John Lauffer Ridinger and Sarah B. Davidson Brown

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Husband John Lauffer Ridinger ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 11 Mar 1855 - Harrison City, Penn Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 1 2 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Stephen Ridinger, Jr. (1833-1903) 2 3 4
         Mother: Catharine Mary Lauffer (1835-1931) 1 2

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       Marriage: 4 Sep 1888 1 5 6

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Wife Sarah B. Davidson Brown ^{1 3 5}

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           Born: 6 Apr 1860 1 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Oliver Brown (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Louisa [Unk] (      -      ) 1

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Children

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1 M Paul Brown Ridinger ^{1 3 5}

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           Born: 8 Jun 1889 - Irwin, Westmoreland Co, PA 1 3 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 4 Jan 1903 or 1904 1 5
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

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General Notes: Husband - John Lauffer Ridinger

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He was educated in the district school, and in early life associated himself in business with his father in the mercantile line, which obtained until the retirement of his father from active business pursuits. He himself, however, continued in mercantile lines for several years in company with other parties, and by his industry and energy became recognized in business circles as a successful and progressive man of affairs and a good financier. He took an active part in everything which pertained to the public welfare of Irwin and vicinity.

He received a general education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and holds the distinction of being the last surviving pupil of the first public school established in Irwin in 1861. After finishing his studies he began his career, 1869, in the employ of Crookston and Ridinger's general store of that place, where he worked until 1871. He then entered his father's establishment as a partner and conducted this venture for the better part of twenty years. At the expiration of this period, in 1891, he began to assume a prominent place in the business affairs of the area, becoming secretary of the Penn Plate Glass Company, with which he was associated until 1894, when he resigned to organize the Irwin Electric Light and Power Company and its subsidiaries. He served as secretary and treasurer of this organization until 1898 and then founded the Monongahela Electric Company, in which he was secretary-treasurer until it was sold to the West Penn Power Company. In the meantime Mr. Ridinger had acquired large property interests in Irwin and for a number of years carried on a large and lucrative real estate business. He also became a member of the board of directors, and vice-president from 1921 to 1931, of the Irwin Savings and Trust Company, which he also headed as president from 1931 to 1935, when he resigned in order that he might retire.
In an official capacity he has served the community as school director, councilman and road supervisor. Socially his activities have largely been confined to fraternal organizations. In this connection he was a member and Past Master of Shidle Lodge, No. 601 Free and Accepted Masons, in which he held a thirty-second degree. He also fraternized with the Order of United American Mechanics, was a Republican in politics and worshipped at the Long Run Presbyterian Church of Circleville, Pennsylvania.

1 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 504.

2 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 518.

3 The Lauffer History. A Genealogical Chart of the Descendents of Christian Lauffer, the Pioneer. (Jeannette, PA: Press of the Westmoreland Journal, 1906), Pg 55.

4 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 503.

5 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 519.

6 The Lauffer History. A Genealogical Chart of the Descendents of Christian Lauffer, the Pioneer. (Jeannette, PA: Press of the Westmoreland Journal, 1906), Pg 54.