Samuel Doyle Riddle (July 1, 1861 â€" January 8, 1951) was an American businessman and racehorse owner. He was born in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town southwest of Philadelphia given the family name by his father.
Samuel D. Riddle, a native of Delaware County, owned and operated a woolen mill started by his father, Samuel Riddle, but is best known as a sportsman. His father Samuel Riddle was born in Ireland and arrived in America in 1825. His mother was Lydia Doyle. He had a brother, Leander W. Riddle. His sisters were Lydia Maud Riddle (who married Donald C. Haldeman, general manager for Great Britain and Ireland of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York) and Charlotte Buffington Riddle. Miss Riddle, member number 25516 of the Daughters of the American Revolution, married Mr. Homer Lee (of Mansfield, Ohio, who founded the Homer Lee Bank Note Company in New York City). Their children were Leander Lee and Homer Lee, Jr.
Thoroughbred racing
The owner of Glen Riddle Farm, Riddle bred and raced Thoroughbred race horses. His most famous horses were Man o' War and U.S. Triple Crown winner, War Admiral.
In partnership with Walter M. Jeffords, Sr., the husband of his Elizabeth Dobson Riddle's (Riddle's wife) niece, Samuel D. Riddle purchased and operated Faraway Farm on Huffman Mill Pike near Lexington Kentucky where they stood Man o' War. In 1939, Riddle turned down an offer of a then unheard of $1 million for Man o' War.
Upon his death in January 1951, Mr. Riddle's will stipulated that his estate be used to provide a hospital for the community of Media, Pennsylvania, the nearest town to Glen Riddle. With the $2.5 million and the 72 acres (290,000Â m2) of land, fronted by Baltimore Pike, provided by Mr. Riddle, a charter for the hospital was granted on November 29, 1956. Riddle Memorial Hospital was built, opening in February 1963, on 34 acres (140,000Â m2) of land. It was thought appropriate that the balance of the land be used at some future date in some manner related to the health and well-being of the community.
The Riddlewood residential housing development in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is named for Mr. Riddle and its streets are named for the horses he owned.
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