hands, her prayer-clasped hands,
As she knelt by the old arm chair;
"From the paths of sin, Oh, bring them in,
And save each one", was her prayer.

I think of her hands, her quiet hands,
As folded they lay to rest,
With toiling done, and the battles won -
The sun gone down in the west.

They beckon me ever and ever on,
As at Heavens gate she stands,
And with faith I climb toward the heights sublime,
As I think of her outstretched hands.

Fannie Kirby and William Riddell

William Riddell
20 Jul 1845 - 1 Dec 1928
Fannie Kirby
20 Nov 1854 - 19 Sept 1896
William, as a young man, worked for awhile at the iron foundery at Old Furnace near Garrett Orchard on Tipton Ridge. Later, he was a farmer, as was almost everyone in Estill Co.

Fannie was a devoted mother and farm wife. While William produced their needs on the farm, Fannie took what he produced and made from it, usable items for the family, wether it was preserving the food for winter or making their clothes and bedding. Elisha said," They raised most everything that was needed, making most of their own clothing and bedding. .......my mother made each one of us a suit from the wool that was grown on the sheeps back on our farm." Fannie died when my grandfather, Elisha was 15 years old, and the youngest, a daughter Provie, was only ten.

Wesley D. Thomas 5 Feb 1841 - 29 Sept 1893		Sarah Miller Finney 29 Feb 1846 - 6 Jan 1861
George Washington Thomas Oldest son of David Thomas and Margaret Barbary		Peter Thomas 1 Jan 1826 - 9 April 1911 Brother to Wesley and George W.
James Thomas Son of George W. Thomas

Mary Ann Boain
24 Jun 1837 - 19 May 1877
Wife of Guilford Wagers
6 Sept 1830 - 14 May 1877

Ida Victoria Lasure
13 Nov 1889 - 17 Feb 1964

Joseph Lot Flesher
3 June 1883 - 8 Oct 1964

Nellie Wilcox Fletcher
1903-1966
(Picture courtesy of Doug Fletcher, Ferguson, MO)
"My father, Herman Fletcher was born about 100 miles north of Boston in New Hampshire. He came west as a milk taster with the American Dairy Assoc. He ran a dairy in the Bloomington-Normal from 1926 to 1946. Mom was a very sociable person and belonged to a number of organizations. She died 12/24/1966 of cancer."
--Doug Fletcher

Coming soon... picture of Rosalind Pinkerton Shepherd Wagers

Kay Philpot writes about her great grandmother [who will be] pictured above.

Rose was a remarkable woman, according to my late great uncle Henry Park Wagers, who was her grandson. She lived to be nearly 99 years old and was a school teacher, She lived in California (Orange Co.) for awhile. I have read in some Estill Co Ky literature that in the late 1800's, she was one of the wealthiest women in Kentucky.