CLARENCE S. RIDLEY

Son of Judge and Mrs. William Ridley., Clarence S. Ridley was born on June 22, 1883 in Corydon, Harrison County, Indiana. Following initial studies in his native state, entered the West Point Military Academy on July 11, 1901 He graduated with high honors, ranking fourth in his class of 114 cadets and was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Corps Engineers of the United States on June 13, 1905.

After making their service trips to Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley, during 1905 and 1906, he was sent to Cuba in February 1907 for about four months. On his return he was promoted to Lieutenant on 9 June of that year. The following year he graduated from the Engineering School at Washington Barracks. From 1909 to 1912 he served with the troops on the islands of Hawaii and the Philippines, as well as at Fort Leavenworth.

In October 1912, at the age of twenty-nine, he reached the rank of Captain and was assigned to work of river and harbor in North Carolina where he was responsible for the construction of two sets of locks and dams, and then around the work of both river and dock at the Washington district of North Carolina. In 1915 he married Edna E. Taft.

In 1916 he was assigned to the office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, DC, where he led the development of Engineers Officer Corps Reservists. He was promoted to Major in 1917, and in August of that year he was temporarily appointed to the office of Lieutenant Colonel. In October 1917, he was appointed Colonel and Adjutant Major Military Age of President Wilson, and also supervised the care of public buildings and grounds in Washington, DC His duties included the construction of Arlington Cemetery in Arlington Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial in Potomac Park. He also served as executive officer of the National Commission of Fine Arts, and a member of the First Committee of the District of Columbia area.

While still serving as Adjutant of the President, was awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Leopold by the late King Albert of Belgium at the White House on October 30, 1919.

He reached the isthmus in May 1921 to assume his duties as Assistant Maintenance Engineer. Ridley had the opportunity to address many of the departments of the Canal in time when the organization was entering a period of established operations and maintenance. Ridley was appointed Governor of the Panama Canal Zone on August 27, 1936, a position he held until 1940 Under his tenure, the application of the laws of the United States of measurement of the vessels as a factor in the Panama Canal tolls boat was abolished on August 24, 1937, and the rules of the Panama Canal was established as the only means of measurement to determine the Panama Canal tolls for boats. The Pacific entrance of the Canal was made more profound and complete, digging more than eleven million cubic yards from the Miraflores Locks up sea buoys, including the Inner Harbor Balboa.

Ridley retired on June 30, 1947 and died on July 26, 1969 in Carmel, California.