Ralph Lidster

1831 - 1922  (90 years)

• Name	Ralph Lidster  [1, 2]
  Birth	16 May 1831	Merrington, Durham, England
  Christening	12 Jun 1831
  Gender	Male
  Death	1922	Beloit, WI
  Person ID	I32924	Cecilie Family
  Last Modified	9 Sep 2008

  
  

  Father	William Lidster,   b. Abt 1801   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Margaret Joblin
  Marriage	27 May 1815	Merrington, Durham, England
  Family ID	F2928	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Curtis Golding,   b. 1837-1838, England d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	15 Feb 1855	Milwaukee, WI
  Children	1. George M Lidster,   b. 1859-1860, Illinois d. Yes, date unknown   2. Ralph Eustis Lidster,   b. 24 Mar 1861, New Caledonia, WI d. 18 Nov 1934, Chicago, IL (Age 73 years)   3. Vernia E. Lidster,   b. Dec 1865, Boone, IL d. 21 Apr 1942, No Tonawanda, Niagara, NY (Age 76 years)   4. Lorenzo N Lidster,   b. 31 Jul 1872, Illinois d. 24 Feb 1940, Los Angeles, CA (Age 67 years)
  Family ID	F11187	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Feb 2009

  
  

• Event Map

  Marriage - 15 Feb 1855 - Milwaukee, WI Death - 1922 - Beloit, WI  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Ralph Lidster (1831-1922) note from Douglas M. Lidster   My own research indicates that the surname Lidster evolved from Litster, which is a trade name. A "litster" is a dyer of fabrics. The term can be found in older dictionaries. Litster, in turn, traces its roots to Old Norse "litr" which, if memory serves me correctly, also refers to a dyer of fabrics. My own great-great grandfather, Ralph Lidster, came to America from Durham in 1848. I'm having difficulty tracing ancestors preceding him. I'd appreciate information from anyone reading this note. My wife and I plan a trip to England next year to visit the places from which our ancestors came. I would very much enjoy meeting very long-lost relatives. Beloit News August 25 1921   Atmosphere of Pioneer Days is Resurrected at Old Settler's Picnic.   About 5,000, it was estimated. attended the picnic. Ralph Lidster, with four generations of his family gathered about him, responded to the music of the fif and drum, his eyes sparkling in a way that would have done credit to a man thirty years his junior. Lidster is 90 years and three months old, and has lived in Beloit for sixty-eight years.   The oldest settler in age was Mrs. M. J. Cowen of Chicago, formerly of Beloit. Mrs. Cowen is 94 years old. Her sister, Mrs Loveley King, 81 years old was also present. The oldest male settler present was Ralph Lidster. Beloit newspaper clipping of 1922.   Ralph Lidster, until his death in Beloit in 1922 at the age of 91 years, was an early resident here, arriving in 1853. He was a native of England having been born in Durham (in northern England) May 16, 1831. His wife was formerly Miss Elizabeth Golding of Milwaukee.   Mr. Lidster was a shoemaker by trade, working at first for Joseph Hoskins, an early Beloit cobbler. Later the Lidsters moved to Caledonia, Illinois, where they lived for 25 years. Following a trip West to Nevada they returned to Beloit in 1880 where Mr. Lidster bought 160 acres of land in the vicinity of what is now Portland Avenue and Hackett Streets. The large house which he erected stood for many years at the head of Portland Avenue on the west side of Hackett Street.   The Lidster farm was a busy place for number of years. It was in one of the fields that Appleby first tried out the grain binder which was soon to bring fame to its inventor and work a revolutionary change in the laborious routine of the harvest. After he had sold the land, Mr. Lidster used to recall with a shake of his head how much better it would have been to have retained ownership until it became a populous residence. Later the Lidster house was moved some distance north on Hackett where it still stands.   Mr. Lidster is survived by his two sons and a daughter: George of Buffalo, N.Y., Ralph of Chicago, Ill., and Mrs. Vernie Compton of Chicago.   