Riddick of Surry and Nansemond Counties

James Reddick (1630-1695) was married to Alice Shepherd of England. They emigrated from England to Surry County, Virginia. James Riddick served on a coroner's jury in Surry County in 1664. "John Shepherd, dated 20 April 1669, dying intestate, administration requested by James Riddick, who later married the relict of said Shepherd." On 21 April 1695, a document granted Alice, the relict of James Riddick, administration rights to his estate.

Nansemond Co Quit Rents Rolls of 1704:

Abraham Reddick - 400 ac
Capt. James Reddick - 943 acres
John Reddick - 300 acres
Robert Reddick - 200 acres
Issue of James Riddick and wife Alice:

Capt. James Riddick, born ca 1675. See below.
Abraham Reddick, born ca 1678 married Elizabeth Pleasant

John Riddick (ca 1708 - bef 1752) married Jean Riddick; his will dated 29 Jan 1752 Nansemond Co VA
Abraham Riddick d 1780 married 1758 Ann Thatch, daughter of John Thatch and unknown 1st wife
Solomon Riddick married Mary
Jesse Riddick
Elizabeth Riddick 5 April 1710 - 9 May 1781 Gates Co NC, married John Norfleet 21 July 1699 - 1754 Chowan Co NC (later Gates Co).
John Reddick, born ca 1681, of "the White Marsh" 350 acres, married Ann.

a. Jean Riddick will 29 Jan 1752 Nansemond Co VA married John [son of Abraham] ca 1708 - bef 1752
b. Samuel Riddick ca 1705 - aft 1752 bought 112 acres land in Nansemond Co. 1750, married Ruth Giles
c. Moses Riddick 1715 - 13 Sept 1790 of "Green Hill" Nansemond Co

Robert Reddick, born ca 1655.
a. Joan Riddick, born ca 1675, married 1689 Edward Belson at Chuckatuck Church.
b. Robert Riddick ca 1700 - 1775, married dau of Thomas Docton
i. Jobe Riddick
ii. Seth Riddick
iii. Docton Riddick
iv. Jacob Riddick
v. Robert Riddick

c. Joseph Riddick ca 1708 - 1759

i. James Riddick ca 1728 - 1786; isted on 1745 tax list with father and brothers John and William, married Sarah
ii. William Riddick, listed on 1745 tax list with father and brothers John and James
iii. John Riddick, listed on 1745 tax list with father and brothers William and James, married Hannah Hunter est 1712 - aft 1752

i. Gen. Joseph Riddick [militia] ca 1744 - 1818
ii. Kader Riddick ca 1751 - 1784, married 1771 Elizabeth Garrett.
iii. Sarah [Sallie] Riddick, born ca 1753, married Christopher Riddick.
iv. Isaac Riddick.
v. Mary Riddick, married Gordon.
Captain James Riddick, son of James Riddick and Alice (Shepherd) Riddick, was born ca 1675. He served as a burgess from Nansemond County in 1715, 1718, and 1720-1722. He was married to Laura Mills. They settled on a land grant called "White Marsh" which later became the property of his son, Willis Riddick, who bequeathed "White Marsh" to his son, Willis Riddick. Issue: of James Riddick II and Laura Mills:

Lemuel Riddick, born 23 August 1711, died 1775)married Anna Willis (1715-1760). He served as a Burgess from Nansemond County from 1736 6o 1773; also a delegate to the State Convention of 1775. He served on the Vestry of the Upper Parish of Nansemond County for forth years; Clerk of court 1736 to 1740; 1742-1768 and 1769-1776. Lemuel Riddick patented 167 a. Nansemond Co, on the W side of black Water R, bounded by a c of Thomas Lawrence's L in or near the Co line, John Daughtrey, James Williams, James Garner, p353 3 Nov 1750. In 1742 a new town was chartered by the Assembly to be erected at Constance warehouse in Nansemond County (called Suffolk). The trustees of the new town were Lemuel Riddick, William Baker and Edward Norfleet.

James Riddick, 17 Nov 1731 - 15 Dec 1760, married Mildred, daughter of Colonel William Baker on 28 Aug 1753.
Lemuel Riddick II, born 5 Jan 1733, died April 1756 at sea of smallpox.
Edward Riddick 29 Jan 1735/6 - Sept 1783, married 1761 Esther Robins [Pugh].
Ann Reddick, married Stephen Wright Jul 1756. She died 11 Nov 1759, buried at White Marsh.

Mills Riddick (ca 1715 - 1765) married Mary Corbitt Barradell. Issue: Henry Riddick (1731-1785) and Mills Riddick.
Josiah Riddick (ca 1720-1772) of Suffolk town, married Priscilla Parker.
Willis Riddick, born and died near Suffolk on his "White Marsh" plantation (1725-1782), married Mary Faulk. See below.
Colonel Willis Riddick (1725-1782) served in the Revolutionary War. Wife, Mary. In 1755 he was made a vestry man of the upper parish in Nansemond Co. From 1756 to 1775 Willis Riddick/Reddick was Burgess of Nansemond County; Willis Riddick was a delagate to State convention 1775-1776. Willis Riddick was county lieutenant of the Nansemond Militia from 1776 through 1780. Willis Riddick wrote his will 10 April 1781 and it was proved Nansemond Co Ct 8 April 1782. His will stated that he expected compensation for the burning down of his home in Suffolk by the royalists. The town of Suffolk was burned by the British and the patriots fought valiantly.

