RIDDER, CHARLES H.

American journalist and publisher; b. New York City, June 11, 1888; d. Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Oct. 10, 1964. He was the son of Henry and Lena (Croker) Ridder and was related on the maternal side to Robert Emmet, the Irish patriot; his father had been cofounder of the New York Catholic News. After graduation from De Witt Clinton high school (1905) and Packard College (1908), he entered journalism and joined the staff of the Catholic News (1910) to gain experience in all phases of publishing. In 1914 he married Alice Lytle; they had four sons and a daughter. At his father's death (1936), Ridder, who was general manager of the News, became its publisher, a post he retained until his death.

He was a member of the Catholic Press Association (CPA), which he served as treasurer and from 1938 to 1940 as president, and he aided materially in the establishment of the National Catholic Welfare Conference (NCWC) News Service, which developed out of the CPA News Service. Active in organizing and supporting lay charitable work in New York, he was one of the founders of the first Catholic boys' club in that city. When this organization later developed into the Catholic Youth Organization, Ridder was a member of its original board of directors. He was also a member of the board of the Casita Maria Settlement in East Harlem, founded by Elizabeth Sullivan, whom Ridder married (1944) three years after the death of his first wife.

Ridder's historical interests were extensive. He was treasurer of the U.S. Catholic Historical Society (1943–53) and its two-term president (1954–56); he contributed to its Historical Records and Studies. Twice knighted by Pius XII—Knight of Malta (1950) and Knight of the Holy Sepulchre (1952)—he was honored again by John XXIII, who made him Knight of the Holy Sepulchre with Star in 1959.

[l. gilhooley]