Before his retirement the elder Mr. Lidster was for some time engaged in the farm equipment business here. email from Jean Bowes - September 2006   Hello from Co Durham, England, As my maiden name was Lidster and my famly has quite few 'Ralphs' in it, I was very interested in your family web site. The names Ralph and William appear to run down every line. I think I contacted you a few years ago before you made your trip to England and was wondering how you've progressed since then. You may have already seen it but I think there's a Bishops' Transcript entry for a baptism for 'your' Ralph on 12th June 1831 with parents William and Margaret.. I know it's very confusing with the name changing so much from Lister/Lidster/Litster but quite a few of them lived round the Ferryhill and Merrington area in Co Durham. Anyway I have a copy of the entry (unless you have already found his baptism) if you are still interested, as it looks very likely to be the correct one. Regards Jean   Baptismal record From The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wis., publ, 1889 - page 310   LIEUT. SAMUEL W. BARR, a member of LIDSTER & BARR,, dealers in agricultural implements at Beloit, Wis.,   After returning home, Lieut. BARR was again engaged in the plow-shops for a short time, when he purchased a farm and followed agricultural pursuits until 1886, when in company with Mr. LIDSTER he established the firm of LIDSTER & BARR. They carry a full line of agricultural implements, and by fair dealing and an earnest desire to please their customers have built up a good trade.   He was also a wagon train scout - making the trip from Beloit to Nevada and back. Census: 1851 - Crook and Billy Row in Co Durham, England name relation age occupation   Ralph Lister ap 19 Ap Cordwaner (Shoemaker)   Census: 1860 Caledonia, Boone County, Ill, page 588 name age occupation born in Ralph Litster 28 Laborer England Elizabeth Litster 20   England Lovina Litster 4   Ill Merry Litster 2   Ill George Litster 4/12   Ill Census: 1870 Caladonia, Boone Co., Illinois pg 211-212 Ralph Lidster 39 Showmaker England Elizabeth Lidster 35 Keeping House England W. Lovina Lidster 14 Goes to School Ill James N. Lidster 12 Goes to School Ill Leo N. Lidster 10 Goes to School Ill Ralph E. Lidster 8 Goes to School Ill Wm M Lidster 6 Goes to School Ill E. E. V Lidster 6 at home Ill Wm. McKlage 40 Shoemaker Scotland 1880 Census Beloit, Wisc. name relation age born in occupation father born mother born   Ralph Lidster self 45 ENG Farmer ENG ENG   Elizabeth C. Lidster wife 42 ENG   ENG ENG   George M. Lidster son 20 IL         Ralph E. Lidster son 18 IL         Vernia Lidster dau 14 IL         Lorenzo N. Lidster son 8 IL           In 1891 listed as retired in the Beloit City Directory.   In 1900 census, lived with his son George Census: 1900 Beloit, Rock Co., Wisconsin name relation born age born in father born mother born occupation   George M. Lidster head Mar 1860 40 m-18 Illinois England England Machinist Virginia T. Lidster wife July 1857 42 m-18 Illinois Ohio Ohio   Ralph H. Lidster son Jan 1883 17 S Wisconsin Illinois Illinois At School Henry A. Lidster son Mar 1885 15 S Wisconsin Illinois Illinois Shoe Factory Ralph Lidster father Mar 1832 68 Wd England England England retires Shoe Maker   Was living with his son in Beloit in tyhe 1905 Wisconsin State Census 1905 - Wisconsin State Census Name Relation age Born in Parents Born Occupation   Geo M. Lidster Head 45 Ill Eng Mach   Virgnia T Lidster Wife 47 Ill Ohio B. Keeper   Henry A. Lidster Son 19 Ill       Ralph E. Lidster Father 73 Eng       Beloit City Government report   The following report was received from the Board of Public Works and referred to the Health and Sewerage committee:   To the Honorable the Mayor and Common Council: Gentlemen: Your Board of Public Works would report that two bids were received for constructing sanitary sewer in Rouse street.   The amounts of the several bids are as follows:   Owen BARKER $227.80   Ralph LIDSTER 236.60   Respectfully submitted Board of Public Works, By Geo. B. INGERSOLL, Clerk.   December 22. - Special Meeting. - Council Chambers. Beloit, Wis., Dec. 22, 1900.   In the 1920 Census, Ralph Lidster was a boarder at 115 Liberty Avenue, in Beloit, with Frank and Sarah Hilb (sp?). For more information see the Our Folk - Hart family Web Site

  
  

• Sources

  [S1062] Beloit City Directory, years: 1891, 1916, 1917 (Reliability: 3). [S1218] Durham Baptismal Records, page 102 (Reliability: 3).