Cumberland County, Maine - Nathaniel Rideout ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: C. Wendland SilverDrusilla@aol.com Copyright © 2005 by C. Wendland Caitlin's Gold Award Project, Girl Scouts USA, Rio Grande Girl Scout Council, El Paso, Texas ********************************************************************** Biography Nathaniel Rideout Biographical Review Cumberland County, Maine Boston Biographical Review Publishing Company 1896 Page 517-518 Nathaniel Rideout, or Deacon Rideout, as he is generally known throughout the county, is a leading agriculturist and one of the substantial citizens of New Gloucester. He was born in the town of Pownal, Cumberland County, Me., on October 14, 1826, son of Nathaniel, Sr., and Ruth (Lufkin) Rideout. Nathaniel Rideout, Sr., was born in Cumberland, Me. He learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and worked at it for several years in his early manhood. In 1816 he walked to Quebec, Canada, and for two years was employed there at his trade. After that he returned to Cumberland County, and turned his attention to agriculture, purchasing in 1830 the farm now owned by his son. He was one of the pioneers of New Gloucester, where he died on June 25, 1854. His first wife, who before marriage was Miss Katherine Richardson; died in 1818, leaving three children, a brief record of whom is as follows Benjamin A., born July 10, 1815, lives in Auburn, Me.; Perez B., born November 25, 1816, died in 1848; and Katherine, who was born on October 30, 1818, died in infancy. His second and last wife, formerly Ruth Lufkin, was the mother of nine children, namely: Katherine, born January 17, 1820, who died May 25, 1821; Nicholas, born February 24,1822, died March 9, 1885; Mary A., born March 24, 1824, now the wife of Dr. H. T. Cummings, of Tacoma, Wash.; Nathaniel; Sarah J., born May 24, 1829, who married Wallace Atkins, of South Paris, Me.; Harriet, born July 24, 1831, who became the wife of Ezekiel W. Haskell (both deceased); Bertha, born November 30, 1833, residing in Portland, Me.; Deborah, born March 17, 1837, living in South Paris, Me., the widow of George F. Green; and Serena, born August 3, 1842, who, married William Sweetser, of Pownal, Me. Nathaniel Rideout in his boyhood was an attendant of the common schools; and after completing his educational course he engaged in teaching in the northern part of Cumberland County, this being his winter occupation for nine years. At his father's death he took charge of the old homestead, which he afterward purchased, and has continued to reside here since that time. He has also bought additional land, so that he now has about three hundred and nine acres, making one of the best farms in the town; and his good management and diligent labor have placed him among the most successful farmers of New Gloucester. He keeps sixteen milch cows, from which he sells the milk in Portland. Stock raising is also an important feature of his farm economy, and he has a number of fine horses. Although upward of sixty years of age, Deacon Rideout still continues to give his personal attention to the numerous and varied details of farming industry, and, as in his younger days, may usually .be found engaged in some work about the place. He was married on June 5, 1855, to Miss Rachel P. Rogers, who was born in Freeport, Cumberland County, on January 17, 1828, daughter of George and Margaret (Brewer) Rogers. Both her parents were natives of Freeport, where her father was born on September 11, 1794, and her mother on April 10, 1797. Mrs. Rideout has borne her husband four children, two sons and two daughters - Annie P., the eldest, born February 17, 1858, died March 22, 1877; Flora R., born March 6, 1860, is the wife of Frank W. Berry, of New Gloucester; Albert L., born December 31, 1862, married Gertrude A. Morse; and is engaged in farming on a place, near his father's; and Benjamin W., born March 7, 1871, is assistant book-keeper in Paine's furniture store in Boston, Mass. In his early days Nathaniel Rideout voted the Whig ticket, and after the organization of the Republicans he became an adherent of that party, but is now in close sympathy with the Prohibitionists. In 1858 and 1859 he served very acceptably as Selectman of New Gloucester; and he has been urged to become a candidate for the legislature, but has declined the nomination. He and his wife are active and influential members of the Congregational Church of New Gloucester, and he holds the offices of Deacon and chorister.