RIDPATH, John Clark
John Clark Ridpath
RIDPATH, John Clark, educator, was born in Putnam county, Ind., April 26, 1840; son of Abraham and Sarah (Matthews) Ridpath of Montgomery county, Va.; grandson of John and Mary (Cox) Ridpath and of Anderson and Naomi (Heavin) Matthews, and a descendant of the Ridpaths of Berwick-on-Tweed and of Samuel Matthews, colonial governor of Virginia. He attended the common schools; engaged in teaching school and in tutoring, to assist in defraying the expense of a college education, and was graduated from Indiana Asbury (DePauw) university, A. B., 1863, A. M., 1866. He was married, Dec. 21, 1862, to Hannah Roxana, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth (Sill) Smythe of Greencastle, Ind. He was instructor in languages at the academy at Thorntown, Ind., 1862–64; principal of the academy, 1864–66; professor of languages in Baker university, Baldwin city, Kan., in 1866, and principal of the public schools in Lawrenceburg, Ind., 1867–69. He was professor of English literature and normal instruction in Indiana Asbury university, 1869–71; professor of belles-lettres and history, 1871–79, and vice-president, 1879–81. He secured the DePauw endowment from Washington [p. 102] C. DePauw for the university, which adopted its patron's name in 1882; continued there as vice-president and professor of history and political economy, 1882–85, and from the latter year until his death, devoted himself to literary work. He was defeated as a Democratic candidate for representative in congress from Indiana in 1896. He received the degree LL. D. from Syracuse university in 1880; was associate editor of the "People's Cyclopedia", 1879–95; edited the Arena at Boston, Mass., 1897–98; was literary director of the Jones Brothers Publishing company, 1898
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Source: Nicholson, Meredith. The Hoosiers
New York: Macmillan, 1900, p. 233
John Clark RIDPATH (1840-1900) one of the most prolific of Indiana authors, was born in Putnam County and was graduated from Asbury University, with which he was subsequently connected in various teaching and administrative capacities for many years. He was a most successful teacher, particularly of history. Besides many text books he published "Cyclopedia of Universal History" (1885), "Great Races of Mankind" (1894) "Life and memoirs of Bishop William Taylor" (1895); and many monographs on historical and biographical subjects.
Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L. M. Crist, 1914.
JOHN CLARK RIDPATH
John Clark Ridpath, the historian, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, April 26, 1840. His father and mother were both Virginians from Christiansburg. He died in New York City, July 31, 1900 and was interred at Greencastle, Indiana. He was married December 21, 1862, to Hannah R. Smythe at Greencastle, Indiana. He graduated at Asbury University, in the class of 1863; was professor in the Thorntown Academy, 1863-1866. His entire life was devoted to literature. From 1874 to 1893, he wrote several Histories of the United States, viz: Academic, Popular, Grammar School, Columbian and four volumes of Cyclopedia of Universal History; also the lives of James Garfield, James G. Blaine, Napoleon Bonaparte, Bishop William Taylor and many others, including a library of Universal Literature. His entire life was devoted to arduous literary toil, producing some work each year, besides lectures and articles for periodicals. He was a great worker. It is said that in producing the Cyclopedia of Universal History, that he stuck to his task for seventeen months, without intermission and at the end was in nowise fagged. This work is in four octavo volumes, extending to more than three thousand pages and illustrated by maps and charts, portraits and sketches. His last and greatest work was "Great Races of Mankind," dedicated to his wife. This work appears not only in the current four-volume edition, but also in an eight-volume edition de luxe of unusual elegance. Almost every page of "Great Races" shows the author's vigor of thought, sound logic and the firm working of the historical imagination. There is in the style that living light which illumines each paragraph and flashes into the readers' understanding. For the rest, the miscellaneous writings of this industrious and capable writer can hardly be enumerated. His incidental pieces are found in journalism, scattered far and wide.
