NICHOLAS RIDGELY, President of the Ridgely National Bank, was born on his father's tobacco plantation, near Baltimore, Maryland, April 27, 1800; is the son of Greenberry and Rachel Ragan Ridgely. He was educated in the city of Baltimore, and engaged in mercantile business there until April, 1828, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and became a clerk in the United States branch bank established there soon after his arrival. Continuing in this business until May, 1835, he was then appointed Cashier of the State Bank of Illinois, incorporated in that year. Mr. Ridgely filled that office till the expiration of its charter, and was one of the trustees who finally wound up the business of the bank. While engaged in closing the affairs of the bank and afterwards, he carried on a private banking business on his own account; and after the passage of the State banking law, he, in connection with the Messrs Clark, organized Clark's Exchange Bank, of Springfield, in 1851 or '52, and retained his connection with it until it was discontinued, and all its obligations discharged. In 1866, Mr. Ridgely, associated with Charles and William, - his sons, - J. Taylor Smith and Lafayette Smith, organized "The Ridgely National Bank of Springfield." He became its President, and has ever since held the office. Thus Mr. Ridgely has been actively identified with banking interests for fifty-three years, and is probably a longer time in the business than any other man in this country. He has been twice married, and reared thirteen children to adult age.