Harrison Holt Riddleberger (October 4, 1843 – January 24, 1890) was a Virginia lawyer, newspaper editor and politician from Shenandoah County.

[1][2] Riddleberger was born in Edinburg, Virginia in Shenandoah County to the former Susan Shyrock, whose father owned considerable land in Edinburgh.

His father, Madison Riddleberger was a gunsmith and stagecoach driver who had moved from Botetourt County and joined the local militia as a private by 1835.

[5][6] During the spring of 1862 as American Civil War continued, Edinburgh became a base for Confederate Captain Turner Ashby during General Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign.

[4] Riddleberger re-enlisted on November 21, 1863, bought a Confederate saddle and equipment, and rose to become Captain of company G of the 23rd Virginia Cavalry.

[9] After the war, Riddleberger again became a clerk in Woodstock, as well as taught school and began a newspaper, the Tenth Legion Banner.

By 1870, intrigued by reading a copy of Blackstone's Commentaries while imprisoned at Camp Chase, Riddleberger began reading law under the guidance of former Confederate officer Henry C. Allen, the son of judge John J. Allen and whose grandfather had been a judge in Woodstock (and whose relative may have volunteered in Hardy County for cavalry service under Riddleberger).

[10] After reapportionment following the 1870 census, and re-enfranchisement of many Confederates, Riddleberger ran for one of what had become Shenandoah County's two seats in the Virginia House of Delegates.

[1] In the late 1870s, Riddleberger joined former Confederate general and railroad builder William Mahone (supported by the Richmond Whig newspaper) in forming a coalition of blacks, Republicans, and populist Democrats which became known as the Readjuster Party.

The Readjusters dominated Virginia's politics for about 10 years, until a group of "Conservative" Democrats led by John S. Barbour, Jr. (who would succeed Riddleberger) took power in the late 1880s.

Meanwhile, Virginia's economy had collapsed after the war and was slow to recover, and the postwar state Constitution established public schools.

Riddleberger's bill applied to the three-fifths of the total debt allocated to Virginia and would only allow 3% interest, as well as limited bondholders' ability to pay state taxes with the bonds' coupons.

[1] During the next gubernatorial election, Riddleberger sought his Readjuster party's nomination, but it went instead to fellow Confederate veteran William E. Cameron of Petersburg, Virginia, Mahone's friend.

While he continued to caucus with the Republicans in the Senate after Mahone's departure, Riddleberger returned to the Democratic party by the time his term expired in March 1889.

His widow continued publishing the Shenandoah Herald until 1894, and joined him in 1916 (having survived their son Hugh, who was also buried at Cedarwood).