Samuel Riggs

I know I have neglected this page, there are just so many things going on in life. I still do plenty of research, I had just let this blog slip away. But what I found yesterday I think is worth sharing, since I know there are lots of other Riggs' descendants out there in this big, small world.

The other day I had gotten an email invitation to a Riggs family reunion back in Kansas. They have one every year for descendants of James Daugherty Riggs and Lucinda Barker, who are my 3rd great grandparents. I know I won't be able to attend the reunion, and I'm sure there wouldn't be a familiar face in the whole crowd anyway. But it got me to thinking about the line again and I started to dig around for new info. Well, new information is exactly what I found. Most of the information I had found before, was found by other researchers. The folks who run the reunion have shared lots of work with me, and it was a huge help is growing my family tree.

This bit I'm about to share I found, sort of, through Ancestry as a hint from browsing records for Samuel Riggs, so then I ran a Google search for him, and came upon a text document on ebooksread.com. We all know how garbled that can be, so back to the search until I found the same book on Archives.org.  (the following link will take you directly to the PDF if anyone would like to read it or download it for themselves. But I did my best transcribing the relevant content and am sharing that here.) Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Union Counties, Iowa Vol 2. By The Lewis Publishing Company 1887.

Here is my transcription of two separate entries in the book concerning Samuel Riggs. There were a couple errors I noticed, and several places where I had a hard time reading the fading pages. I was particularly excited to see that a large portion of the second entry was originally written by Samuel Riggs himself!

Biographical Sketches 

page 649- 

  Samuel Riggs, __(hard to read)___farmer, residing  in Kent, Union County, was born in Dodd (sic) County, Kentucky in 1806, and is the son of Daniel Riggs and Nancy Riggs. In 1817 the family settled in Missouri, remaining in the state twenty-five years. Samuel Riggs then lived in Davis County, Iowa for thirteen years, when in 1853 he settled in what is known as Riggs’ Grove, in Douglas Township, where he entered and bought 400 acres of land, and remained a resident there until 1876. He was the third settler in the western half of Union County and experienced many of the hardships and privations of pioneer life. He was married in Howard County, Missouri in 1825 to Rhoda Belch (sic), by whom he had four children. -- James D., Eli H., Nancy, and H.P. Mrs. Riggs died in 1836 and Mr. Riggs was again married the same year, in Kentucky, to Marinda (sp?) Piper, who was born in Smith County, Tennessee in 1806. To this union were born five children—Mary, S.M., Rebecca, Joseph and Daniel. Since his residence in Iowa, Mr. Riggs has represented the people of Davis County in the State Legislature for one term. He was also sheriff four years, and held the office of Deputy Sheriff the same length of time. He has voted he Democratic ticket the past fifty years, missing but one election. He is classed among the influential citizens of Douglas Township, where he has made his home so many years.

 

 

Early and Civil History

Page 667- Douglas Township

  Frank Bruning and Asa Ames came to Union County at the same time, May 1853. Bruning settled on the southwest quarter of section 37 and Ames on section 27. In September Samuel Riggs arrived at their shanty. They were not aware of any neighbors nearer than Missouri, except Indians. John Green had a band of Pottawatomies, about 100 braves, on Grand River, ten miles southeast of Afton.

   Previous to Bruning and Ames’ settling on the Platte, they had made a selection on Grand River, and started from Missouri for their lands, they followed the divide between Platte and Grand Rivers. A very dark night coming on they got lost, and in their wanderings fell into Platte River. Coming out, they located as above stated.

  Bruning at that time had never seen a map of Iowa, and did not know what county he was in, but was pleased with the country and satisfied to locate here.

  On the 12^th day of October 1853, Mr. Riggs commenced work on a cabin of the ‘Tippecanoe’ style, on section 30.  H. Pitman, John Snow, Reuben and Mahlon Riggs came with Riggs and took claims. By February following many others had taken claims; among them were Henry Cline, Jonathan Coons, and James Howard.

  Early in march 1854, Reuben Riggs and Reuben Madden moved into the county, and Madden bought Ames’ cabin.

