Cyrus C. RIDENHOWER was born in Cabarrus County, N. C., March 21, 1831.  He  is a son of Aaron RIDENHOWER, who was born in Stanly County, N. C., in 1796.  His father was
John RIDENHOWER, of the same county, and both the latter and his son Aaron were farmers.  John RIDENHOWER was united in marriage with Elizabeth FILE, and they reared a family
of six sons and four daughters. He died at his home nearly ninety years of age, and she died a few years later at about the same age. Aaron RIDENHOWER  married Caroline MILLER.  He
was a farmer and a wheelwright by trade, but the latter he followed only occasionally.  He and his wife reared three sons and two daughters, of whom Cyrus C. was the fourth child and third
son. Only three of these children are living at the present time, viz:  John, a farmer of Tunnel Hill Township; Mary, widow of W. HARKEY, and residing in Arkansas; and Cyrus C.  The others were Barbara A., deceased, wife of John FARRO, and who died in the prime of life; and Harris M., who died in this county in 1867, at the age of fifty-two. The father of these children died in 1835, in the prime of life, and his widow died in 1866, at the present home of Cyrus C., at the age of sixty  years.  Harris RIDENHOWER came to Illinois in 1848 or 1850, and Cyrus C. came
in the fall of 1860, having  pretty clear premonitions of the then coming civil strife. He sold his farm in North Carolina and brought his wife and three children by wagon drawn all the way by a
team of mules. When he came here he had about $300 besides his outfit. At first he rented a farm for two years near Goreville, and  then settled in the woods where is situated his present fine
 farm. He bought a farm of one hundred and five acres for $260, and he considers it was dear at that.  He built a little log house in 1862, moved into it, and about three years later he built his present hewed-log house, which makes a comfortable home, being ceiled inside. Our subject was united in marriage in May, 1855, to Miss Lundry S. PECK, daughter of John and Leahr (EAGLE) PECK.  Of this marriage there were thirteen children, three sons and ten daughters, of whom they have buried three, viz: one infant daughter;  Luico U., who died when thirteen years
of age; and Mary D., who died at twelve. Those living are as follows: Frances E., wife of Thomas JOHNS, and who has two sons and one daughter; Locke C., aged thirty-four, who has a wife and four children, two sons and two daughters; Martha A., wife of Thomas GORDON, who has one son and four daughters; Ida S., wife of Cannon JOHNS, and who is twenty-four years
old and has one son; Ollie J., a young lady at home, aged twenty-one; Loney Agnes, a young lady at home aged eighteen; Cyrus C., Jr., a young man of sixteen, at home; Nettie May, thirteen; Maud L., ten; and Essie G., seven years old. All of these children have learned to read and write, but like their parents are not of a literary turn of mind.

Mr. RIDENHOWER has always been a Simon-pure Republican. He keeps himself well informed on national affairs, and is steadily growing in the faith. He carries on general farming and keeps
all the horses, cattle and sheep the farm will support. He keeps his farm well cultivated and well improved, and is one of the best farmers in the county.