Individual Details

John is thought to have been born in England. After his marriage to Mary, they settled in Chester Co, PA, paying taxes in Nottingham Twp from 1718-1740.

24 Oct 1721, John Ruddell bought 500 acres, land originally laid out by William Penn near the Maryland border. He sold half to his brother-in-law, John Cook.

The tax records for Nottingham Twp are lost from 1741-1747, but likely John Ruddell was there until 1745.
29 Sep 1745, John sold his remaining 250 acres to Francis Moore, likely in preparation for removal to the Shenandoah Valley as part of the settlement group recruited by Joist Hite. In all likelihood, the family traveled down the Great Wagon Road to Virginia.

John purchased 178 acres from Joist Hite, along Smith's Creek, a branch of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, then Augusta County. His sons Cornelius, Archibald, and John Jr. also obtained prperty nearby. Son Issac was a few miles to the north on North Fork and Stoney Creek.

18 Feb 1746, John was granted permission to build a grist mill in collaboration with his sons. augusta Co Order Book I, p.151.

John was a lay reader at the Anglican North River-Beckford Chapel about a mile from his home from 1764-1780, as recorded in an Augusta County Vestry Book.

John died in 1781 between the writing of his will on March 20th and the proving of the will on May 31st, Shenandoah Co WB A, p.338.
John bequeathed to his wife Mary all his personal estate for her natural life, to be given to her children at her discretion. Son-in-law Mounce was Executor. Son George retained the original acreage on Smith's Creek, but in 1787 he sold it to his sister and brother-in-law, Mounce and Clara Bird.

Birth	1695
Marriage	1715	New Castle County, Delaware - Mary Cook
Death	1781	Shenandoah County, Virginia

Spouse	Mary Cook (1695 - 1781)
Child	John Ruddell Jr (1716 - 1749)
Child	Cornelius Ruddell (1717 - 1798)
Child	Ann Ruddell (1720 - )
Child	Stephen Ruddell (1725 - 1800)
Child	Archibald Ruddell (1727 - 1787)
Child	Isaac Ruddell (1729 - 1812)
Child	Clara Ruddell (1735 - 1822)
Child	Living
Child	George Ruddell (1740 - 1805)