  Mr. Riggs writes in Colby’s Atlas: “When we were here in November we staked out a road leaving the Mormon trace where Afton now stands. Soon after our return two surveyors, from Glenwood came along surveying a state road from Glenwood to Chariton. At the time there was not even an Indian trail leading east and west; but there were several running northwest and southeast. They intended to mark out the road so that it could be followed. A few days afterward four travelers undertook to follow the trace, going west past our camp about three o’clock, pm., it soon became very foggy, and they lost their way and wandered around until two o’clock in the morning when they got back to Platte, a mile below our camp. There one of the party, an old man seventy-two years old, gave out and said he must rest before he could travel further; he was as comfortably cared for and bedded as saddle and blankets would allow, and then two of the party started to find our camp, while one remained with the old man and horses. The two came in sight of our campfire and commenced hallooing. We answered them that they had passed our camp the evening before. They at once started back for their horses and companions. On returning, they found that their hallooing had frightened their horses who had broken loose and run off, and they were left to foot it back to our camp, hungry and very much fatigued. We at once commenced preparing breakfast. We had plenty of cornmeal and coffee, but fried all our bacon.

  “After breakfast, the proposition was made to get us and our two horses and one of their number to hunt their horses. The morning was still foggy; on striking the trail we found they had started off at full speed; about ten o’clock the fog blew off and we came in sight of the run-aways; they had crossed their trail several times, running in a circle; as soon as they discovered us they were as wild as elks; they were between us and our camp and ran in that direction, coming up to it, they became more tame and we caught them.

  “The strangers now proposed to stay until the next morning and as ___ us in raising our cabin. We showed them our stock of provisions. It was found we had plenty of  cornmeal and coffee, and some dried fruit, but if they would stay we would send down to neighbor Bruning’s only eight miles distant, and get some meat. We accordingly, started a boy off to Bruning’s on horseback, while we went to putting up house logs. In due time the boy returned, bringing back the word that neither Bruning or Ames had either beef, pork or bacon, but they had just finished dressing two fine coons, and they, with pleasure, sent us the best one.

  I mention this incident more to show the fraternal spirit which governed the pioneers in their dealings than for any other purpose. The hardships and privations endured by the first settlers were, in great measure, modified by an open-hearted liberality, not found in more densely populated communities.

  “On the 13^th of April, 1854, I moved my family into our log cabin. At that time there were about eight families in what is now Platte Township, but there was no township organization. In June 1854, we carried a petition to Judge Nun, asking for a township organization, which he granted and included the whole southwest fourth of the county in one township, which we called ‘Platte’.   The first election was held at the house of H. Prentice, on the first Monday in August 1854, at which fourteen votes were cast, and necessary township officers were elected.

  “The next accession to our settlement was William Moore, who settled on section 28; then came “Uncle Jimmy” Lytle who was located on section 17 and the Meyers family, on the same section, about July 1854. In August, 1854, a man settled on section 6 who, in the spring of 1855 sold to William H. Terpenning.

  “In 1857 Platte Township was reorganized taking from her territory township 72, 30, now Highland (sic); 71, 30, now Grant; and in 1860 Douglas Township was organized. The writer of this sketch carried the petition for organization to the then county judge Hon. J.W. McDill, who granted the prayer of the petitioners, and as no name was indicated, the judge conferred the responsibility of christening the new township upon the writer, who unhesitatingly named it Douglas, in honor of Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. At the first election but seven votes were cast, to wit:  J.S. Lytle, Robert Davis, D.M. and Samuel Riggs, William Morrow; and for four years subsequently the vote did not exceed fourteen at any election.

  “The first years we were here, we had either to go to Compton’s, near Winterset, or to Hawleyville (sp?), Page County, to get milling done, except that a small mill at Petersville would crack corn for us, provided we had any to crack.

  “Blacksmiths were scarce; Frank Bruning had a few tools and with a black oak tree for a shop, and a rude forge, improvised for the occasion, he sharpened our plows and shod our horses, as necessity compelled to patronize him.

  “The first school-house in this part of the county was erected in 1855, on Reuben Madden’s land, and was built of logs. It was probably more highly appreciated than are the commodious and attractive school buildings of to day.

  “The settlements during the years 1855-‘6 were quite rapid on Platte—Joseph Roberts, B. R. Baker, James Wisherd, The Blisses, E. Orr, and others.

