Nicholas RIDEOUT [1], [2], R330 Birth: bef 17 Feb 1638 ENGLAND, Dorset Co, Sherburne [3] Baptism: 18 Feb 1638 ENGLAND, Dorset Co, Sherburne [1] Age: <1; Baptism Memo: Christened ³Yorick². Residence: 25 Sep 1692 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia [1] Age: 54 Death: 31 Oct 1707 Pennsylvania, William Penn Colony [1] Age: 69 Burial: Nov 1707 Pennsylvania, William Penn Colony [4] Occupation: Nicholas was a last maker and recieved 16 shillings per dozen lasts. [1] Religion: Quaker records of the period show that Nicholas was not a Quaker although he worked and lived among them. [1] Father: Andrew RIDEOUT (ca1610-?) Spouses: Unknown Story Notes for Nicholas RIDEOUT: Nicholas participated in the Keithian Controversy of the Quaker Legislature of Wm Penn¹s Colony by signing two letters sent to the seat of government (in Philadelphia). The controversy was as follows: The year 1692 witnessed a schism within the Quaker ranks, a development neither surprising nor unique for a sect without formal doctrine, reliant on the Inner Light of Christ, but with a centralized system of disciplinary meetings. The so-called Keithian schism, resulting from the musings of George Keith, the Scottish Quaker schoolmaster in Philadelphia, about the necessity for greater doctrinal rigor among Pennsylvania Quakers, has generated substantial controversy among historians, particularly on the impact of the schism on Pennsylvania politics. The foundation of the dispute was clearly spiritual and, as with so many religious conflicts, developed into bitter, partisan, and pcrsonal attacks, complicated in this instance by the theocratic underpinnings of Pennsylvania's political system. Had Keith and his adherents contented themselves with purely doctrinal concerns, the schism might have occupied a relatively minor space in the histories of Pennsylvania, but Keith also advocated the withdrawal of Quakers from politics, pressing home his point by stridently attacking such Quaker officials as Thomas Lloyd, John Simcock, Arthur Cook, Samuel Richardson, and Samuel Jennings. If Keith was able to convince enough of the colony's Quakers of the inappropriateness of their role in government, the "Holy Experiment" would collapse. That possibility was not lost on the colony's leading Quakers, particularly the ministers, or "public Friends," who correctly feared that loss of political dominance would reduce the Quakers in Pennsylvania to a restrictive, embattled status similar to that of their brethren in England. Consequently, the religious strife spilled over into the Philadelphia court system as Keith and several of his supporters were successfully prosecuted and fined for seditious libel, while the colony's only printer, William Bradford, and his associate John McComb were imprisoned for anonymously publishing and spreading seditious pamphlets. The prosecutions were primarily the work of Philadelphia County Court justices Samueljennings, Robert Ewer, Arthur Cook, Henry Waddy, Samuel Richardson. and Griffith Owen, with David Lloyd acting as a prosecuting attorney and sheriff John White, the sole non-Quaker in the group, selecting the all-important jurors. While clearly quasi-legal and "a heavy-handed attempt to gag Keith and his partisans," the proceedings do not appear to have made a substantial impact on Quaker rule in the colony, nor on their numbers. The Quakers continued to dominate the Pennsylvania legislature, even more so when the Lower Counties separated in 1704, and a contemporary estimate lists only 143 Quakers as leaving the ranks of the scct. with 40 following Keith into the Anglican church., A handful of legislators were Kcithians, most notabiy Robert Turner, Joseph Wilcox, Joseph Fisher, John Swift, William Lee, and Francis Cooke. The Keithian schism and its resultant turmoil in the governing ranks, however, helped to bring about the royal government of Benjaimin Fletcher, which in turn encouraged the Keithians, Anglicans, and other non-Quakers to press the crown more aggressively to terminate Quaker proprietary government. Clear evidence that the bulk of the Keithians were motivated primarily by economic motives or opposition to the political power of Thomas Lloyd is elusive, although 52 Keithians had signed a 1692 protest to the Assembly against a proposed provincial tax, while only 15 orthodox Quakers signed the document. That correlation does not appear to hold true, however, for political factionalism, at least in Philadelphia County. In