Wesley B. Ridgeway was born around 1841 in Indiana to Joseph and Margaret Ridgeway. His father was a self-described “Gentleman” who owned $11,000 of real estate and $2,000 of personal property by 1860. He probably grew up in Anderson, Indiana. He enlisted in the Union army on September 5, 1861, and mustered in as a private in Company F of the 8^th Indiana Infantry. The regiment took part in the siege of Vicksburg. He was promoted to corporal and then 1^st lieutenant, and he mustered out on August 28, 1865. He returned home in broken health, and he applied for a federal pension in February 1866. He died on March 28, 1866.

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