In April, 1891, Doctor Ridpath was honored by the people with a notable celebration of his semi-centennial anniversary, which was one of the most brilliant affairs of this nature ever known in the west. His literary friends and admirers throughout the land contributed to its eclat. The DePauw rostrum was dignified by the presence of over two hundred of the most distinguished literary men and women in the Mississippi valley. President J. P. D. John, of DePauw, presided. The principal address of the evening was given by the veteran orator, Richard W. Thompson, ex-secretary of the navy. The presentation speech was by ex-Governor Cumback, of Indiana. Tributes were sent from all parts of the country including Canada and several places in Europe. Minister Terrell, representing the United States at Brussels, who had been Doctor Ridpath's student in International Law, headed the foreign contributors. The poets, James Whitcomb Riley, Coates Kinney, James Newton Matthews, Madison Cawein, Evaleen Stein, Alonzo H. Davis, and many others sent special poems. Several leading artists contributed original sketches. All of these tributes were collated, and published as a memorial of the occasion, making two volumes of nine hundred pages each.
Four years of the active formative period of the life of Doctor Ridpath, where he received his training for his useful career were spent in Boone county, in faithful service in the Thorntown Academy. To Mr. and Mrs. Ridpath were born three daughters and one son, all reared, and graduated from DePauw University: Minnie Claire Thayer, born November 8, 1865, in Thorntown, Indiana; Mary L. Mann, born September 19, 1867, at Lawrenceburg, Indiana; Clark Edward Ridpath, lawyer at Greenfield, was born May 28, 1871, in Greencastle, Indiana; Myrtle Vivian Cook, born April 24, 1879, in Greencastle, Indiana. These children inherited many of their father's and mother's talents and many of their traits.
Source: Saturday Press
Attica, Indiana
8-4-1900
Dr. John Clark RIDPATH the great historian died at the Presbyterian Hospital, NY City on Tuesday of this week. He was born in Putnam Co., NY April 26, 1846, of Virginia parents, and in his youth received only a common school education. He afterwards entered Asbury, now DePauw university and graduated with first honors in 1863. He achieved an enviable reputation as a speaker upon the lecture platform and his repertory including such subjects as The Chinese at Home, Cathrine of Russia and A Fight with Force. Early in the 90s he wrote a history of the world which at once took a prominent place among the reference lists of many of the principal public libraries and institutions of learning throughout the country.
Lambda Chapter at Indiana Asbury: Initiates, 1856-1870 By Towner Blackstock (Davidson 1994), Curator of Archives December, 2006 http://www.phigam.org/history/Articles/Asbury.htm
John Clark Ridpath. DAR #221: "Teacher. A. B. 1863; A. M., 1866; LL. D., 1880, Syracuse University. Born, April 26, 1840, Putnam county, Indiana. Professor of languages, Thorntown Academy, 1863-64; principal of same, 1864-66; professor-elect of languages, Baker University, Kansas. 1866; superintendent public schools, Lawrenceburg, Ind., 1866-69; professor of English Literature and Normal Instruction in Indiana Asbury University, 1869-71; professor of Belles Lettres and History in same, 1871-79; vice-president same, 1879; vice-president and professor of History and Political Philosophy same, 1882-85; editor of "The Arena Magazine," Boston, Mass., 1897-98; authorship as follows: an "Academic History of the United States," 1874-75; a "Grammar School History," 1876; a "Popular History of the United States," 1877; an "Inductive Grammar of the English Language," 1879; "Life and Work of Garfield," 1881; a "Cyclopedia of Universal History" (four vols. ), 1880-85; a "Life and Work of W. C. DePauw" (unpublished), 1888; "Great Races of Mankind" (four vols. ), 1884-94; "Christopher Columbus; the Epoch, the Man and the Work" (unpublished), 1892; "Life and Work of James G. Blaine," 1893; "Columbus and Columbia," 1893; "Famous Paintings of the World," 1894; "Life and Memoirs of Bishop William Taylor," 1894-95; "Napoleon Bonaparte," 1895; associate editor of "People's Cyclopedia," 1879-95; Monographs as follows: "Alexander Hamilton," 1880; "Trial of Guitteau," 1882; "Epoch of Integration," 1883; "History and Historical Study," 1885; "Beyond the Sierras," 1888; "The True Evolution," 1889; "The Citizen Soldier," 1890; "The Man in History," 1892; "The Suppression of the Intellectual Life," 1892; "The Bond and the Dollar," 1896; "Notable Events of the Nineteenth Century," 1896; a series of Reform Pamphlets, 1897-98; "A Working University in the Home Reference Library, "1897-98; "Library of Universal Literature" (25 vols. ), 1898; "James Otis; a Patriotic Character Study," 1898; "A Brief Chronological History of All Nations"; a supplement to Webster's International Dictionary; many magazine articles, poems and lectures. Brother of 267, 348, 649, 707.
