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History of Ridgeville
In 1853 the land where Ridgeville is located was surveyed by Charles K. Fell. The land was owned by Jonas Steele. Originally called “Steele’s Corners” likely because the first general store was owned by Jonas Steele. He was a merchant for twenty-four years, a Justice of the Peace for thirty-six years and the first postmaster 1865-1874.
August 1,1865, the first post office was under the name of Ridgeville, likely named after the Fonthill Kame-Delta.
The Ridgeville general store was destroyed by fire twice. After the original store burned, George Townsend Jr. rebuilt it and sold it to his brother Sandford, who turned it into a grist mill. When Frank Williams purchased it he turned it back to a general store and was postmaster 1898-1924. His daughters Catherine and Florence sold it to Clark and Lane on January 1,1925. In November 1926 it was sold to J.M.B. McClelland who was postmaster 1925-1965. Then his wife was postmistress until February 1969. Then Mrs. E. Finnegan ran the post office for three years, Mrs Lena Polowniak 1972-1979, E.P. O’Neil for a year. Lena returned in 1980 to run the store while her daughter, Anna Lucas was postmistress.