Last month, I virtually attended "The Power of the People-Voices via Petitions" presentation given at Rootstech 2023. 

I discovered petitions while I was researching the Riddell family of Londonderry, Northern Ireland who immigrated to Londonderry, NH in 1739.   No Riddle family members are listed in 1708 when the petition to Governor Shute was submitted before the Presbyterian congregation went to Londondery, NH or Nutfield. So, it is a strong possibility that Robert Riddle was not amongst the group.  Gordon T. Ridlon in his largely unsourced Riddell/Riddle Genealogy, assumes that they did immigrate at that time while the Governor Shute petition is evidence that Robert Riddle and his two brothers came later. 

Robert Riddle is in Londonderry, NH by 1739 as he is witness to the will of Jesse Christie and ten years later he is appointed surveyor of Highways. Robert Riddell's youngest child was born 1750.

Another reason to distrust Ridlon is that none of the "Riddels Ballaymeath " branches occur at the same time and place as he claims. Also, Ridlon factors in some events of Irish history and totally neglects other facts regarding historical events.   For example, Ridlon claimed that the Riddle family was involved in the seige of Derry, inside the city.  No documents recorded at the time such as port books, freeman lists, apprentice lists or Londonderry Corporation minute books show this.  His reason for not clarifying anything is that without citing sources says on page 19 that many of the Northern Irish (Ulster Scots) came from Roxburghshire, Glen-Riddell (same branch) or Argylshire. Note, Argylshire is considered part of the highlands and under the conditions for plantations set forth by King James, this would not be one of the locations allowed to come and settle in Ulster as part of Londonderry plantation.  

I'm still working on my Riddell from Northern Ireland Research Project.  I'm tracing known (through documentation) ancestors of collateral lines who married into the Riddell family and settled in Londonderry, NH with the Riddells at the same time in 1739.  Earlier Londonderry, NH settlers cannot be ruled out like the Christie family, Taggart family and the Morrisons. More updates on this to follow.

1 Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts. History of the Ancient Ryedales: And Their Descendants in Normandy, Great Britain, Ireland, and America, from 860 to 1884. United Kingdom: The author, 1884. https://www.google.com/books/edition/History_of_the_Ancient_Ryedales/hLFOAAAAMAAJ?hl=en  p. 19; 193-196; 740 (Irish Riddells: list looks like its from Griffiths Valuation? none are From Londonderry.  For my revised and updated report the "Mystery parish of Ballymeath" updated 2020 see my contact info.

2 Riddell-Carre, Walter; Border Memories (Northern Irish Riddell married Morrisons p. 202-203) https://www.google.com/books/edition/Border_Memories/Xm2lGvlRRvgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Ireland

3 Reports from the Commissioners. United Kingdom: n.p., 1836. page 1115 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reports_from_the_Commissioners/om9bAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=King+James+Plantation+Conditions+inland+Scotland&pg=PA1115&printsec=frontcover

4 Boyd, William, Rev. Governor Shute Petition https://www.nhhistory.org/object/268056/petition-to-his-excellency-the-right-honourable-colonel-samuel-shute-1718-march-26   Scan of original document.