Married, December 21, 1862, Miss Hannah Roxana Smythe, Greencastle, Ind. [Sister of Gonzalvo C. Smythe, initiated as a graduate in 1870. ] Father of 821, 949, 1136, 1645 and William W. Died, July 31, 1900, Presbyterian Hospital, New York City; buried, Forest Hill Cemetery, Greencastle, Ind. " Initiated May 14, 1860. DePauw Trustee 1898-1900. ---------------
1870 Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, Indiana Census Name: John C Ridpath Estimated birth year: abt 1840 Age in 1870: 30 Birthplace: Indiana Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Greencastle Family and neighbors: John C Ridpath Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, IN abt 1840 Indiana White Male
Hannah R Ridpath Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, IN abt 1844 Indiana White Female Minnie C Ridpath Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, IN abt 1866 Indiana White Female May L Ridpath Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, IN abt 1868 Indiana White Female
Source: Atlas of Putnam County, Indiana
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1879.
"Greencastle Township. "
RIDPATH, JOHN C., P. O. Greencastle, Professor in Indiana Asbury University; born in Putnam County, Ind., 1840.
Source: Greencastle Banner-Times, Putnam County, Indiana 30 April 1891
Note: This is one of several tributes written to Ridpath in this paper, professors, doctors, judges, writers and more!
John Clark Ridpath is a native of Putnam County. His early life was spent on the farm, and his early education was largely at the knee of his sainted mother, though the “Hoosier Schoolmaster” and “Log School House” are still fresh and green in the storehouse of his memory. At the age of 17, having put aside the then familiar, implements of farm life, he bade the patient ox, the weary horse and the bright and shining plow a final rest from their duties and toils and assumed in turn the role of country pedagogue and village salesman, earning thereby funds to enable him to matriculate when he “went to College.” He was not sent to his, his honored Alma Mater. He had no wealthy influential or cultured friend or relative to induct him into the hidden mysteries of college life and influences. Neither had he the early advantages of the youth of the present day who comes from the country school, superior in every particular to the country school of his day. A single incident of his boy life, an incident occurring when “Greek was Greek” to him and when the gee-whoa-haw of the plowman was yet more familiar to his practiced ear than “Household words” – will serve to illustrate how the coming man was unconsciously reflected by his aspiring mind: the neighbor boys, of whom the writer was one and the subject of this sketch was another, were gathered in the dimly torch-lit country school house for an evening in self-culture when John Clark Ridpath took occasion to say that he had almost unbounded faith in the possibilities of laudable ambition that he believed the Presidency of the US was not beyond the reach of persistent and well-directed effort on the part of any one of our number who might so determine. That any one of this coterie of country boys ever so “set his stakes and trimmed his sail” I am not aware, though certain it is, no partisan caucus has thus far, by its expression of preference acknowledges, in any of the party merits deserving such honors. But we who remain are proud of the thought that at least the one bold enough to make the declaration is now intellectually and morally more than the peer of some who have reached that honored goal. .. WM. H. Ragan