  “The first post office in the west part of the county was established in 1854, S. M. Riggs, postmaster. A mail route was established from Pisgah to Glenwood the same year, and the writer was the contractor for the mail service on the route, which was carried weekly, and supplied the offices of Afton, Platte, Scioly (sp?), White Cloud, Indian Creek, and Glenwood; the distance was one hundred miles and not a bridge the entire distance and very little road.

  “The writer was the first justice of the peace in the west part of the county, being commissioned in 1854.

  “The first saw mill was a portable one, and located on section 10, and was built by Tarpenning & Company, in the summer of 1855. They completed their saw mill, sawed some, quarreled more, and spent more money at the law than they made at the saw.

  “The first school-house in Douglas Township was a frame 18x26, built of native lumber, sawed at Sharpe’s Mill in Ringgold County, and was located on section 30. The first teacher was Miss Mary Lambert. Religious meetings were not of frequent occurrence at our first settlement, but only occasionally an itinerant preacher would call the neighbors together and preach to them. The first sermon was preached in this township by Isaac Sidewell, at the house of the writer, in 1855, the next was by Moses Case, in 1861, at the school house.

  “The first store in Douglas Township was started by Lemon & Cresswell, in Cromwell, in November 1868; they were soon followed by J.C. Williams, in January 1869.

  Good fortune and natural advantages together have given to Douglas the largest city in Southwestern Iowa, except Council Bluffs. Creston has grown up on wild prairie in seventeen years.

My Morgan Line

My Morgan line begins, actually also with an Allen and a brick wall. A Quaker brick wall is a bit odd, I think, since they are so well known for keeping great records.

My grandmother's grandmother was Emily, aka Emma A. Allen. It is said that Emma was born in Friendville, TN May 16, 1851 to the parents of Thomas Norris Allen and Elizabeth Morgan. I found Emma's name through some records of other researchers and relatives in Kansas who have been keeping records and having an annual family reunion for the Riggs family.
Emma was married to Joseph Hughes Riggs on December 19, 1872. Another date has been noted as the 12th, and not known which is correct. Emma and Joseph can be seen in a group photo I had posted previously . Here she is cropped from that photo:

Emily "Emma" A. Allen Riggs

 

 

 

One source, an obit from the Chase County, Ks paper (noted in the files from the Riggs relatives), says she was born in 1852 and 12 years later came with her parents to KS where she lived the rest of her life with the exception of 8 years when she lived in MO.

Emma is with her family in 1860 in Blount County, TN and she is 9 years old. Her father is Thomas, mother is Elizabeth, and has siblings by the name Amanda, Julia, Edwin, Elizabeth, and Thomas. By the 1870 census they are in Toledo, Chase Co, KS, she is 19, her father is listed as Thomas N. Allen, (farmer) mother Elizabeth, and the only siblings in the home are Julia, Edwin, Elizabeth and Thomas. In the 1880 census she is married to Joseph Riggs, living in Fairplay, Marion Co, KS. Joseph is 31 (farmer) , Emma is 29, and they have 3 children already, including Lester, my gr grandfather, age 5(?). His name was actually Ernest Lester , but went by his middle name most of is life, seems to be a common practice in my family. 1885 has them in Cottonwood, Chase Co, 1895 and 1900 has them in Cedar, Chase Co.
1910 has them in Hazelwood, Webster, MO. Joseph is 61, Emma, 58, and two children ages 25 and 14 living with them there. Then 1920 and 1925 has them back in Toledo, Chase Co, KS. Their two children Lillis and Clifford still living with them, in the 1925 census Lillis and and Clifford are age 40 and 35 respectively.

My dad went to the local library and found Emma's death announcement for me on microfilm (Emporia Gazettte) and sent me a copy. I'm not exactly sure of the date of the paper, it didn't print out with the section, but there is an advertisement on the same page dated December 17, 1928. The  notice reads:

Mrs. Emma Riggs Dead

Mrs. Emma  Riggs, 77, who lived 7 miles north of Saffordville died at 11:30 o'clock this morning at the St. Mary's hospital. She had been suffering from severe burns received December 9th when she overturned a vessel of boiling water while working at her home. Funeral services  will be at 11 o'clock Wednesday morning at the Friend's church in Emporia. (unreadable) Mrs. Carnell, pastor of the Walnut Grove church, will conduct the (unreadable but hyphenated to next line so most likely "services"), assisted by Rev. R. E. Jackson, pastor of the Friends church. Internment will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Florence.

