HENRY RIDGELY, of Springfield, Illinois, was born in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, April 19, 1832. When five years of age he came with his parents to Springfield, Illinois, where he attended school until 1848. He then attended the Hillsboro, Illinois, College two years, then attended the Illinois College at Jacksonville six months, when he returned home to Springfield. He then run as engineer on the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific, the Chicago & Alton, and the Union & Galena, now the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; run on these roads five years, when he was employed as teller in the Ridgely National Bank, at Springfield, Illinois, two years. During this time he was married to Miss Louisiana I. Gray, April 22, 1857. She was born in Gull Prairie, Michigan, August 30, 1839; she was a daughter of Isaac H. Gray and Charlotte A. McClary, who reside in Springfield, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Ridgely have three children, viz.: George Watson, Kate N. and Howard G. Ridgely. After Mr. Ridgely was married he remained in the bank one year, then bought an interest in the Old American House, with Isaac R. Gray; some two years after he bought Mr. Gray out, and ran the hotel three years, when he went into partnership in the Hopping & Ridgely lumber yard; he bought out Mr. Hopping some two years after and he run the Ridgely lumber yard and planing mill until August 11, 1881, when the mill burned down. His father, Nicholas Ridgely, banker, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, May 3, 1800. He was a merchant in this city, and when a young man went to St. Louis, Missouri, and was teller in the Bank of Missouri a number of years. In 1837, he came to Springfield, Illinois, and was appointed Cashier in the State National Bank. For many years past has been running Ridgely National Bank. His wife, Jane M. Huntington, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a member of the Episcopal Church, and is the mother of nine children, eight living. The subject of this sketch, Henry Ridgely, in politics is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for Buchanan for President.