See also

Matthew PRIDGEON ( - )

1 Matthew N. PRIDGEON1,2 ( - ) [6489].

2 John William PRIDGEON3,4 (c. 1927-1992) [4298]. Born c. 1927, MI.3,4,5 Marr Barbara Ann CRESS 17 Feb 1951, St. Joseph, MI.6 Died 30 May 1992, Albuquerque, NM.1,2

From the Herald Press, St. Joseph, MI

December 23, 1952 - "Christmas dinner guests in the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress in Edgewater will be Mr. and Mrs. Jown W. Pridgeon and son, Jeffery, of Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. John Cress and daughter, Jean, of Buchanan, the Tom Prestons and Sue, John and Kathy, and T. W. Riford. Mr. and Mrs. Pridgeon will remain until Sunday.".

4 Lester Agustus PRIDGEON4,5,7,8 (1894-1972) [824]. Born 23 Jan 1894, Montgonery, MI.4,5,8,9,10 Marr Florence G. PARADINE 8 Jul 1920, Ovid Township, Branch, MI.5,11 Marr Anita GILBERT Oct 1968.12 Died 20 Sep 1972, LeRoy, NY.9,12 Buried Machpelah Cemetery, LeRoy, NY.12

From the Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN

February 3, 1915 - "Lester Pridgeon and Miss Maud Kimmel were guest in the home of W. E. Ford the latter part of last week."

February 2, 1916 - "Lester Pridgeon, of Bronson, Mich., spent the week-end with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon."

February 23, 1916 - "Lester Pridgeon, of Bronson, was in Ray Saturday. He spent Sunday with his parents at West Montgomery."

March 16, 1916 - "C. J. Reynolds and Lester Pridgeon, of Bronson, were guest of Glenn and Harold Pridgeon."

May 26, 1916 - "Lester Pridgeon, of Bronson, Mich., vised his parents over Sunday."

November 15, 1916 - "Mr. Lester Pridgeon, of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Mr. Carl Osborne, of Ann Arbor, spent the week-end with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Osborne"

December 16, 1916 - "Mr. Lester Pridgeon, of Ann Arbor spent his Thanksgiving vacation with his parents north of town [Ray]."

December 16, 1917 - "Mr. Lester Pridgeon, of Ann Arbor, Mich., spent Saturday and Sunday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon."

April 11, 1917 - "Mr. Lester Pridgeon, of Ann Arbor, is spending his spring vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon."

December 26, 1917 - "Harold McNaughton, Carl Osborne and Lester Pridgeon, of Ann Arbor, are spending the holiday vacation with their parents here."

April 18, 1917 - "Mr. Nelson, medical student of Ann Arbor, Mich., spent last week with Carl Osborne and Lester Pridgeon."

A photograph of Lester A. Pridgeon was published in the Michiganensian; A War Record Published by the Students of the University of Michigan, 1919. It is described as a record of the University's work in the Great War. The picture shows 17 young men in the S.A.T.C. (Students' Army Training Corps).

8 John PRIDGEON , Jr.7 (1872-1957) [818]. Born 26 Jun 1872, California Township, Branch County, MI. Marr Mollie KIMMEL 31 Jan 1891. Marr Benetty M. SELBY 1928.13 Died 25 Apr 1957.14 Buried California Township Cemetery.15

From the Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN

February 11, 1915 - "John Pridgeon and Wilson Paul were Angola visitors one day last week."

January 15, 1917 - "Mrs. W. E. Ford entertained at 6 o'clock dinner Dr. and Mrs. McTaggart, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. McNaughton and son Howard, C. Reynolds, Miss Maud Kimmel and Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon."

January 15, 1917 - "A social was held at the home of John Pridgeon Friday evening. The proceeds went to the Young Men's Athletic Club at California, Mich."

April 24, 1917 - "Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon visited at Jake Pridgeon's at Reading, Mich.".

9 Mollie KIMMEL7 (1873-1926) [822]. Born 2 Jan 1873, Defiance County, OH. Died 4 Jan 1926.14 Buried California Township Cemetery.15

From the Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN

December 17, 1915 - "Mrs. Mollie Pridgeon and Maud Kimmel of near Montgomery, spent Saturday with Mrs. Carl Ford."

February 16, 1916 - "Mrs. Mollie Pridgeon was a guest of Mrs. W. E. Ford on last Friday."

March 26, 1916 - "Mrs. Mollie Pridgeon of West Montgomery was a Ray visitor Saturday."

March 28, 1917 - "Mrs. John Pridgeon and daughter, Juanita, Mrs. Joe Kimmel and daughter Lola, were guests of Miss maude Kimmel last Saturday.".