She is indeed buried in the Hillcrest Cemetery  in Florence, Marion County next to her husband who died before her (May of the same year). Their memorials are on Find A Grave. Her birth on her her tombstone says she was born May 16, 1851, Died December 17, 1928. According to the notes in the files I was given, another researcher had her birth as 1850. The notes also say that her obituary in the Chase County Leader News  say she was born in 1852, that they were married in 1872, and that she died of burns received when she overturned a vessel of boiling water while preparing to take a bath in her home on December 9th.
This reference was the first I had seen about Quaker roots. I didn't even know what "Friends church" meant, and had to look it up. But I knew exactly which hospital it was where she died, I was born in the same hospital. I also knew exactly which church her funeral was in, I remember going there as a very young child, and lived near it a couple times while growing up.  Here is a photo I took last summer of the church. We didn't get to go in, since it was closed when we went to visit.

First Friends Church in Emporia Kansas

In trying to learn more about Thomas Norris Allen,  I came across some articles about his son Thomas G. Allen. Seems he was quite prominent in Chase County, so it was more through him I found more about Thomas N. and his wife.
On Chase County Pages I found the two following pages on Thomas Norris Allen  and his son Thomas G. Allen .
Then I found this page on Scribd which lists names of people buried in a small Quaker cemetery in the area which lists Thomas and Elizabeth. I found it through this Research Page which has a link to a page with pictures of the cemetery, and Thomas and Elizabeth's graves. It also includes a biographical sketch of the Allens which I find very interesting and fun to read, and have added it to my files.

The main page also has a link for more about the Morgans and it links to the church where earlier family members attended and were buried in Iowa. 
 Essentially the biographical sketch describes how the Allens and Morgans lived in Eastern TN until the outbreak of the civil war. The Quakers were peaceable people and didn't go to war, so they left Tennessee when the war made it to their area, and they went to Iowa. Some stayed there, and some went on to Kansas. So some of my Morgan ancestors are buried in Ackworth, Iowa.

Elizabeth Morgan Allen  was born January 16, 1821 in Lost Creek, Jefferson, TN. She was the daughter of William Morgan and Catherine Peck. Elizabeth (also sometimes spelled Elisabeth) married Thomas N. Allen on April 27, 1839 in Lost Creek, Jefferson, TN. She died June 16, 1890, presumably in Chase County, Ks.

Here are the photos I took of hers and Thomas' graves and the cemetery when I visited them last year:

"Our Mother Elizabeth Allen died June 16, 1890 aged 69 yrs & 5mo" "Our Father Thomas N. Allen, died 1, mo. 11, d. 1875, aged 63 yrs, 11 ms, 15 ds."

Old Friends Cemetery as seen from the road, West of the Lyon/Chase County line on Road 180, North side.

Thomas and Elizabeth's graves just south of the big cedar tree in the cemetery. 

  I think I will stop here for this post and start the next one on the ancestors of Elizabeth.  In digging through my files for this post I found a clue on Thomas that I had missed before and I want to dig around some more.
  I found a Thomas Allen in the 1850 census in Blount County, TN. He is 40 years old then, and listed as a farmer, from TN. His wife Elizabeth is 30, and also listed as from TN, as are all the children (names all match the names in other census which Emily shows up in): Wm age 10, Amanda age 6, Julia age 4, and Edmund age 2 (other census he is listed as Edwin). Also in the household is listed a Sarah, age 74 and in the location column it says "no car" which I'm guessing to be North Carolina.
North Carolina makes sense, it's not far from Blount County, and it's also where the earlier Morgans lived before they show up in Tennessee. I have other Allen names further back connected with the Morgan family, But so far I haven't been able to find any connection for Thomas to them.

Wordless Wednesday~Riggs Family

I haven't even started sharing about my Riggs line yet, my maternal grandma's family. When I recently found this photo online that includes Grandma as a baby and her parents and grandparents, I was almost speechless! In a giddy way of course. I calculate the photo taken in 1915, since Ernest's brother Clifford turned 21 that year.

