Samuel Riddle (textile manufacturer)
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Samuel Riddle | |
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| Born | October 5, 1799 Belfast, Ireland |
| Died | February 19, 1888 (aged 88) |
| Resting place | Middletown Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Elwyn, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Textile manufacturer |
Samuel Riddle (October 5, 1799 – February 19, 1888) was a textile manufacturer from Belfast, Ireland who emigrated to the United States and owned several textile mills in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States.
Riddle was born near Belfast, Ireland. He received a private school education but quit when he was 14 years old to work in a textile mill. In 1823, Riddle sailed to Philadelphia, United States and began working at a cotton-mill in the Manayunk section of town.[1]
Career
In 1827, Riddle went into business for himself by renting a mill in Springdale, Pennsylvania with 480 mule spindles and 10 employees.[2] In 1830, Samuel Riddle along with his brother James moved operations to the Parkmount Mill on Chester Creek in Aston, Pennsylvania.[3] The Riddle brothers operated the Parkmount Mill until 1841 when it was leased to other manufacturers.[4] Riddle eventually owned 5 mills and employed 400 people.[5] The mills had approximately 10,400 cotton and woolen spindles as well as 270 power looms.[6]
Glen Riddle
In the 1840s, Riddle began building an estate of several hundred acres which he named Glen Riddle.[6] This area became the unincorporated community of Glen Riddle in Middletown Township.