5 Florence G. PARADINE4,5,16 (1896-1966) [4303]. Born 13 Jan 1896, MI.5,17 Died 9 Feb 1966, Le Roy, NY.16,17,18 Cause: Heart attack. Buried Machpelah Cemetery, LeRoy, NY.18

From the November 15, 1916 Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN:

Miss Florence Paradine of Kinderhook, and Miss Lola Kimmel, of Montgomery, were Saturday guest of Miss Maud Kimmel.

3 Barbara Ann CRESS3 (1928-1999) [4300]. Born 1928.1,3 Died 1999.1

From the Herald Press, St. Joseph, MI

January 6, 1951 - "The date of the marriage of Miss Barbara Anne Cress and John William Pridgeon was announced for February 17 in the First Congregational church, at a family dinner party last night. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress, parents of the bride-elect, entertained in their Edgewater home for Mr. and Mrs. Lester A. Pridgeon of LeRoy, N.Y., who are spending the week-end at the Cress home. Miss Cress, who is with the WHFB radio station staff, and Mr. Pridgeon, who is employed in Chicago, were both graduated from the University of Michigan last June. Mr. Pridgeon served two years with the Third army in the European theater as an infantry sergeant."

February 3, 1951 - "Two February brides-elect, Miss Elinor Fritze and Miss Barbara Anne Cress, were guests of honor yesterday at a 1 o'clock luncheon given by Mrs. John D. Preston and Mrs. F. C. Palenske in Mrs. Palenske's home in Edgewater. Miss Fritze will be married to Robert John Ferguson of Detroit next Saturday and Miss Cress will become the bride of John William Pridgeon of Chicago on Feb. 17. The honor guests were seated at a table centered with a bride doll holding a minature bouquet of stephanotis. Spring flowers were placed on the individual tables where the guests were seated. Each guest had brought her favorite recipe for the honorees."

February 5, 1951 - "Miss Florence Gast and Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Gast entertained at a kitchen shower for Miss Barbara Anne Cress Saturday night, in their home at 409 Ridgeway. Spring flowers were used for decoration and a buffet supper was served to 30 guests. Last evening, Charles Gore, Jr., was host to a group of young people at a shrimp party, complimenting Miss Cress and John William Pridgeon, who will be married on Feb. 17 at the First Congregational church. White and red carnations were used. Forty guests attended."

February 6, 1951 - "Mrs. Dent Parrett and Mrs. George Campbell entertained at a coffee yesterday in Mrs. Parrett's home in Edgewater for Miss Barbara Anne Cress and Miss Elinor Fritze who will be married this month. Spring flowers decorated the Parrett home where Edgewater friends of the two brides-elect were guests. Miss Fritze's marriage will take place this Saturday and Miss Cress will be married to John William Pridgeon on Feb. 17. Tomorrow Miss Cress and her mother, Mrs. E. W. Cress, will entertain several neighborhood friends at luncheon for Miss Fritze."

February 12, 1951 - "Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas, 441 Ridgeway, entertained 40 friends of Miss Barbara Anne Cress and John William Pridgeon of Chicago, at a cocktail party Saturday evening. Spring flowers decorated the Thomas home. Miss Cress and Mr. Pridgeon are to be married this Saturday in the First Congregational church. On Friday night, Mr. and Mrs. Cress will entertain at a 7 o'clock dinner in the Whitcomb hotel, following the 5 o'clock wedding rehearsal. Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Pridgeon of LeRoy, N.Y., the groom's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Noell Pridgeon of Wadsworth, N.Y., Mrs. William Catlin, Baltimore, Md., Keith Werner of St. Clair, Mrs. Elmore Pettijohn of Evanston, Ill., and her daughter, Nairn, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cress, George Cress of Ann Arbor and Mr. and Mrs. Don Cress of Springfield will arrive Friday to attend the dinner. At noon Saturday, Mrs. Robert L. Ross will be hostess at a brunch for members of the bridal party and the out-of-town guests."

February 14, 1951 - "Marriage Licenses - John Pridgeon, 24, Chicago; Barbara Anne Cress, 22, St. Joseph"

February 16, 1951 - "Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Wierich Cress will entertain at a 7 o'clock dinner in the Whitcomb hotel this evening, following the rehearsal for the wedding of their daughter, Barbara Anne, and John William Pridgeon, which takes place tomorrow. Miss Cress and Mr. Pridgeon, son of the Lester Pridgeons of LeRoy, N.Y., will be married at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the First Congregational church, with a reception to follow in the Whitcomb hotel Tropical room. Guests at tonight's dinner will be members of the bridal party, Mr. and Mrs. Noell L. Pridgeon of Greigsville, N.Y., Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Preston and Mr. and Mrs. John F. Cress of Buchanan, as well as out-of-town relatives who have arrived here for the wedding. Miss Cress, youngest of the three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Cress, of Edgewater, has been on the staff of WHFB until recently."

