Anna Riddell came to the town of Hadley in Saratoga County, NY, from Boston in 1910 after marrying a local man. She first made the local paper in 1915 when The Saratogian reported, “Mrs. Anna Riddell has purchased a Ford runabout which she intends to operate herself after taking a few lessons.” Apparently, the lessons were a success and Anna’s love for automobiles flourished.
In 1920, when Riddell’s house was destroyed by fire in the middle of the night, the family barely escaped with nothing but their nightclothes, and “a Dodge touring car belonging to Mrs. Riddell which was in a building connected with the house was saved through great difficulty because of the deep snow.” No longer just a hobby, Anna had become a chauffeur for hire and was among the first women to obtain a driver’s license in Saratoga County.
In addition to her passion for cars, Anna also showed conviction for civic groups and local government. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and volunteered for the Red Cross during the First World War, chairing liberty loan drives and serving as a member of the Red Cross Motor Corps in Hadley. [Read more…] about Saratoga Co’s First Female Supervisor & A Filling Station Assault