The Burning of Suffolk 13 May 1779 "It was learned that the British had arrived in Hampton Roads the militia of Nansemond were called out, and Suffolk was the place of rendezvous. Only about 200 men were marshaled for the occasion, armed with such weapons as they could procure from their own homes. This little army, headed by Colonel Willis Riddick, proceeded about eight miles on the Norfolk road, and camped in front of Captain James Murdaugh's house. During this expedition three well-mounted young Virginians -- Josiah Riddick, Thos. Granbury, and Thos. Brittle -- had been dispatched to reconnoitre the enemy. They were surprised and made prisoners just below Hall's mill, in Norfolk county, and conveyed to New York, where they remained as prisoners of war for eighteen months. On this account the forces under Colonel Riddick were kept in ignorance of the numbers and movements of the enemy. Being surprised by the approach of the British, they retreated in haste to Suffolk, and every man was admonished to take care of himself. History says: The most of the inhabitants had secured their valuables and fled from their homes, while ruthless devastation attended the match of the British. They set fire to the town, and nearly the whole of it was consumed. Several hundred barrels of tar, pitch, turpentine, and rum had been left on lots contiguous to the wharf. The heads being knocked out, and their contents catching the blaze, ran down to the river like torrents of burning lava. As the wind blew with great violence from the wharf, these inflammable substances rapidly floated to the other shore in a splendid state of conflagration, which they communicated to the thick and decaying herbage of an extensive marsh, the growth of the preceding year. This immense sheet of fire added to the undulating flames which ascended from the burning houses in the town, the explosion at intervals of the gunpowder in the magazines and the projection through the air of large pieces of ignited timber, flying like meteors in every direction, conspired to form a collective scene of horror and sublimity, such as could not be viewed without indescribable emotions." The British soldiers tramped out the White Marsh Road to the residence of the colonel-commandant of the militia and set fire "to his dwelling, barn, and outhouses, in which said public property was stored, and destroyed not only the public property and the buildings but his furniture, corn, bacon. "

A number of officers who served with him gave their depositions to the court in Nansemond County.

Nathaniel Riddick addresses the Judges of the Court of Claims as administrator de bonis non with the will annexed to Colonel Willis Riddick. "That in the year 1779, and previous thereto, the said Colonel Willis Riddick resided in Nansemond County, Virginia, and was the owner of a very valuable plantation known as the ReTreat Farm on which were large and valuable buildings, etc., which were nearly new; all of which buildings were burned and destroyed by the British Forces in 1779 and for which your petitioner claims that the Government of the United States is bound to pay according to the principles of law governing implied contracts...That early in the year 1779, a detachment of British troops marched from Norfolk, near which place the British Army was stationed, towards Suffolk, Nansemond County, Virginia, where a large quantity of public stores and property were stored, consisting of about one thousand barrels of park and a considerable quantity of beef, with the intention, doubtless, of capturing or destroying, the same. That the said Colonel Willis Riddick, a patriotic citizen and Colonel of the Militia, seeing the jeopardy of the said public stores, and desiring to save them for the American forces, and from destruction by the British, and believing they would be safer at his residence than in Suffolk, consent that his cellar and houses should become the places of deposit for the same; and they were accordingly removed by property authority and placed in his cellar and his houses...That the British Commander, with his forces, marched to Suffolk and burned the Town, and having ascertained that the said public stores were deposited on the premises of Colonel Willis Riddick aforesaid, marched thither and burned and destroyed all of his house, and such other property as they could find, and the said public stores. That the loss sustained by Colonel Riddick, in consequence of such destruction of his houses and of his corn, crops, furniture, etc. was very great, equal in value to a sum of $8,000 to $10,000. That he was nearly impoverished by this destruction of his property, and his own health greatly impaired by distress of mind at the loss of his estate, and soon died, to-wit: in 1781...."

Other who gave depositions were Henry Skinner, Christian Williamson, William Faulk, William Milteer,William Sumner and Henry Harrison.
Issue of Col. Willis Riddick and Mary Faulk:

Captain James Riddick 14 Sept 1745 - 1786 "Salem" Gates County, North Carolina, married 1766 Martha Sarah Sumner 1741 - 1778 NC, daughter of Dempsey Sumner and Martha Baker. Issue: a. James Riddick 1767 - 1810, married Charity [Cherry] Godwin [Baker] 1771 - 1835
b. Edward Riddick 1769 - of Salem, Gates Co.
c. Elizabeth Riddick 1772 - 1836 Gates NC married 1791 Micajah Riddick Jr 1768 - 1822 Gates Co NC
d. Martha Riddick 1774 Nansemond Co VA -
Elizabeth Riddick 22 Nov 1747 - 1793, married 1st 1768 Capt Samuel Carr 1746 - 1777 of "Dunlora" Albemarle Co and "Bear Castle" Louisa Co married 1787 (2) Robert Moore Riddick 1744 - 4 Dec 1804, of "Jericho".
Priscilla Riddick 15 Feb 1749/50 -
Anne Riddick 28 Aug 1752 - 1792 Nansemond county, died 1795.
Theresa Riddick 25 Mar 1754 - 1784/87, married as his 1st wife Rev. Robert Moore Riddick 1744 - 4 Dec 1804 Suffolk VA "of Jericho."
Capt. Willis Riddick 21 April 1757 - 10 Oct 1800 at his seat near Suffolk "The Retreat" The Retreat later called " Old Place", was appointed Vestry man 17 Dec 1781, married Anna Maria Syme of Hanover Co VA.
Christian Riddick 10 Nov 1759 - 22 Mar 1821 age 62 4 mo 12 days, married 1780 Archibald Richardson 1756 - 1804 of Suffolk