July 30, 1951 - "Mr. and Mrs. John Pridgeon have returned to their home in Chicago, Ill., after spending the week-end at the home of Mrs. Pridgeon's parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress of 391 Ridgeway."

August 20, 1952 - "Word was received here this morning of the birth of a son to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Pridgeon, Tuesday night, in Milwaukee, Wis. The mother is the former Barbara Anne Cress, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress, 391 Ridgeway."

September 30, 1952 - "Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress of Edgewater visited in Milwaukee, Wis., this past week-end with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Pridgeon and their infant son, Jeffery Cress Pridgeon. Mrs. Pridgeon is the former Barbara Ann Cress."

December 23, 1952 - "Christmas dinner guests in the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress in Edgewater will be Mr. and Mrs. Jown W. Pridgeon and son, Jeffery, of Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. John Cress and daughter, Jean, of Buchanan, the Tom Prestons and Sue, John and Kathy, and T. W. Riford. Mr. and Mrs. Pridgeon will remain until Sunday.".

6 Elmer Weirich CRESS1,3 (1898-1969) [4302]. Born 10 Feb 1898.1 Marr Ruth MINOR bef 1928.1 Div "UNKNOWN".1 Div. Died Nov 1969.1 Cause: Heart attack.

From the Herald Press, St. Joseph, MI.

January 8, 1951 - "Mr. and Mrs. Lester Pridgeon of LeRoy, N.Y., and their son, Jack, of Evanston, Ill., have returned to their homes after spending the week-end here with Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Cress and their daughter, Barbara, of Edgewater."

February 1, 1951 - "Mr. and Mrs. Elmer W. Cress have issued invitations for the wedding of their daughter, Barbara Anne, to John William Pridgeon of Chicago at 4 o'clock on Saturday, Feb. 17, in the First Congregational church. The reception, immediately following, will be held in the Tropical room of the Whitcomb hotel. Miss Cress has asked her sister, Mrs. William Robert Catlin of Baltimore, Md., to be her matron of honor and her bridesmaids will be Mrs. Noell Pridgeon of Wadsworth, N.Y., Mrs. Thomas L. Preston and Mrs. John Cress of Buchanan. Mr. Pridgeon's best man will be Noell Pridgeon and the ushers will be Allan McGregor of Detroit, Keith Werner of St. Clair, Thomas Preston and John Cress. Miss Cress will be guest of honor tomorrow with Miss Elinor Fritze, whose marriage to Robert Ferguson will take place on Feb. 10, at a 1 o'clock luncheon. Mrs. John D. Preston and Mrs. F. C. Palenske will be the hostesses in Mrs. Palenske's home. On Saturday night, Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Gast, Sr., will entertain for Miss Cress and on Saturday afternoon, Charles Gore, Jr., will be host at a shrimp party. Next Monday morning, Mrs. Dent Parrett and Mrs. George Campbell will entertain at a coffee for Miss Cress and Miss Fritze. Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas will entertain at a cocktail party for Miss Cress and Mr. Pridgeon on Saturday night, Feb. 10, and on Saturday, Feb. 17, Mrs. Robert I. Ross will entertain the Cress-Pridgeon bridal party at a brunch at her home in Edgewater."

12 George CRESS1 ( - ) [6484].

13 Louise WEIRICH1 ( - ) [6485].

7 Ruth MINOR1 ( -1948) [6487]. Died 1948.1 Cause: Automobile crash.

Sources

1"Information provided by Jean Cress Gardiner".
2"Obiruary of John William Pridgeon in the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, NM) of June 1, 1992".
3"Articles in the Herald Press, St. Joseph, MI".
4"1940 MI, St. Claire, St. Claire census".
5"1930 St. Clair, MI census".
6"Marriage announcement in the Herald Press, St. Joseph, MI, January 1, 1951".
7"Newspaper articles in the Fort Wayne News.".
8"WWI Selective Service registration card".
9"Social Security Death Index".
10"Obituary of Lester Pridgeon in Bativia Daily News, Batavia, NY on September 21, 1972".
11"Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952 for Florence Paradine & Lester Pridgeon".
12"Obituary of Lester Pridgeon in the Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY on September 21, 1972".
13"History of Branch County, 1979 - ".
14"Branch County death records".
15"California Corners Cemetery Records".
16"Obituary of Florence G. Pridgeon in the Le Roy Gazette, Le Roy, NY, February 10, 1966".
17"Obituary of Mrs. Lester A. Pridgeon in the Bativia News of February 10, 1966".
18"Obituary of Florence G. Pridgeon in the Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) on February 11, 1966".