Thomas How Ridgate was a merchant at Port Tobacco in Charles County, Maryland. In 1772 his business partnership with John Barnes ended in bankruptcy with Barnes being imprisoned for a time in London. Apparently undeterred, Ridgate returned to the mercantile business and built himself a large house in Port Tobacco. In 1790 Thomas How Ridgate died intestate and once again in debt, but with a great deal of debts still due to him.
This list of people who paid their debts to his wife, Elizabeth, as administratrix of his estate reads like a who’s who of Charles County, Maryland during the early national period. It was presented to the Orphan’s Court in February 1793.
| Daniel Norris Charles Robey Elijah Clark Jane Gray Hezekiah Cooksey Edward Flory junior Henry Maddox Pearson Chapman John Williams Robert D. Semmes Godfrey Moredock William Halkerstone William Poston Maurice J. McDonough Margaret Leigh Gustavus Nally Humphrey Posey Henry Queen William McPherson John Boarman William Robey (of Richard) Matthew Stone Luke Wheeler Thomas Parsons John Edelin Capt. Samuel McPherson Hugh Cox John Muschett Thomas Crackels Thomas Ostro John Lammond William Rourk Benjamin Reeder David Luckett George Hutchison George Dixon Francis M. Ware Richard R. Reeder Zachariah Kenderick John Hurry John Miller Walter Clements (of Walter) John McPherson Matthew Copher John Boswell (of Matthew) Ignatius Wheeler (of Richard) Jacob Dodson Francis Edelin (of Thomas) Thomas Robey John Allen Richard Varden Thomas Burgis John Roby Robert Bruce James Mudd Joseph Turner Joseph G. Thompson Samuel Wheeler Samuel Cox Samuel H. McPherson Richard B. Mitchell Edward Miles Benjamin Howard Samuel Robey Daniel McPherson Benjamin Lomax Thomas H. Luckett Alexander Robey Walter Miles Hezekiah Garner Ignatius Douglass John Ben & Len Jameson Charles Ray senior Charles Ray junior Henry Maddox John A. Clements Sarah Boswell (Wm) John Ward Noah Maddox Jessee Boswell Nelly Doyne Sally Doyne Joseph Hunt Edward Deakins Francis J. Stewart Henry Clements Edward Smoot Baker Brooke William Boswell Samuel Mitchell Benjamin D. Posey William Garland Francis Edelin Benjamin Wilder Joseph Elgin Ignatius Wheeler James Cox John B. Thompson Joseph Luckett Samuel Maddox Dennis Nalley William Coomes William Thompson Matthew Boswell | Charles Burris Lesly Robey Richard Mitchell John Hanson Walter Jameson Thomas Harrison Rev’d Walter H. Harrison Barton Dodson John Clements (Joe) Joseph Boswell Edward Sanders Benedicta McPherson John Hanson senior Ignatius Boswell Marmaduke Simmes Molly Stone Henry M. Hanson Henry Hagan John Cox Benjamin Latimer Joseph Gray Samuel Dixon Thomas McPherson Walter Smith James Semmes Nicholas Ware Archibald Johnson senr. James Taylor Joseph Dant Cleon Clements Sarah Boswell Hezekiah Speake Simon Smith Hendly Adams James Ray Robert Sennit Allison Maddox George Clark Thomas Hancock Samuel Hanson Ignatius Mahorney John Milstead Robert Laidler Sarah Ward Thomas Hopewell Leonard Clements Joseph Thomspn Ignatius Hatcher John D. Scott Walter Burch William Robertson Zephaniah Franklin Barton Flanagan Dr. Benjamin Fendall William Hill William Craik esquire Thomas Evans Edward W. Boswell Henry Smith Ann Sanders Samuel Swann Nicholas L. Sewall Thomas Hawkins Benjamin Douglass Sigismand Massey James Brooke John C. Jones Richard Boarman Joseph Boarman Gerard Johnson Kitty G. McPherson Rachael Mitchell Edward Hamilton Basil Robey James Posey Richard Robey Zachariah Price Joe Owen & H. Bean William Dodson Henry Bean Thomas G. Howard John S. Chilton William Moreland Jacob Dixon Mary Burgis Stephen Chandler Edward Clements William Thomas Molly Neale Henny Morris Mary McCoy James Chatham Eleanor Maddox Townly Maddox Sarah Neale Richard Goodrick Raphael Neale Rev’d Leonard Neale Ann Neale William Oliver Ignatius Wathen Jeremiah Williams Leonard Warring Joseph Robey | John Varden Hendley Maddox Thomas Sanders Susanna Ward Francis Hill Elias Flory Joseph Owen John Brooke James Cohooe Richard Edelin Oswald Brooke William McConchie Edward Kerrick Robert Brent junr. Ann Thompson Benjamin Davis Jane Hawkins Hugh Mastin Ignatius Vardin Hezekiah Robey Charles Pye Ann Sanders Henry Stewart William B. Smoot Thomas Ray Thomas Smallwood Charles Yates Thomas Bond Eleanor Cooksey Walter McPherson senr. John Keech Leonard Reeves Ann Barnes John Boswell (Wm) Thomas M. Dent John Heard Joseph W. Harrison James Boarman Robert Haislip William Garner John Jems Ignatius Luckett (Jno) John Maddox Richard Coombs James Russell Bennet Hamilton Daniel McPherson Ignatius Simpson Henrietta Adams Bennet W. Barber Alexander S. Hawkins Mungo Muchett Susanna Haxton Thomas Lomax Raphael Boarman Thos. Ralph & Joe Boarman Walter Gray John Flory Thomas Clements Molly Doyne John Kiberd Robert Brent senior John Adams Godwin Flory Zachariah McDaniel Thomas J. Boarman William Flory Catharine Winter Dr. Walter Brooke Samuel Hailey Marcul Latimer Jestinian Cooksey Eleanor Wheeler John A. Thomas Wm Cox & Saml. Luckett John Sanders Ann Leftwich Thomas Russell Joseph Speake Alethia Elgin Lansdale Godfrey Notly Maddox Joseph Evans Isaac S. Latimer Nicholas Peers Nicholas & V. Peers William Kenedy Nathaniel Eweing Thomas Dent John Chandler George Dent George Tubman Charles Sewall junior Walter Hanson esqr. Thomas Simmes Edward Maddox Robert C. Hall Benjamin Marshall Capt. William McPherson Leonard Madox Gustavius Rd. Brown Meredith Brawner John B. Wills |