any event. economic or political motivation, as well as occupation and wealth, are extremely difficult to ascertain precisely at this time because of the paucity of records. Primarily by economic motives or opposition to the political power of Thomas Lloyd is elusive, although 52 Keithians had signed a 1692 protest to the Assembly against a proposed provincial tax, while only 15 orthodox Quakers signed the document. That correlation does not appear to hold true, however, for political factionalism, at least in Philadelphia County. In any event. economic or political motivation, as well as occupation and wealth, are extremely difficult to ascertain precisely at this time because of the paucity of records. [5] Sources 1. ³RE: RIDEOUTS,² Floyd Rideout, private email, 19 Dec 2002. (A copy of this material is in the author¹s possession.) 2. Horle, Craig W; Wokeck, Marianne S; et al -eds, ³ Appendix 6: The Keithian Controversy and Factions in Philadelphia County,² Lawmaking and Legislators in Pennsylvania : a biographical dictionary, Vol. 1, 16821709, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1991, pg 818 (signature on pg 822). The following list represents the signers of a series of addresses, letters, and petitions from 1692 to 1701, generally involving residents of Philadelphia County, concerning the Keithian schism and assorted economic and political grievances. Although probably not comprehensive relative to all the addresses and petitions of the period, these documents are perhaps the most significant extant examples of the religious, economic, and political turmoil of the first two decades of Pennsylvania's history. Of the 14 documents included, the following two are germain to Nathaniel Rideout of Philadelphia: A. To the Representatives of the Free-men of this Province of Pennsilvania and Counties Annexed, published for presentation to the General Assembly held in May 1692. The 260 signatories strongly opposed the provincial tax promulgated by the Provincial Council for enactment at the coming session; C. An address, drafted about April 1693, from 117 residents of Philadelphia to Governor Benjamin Fletcher approving of his initial deportment in the colony and in particular of his appointment of William Markham as his lieutenant governor. (The printed version has been used, rather than the manuscript version, the latter clearly in the hand of a clerk. The spellings differ between the two versions). 3. ³INFERENTIAL CONCLUSION(S),² ARNOLD E PALMER, nd./np. given.nd./np. given. Infered from baptism. This information has been extrapolated from data provided else where. Consequently, it may not be accurate. 4. Ibid. nd./np. given. 5. Horle, Craig W; Wokeck, Marianne S; et al -eds, ³ Appendix 6: The Keithian Controversy and Factions in Philadelphia County,² Lawmaking and Legislators in Pennsylvania : a biographical dictionary, Vol. 1, 16821709, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1991, pg 44-45. The following list represents the signers of a series of addresses, letters, and petitions from 1692 to 1701, generally involving residents of Philadelphia County, concerning the Keithian schism and assorted economic and political grievances. Although probably not comprehensive relative to all the addresses and petitions of the period, these documents are perhaps the most significant extant examples of the religious, economic, and political turmoil of the first two decades of Pennsylvania's history. Of the 14 documents included, the following two are germain to Nathaniel Rideout of Philadelphia: A. To the Representatives of the Free-men of this Province of Pennsilvania and Counties Annexed, published for presentation to the General Assembly held in May 1692. The 260 signatories strongly opposed the provincial tax promulgated by the Provincial Council for enactment at the coming session; C. An address, drafted about April 1693, from 117 residents of Philadelphia to Governor Benjamin Fletcher approving of his initial deportment in the colony and in particular of his appointment of William Markham as his lieutenant governor. (The printed version has been used, rather than the manuscript version, the latter clearly in the hand of a clerk. The spellings differ between the two versions). Cheers, Arnold -- <><><><><><><><><><><> Arrowhead Images <aepalmer@a-znet.com> <><><><><><><><><><><> Researching: Maine & New Brunswick: RIDEOUT LEYDECKER HUGHES NYS & Nederlands: DeJONG SIEDSMA TRAUTMAN Germany & France: TRAUTMAN METZGER