My grandma Beulah (front row being held by her sister Alta), her parents Ernest Lester Riggs and Hattie Estelle (Makin) Riggs are in back row. Ernest is second from left and Hattie next to him in the middle. Ernest's parents are in the center of the group, the oldest couple. They are Joseph Hughes Riggs and Emily "Emma" (Allen) Riggs.

James D. Riggs Family 1885 Henry, John, Rueben, Joe (my gr gr grandfather), Call (Calvin), Albert, Mary, Mary (wife), James D. (my gr gr gr grandfather), Nancy, Tamar, Charles, Hazel, Berdie

Tombstone Tuesday- The Duncan Family

Today I'm doing something more simple and still staying with the daily prompts. This genea-blogging is harder than I thought, but I may not be in the groove yet, and my mind still a bit distracted to do it right. So bear with me and I find my way.

First are the gravestones of my grandparents. George Hutsell Duncan and Beulah Angie Riggs Duncan. Words cannot express how much I miss my grandma. I took this picture last summer when I went back to Kansas for a brief visit. I had not been to the cemetery since 2004 when we buried Grandma. I needed to go back. They are resting in Rosean Cemetery in Lyon County Kansas. 

Next is the shared gravestone of my great grandparents, George's parents, Albert E. Duncan and Viola Ellen Duncan. I found this photo on a Missouri genealogy website that had a nice listing of Barry County graves, and volunteer contributed photos. The file says the photo was taken by Dianna Cooper. Diana, I am so grateful. Thank-you so much! Albert and Viola are resting at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Barry County, Missouri.

Next is my great great grandparents, Viola Ellen's parents. Peter Hutsell Duncan (also known as Judge P.H. Duncan) and Ruth McCluer Duncan. I believe I found Peter's grave photo the same place as Albert's, and I found Ruth's on Find-a-Grave. Peter Duncan is resting in Mineral Springs Cemetery and Ruth is resting in Greenlawn Cemetery in Cherokee County, Kansas. Peter and Ruth were true pioneers, I'll attempt to tell their story someday!

I wish I could add the photos of Albert and Peter's parents, but I don't have them. I don't even know where William Duncan and Susan Trammel Duncan are buried (Albert's parents). Peter's father, the same William Duncan, I suspect may have been buried on his farm in Jackson County, Illinois, if so I may never find it. Amanda Hutsell Duncan, Peter's mother, died 22 November 1847 in Martinsville, Indiana. I have not yet located her final resting place.

** note July 26, 2011** Reading over this post, I found some errors. I had said Viola Ellen where I should have said Ruth.  I have highlighted the correction in red with the correct person.

Wordless Wednesday

For Wordless Wednesday I am sharing a photo of my grandma (Beulah Riggs Duncan), my sister and my grandma's sister Alta.

What I Started With

When my Dad got in contact with the family member he had in mind, something unexpected happened. He isn't sure how it happened, but a different family member sent him an email. The granddaughter of one of Dad's uncles sent him an email. She had been doing family research for a number of years. Her project started as a school project and she never quit. He was blown away by amount of information she had, and began sharing. Cousin Valerie had grown up in New Jersey too, but had by this time moved to Canada and started a family. Many long and forgotten memories of Dad's, little by little, got dusted off and brought back into light. When I'd talk to him on the phone, I could just imagine the look on his face. Valerie was sharing old photos, talking about people Dad hadn't thought about in years. He'd tell me things, and I'd try to write it down as he went. Then he'd put it in email and send it, and I groped in the darkness of the internet trying to find census, cemetery records etc. I felt like I was hunting for a needle in a haystack sometimes. My kids were young, and life was busy, but on slow days I'd do what I could.

Dad's Maternal Line
My family would go back to Kansas about once a year, or every other year to visit, and one such visit we got talking about Family Tree stuff. Dad brought out a family tree of his mother's side (Havens) that had been done back in the 80's. I had known about it, but forgot about it. Dad let me have his copy, and we made a copy of it for him too. It contained info I had never seen before. It had names and stories, cousins and ancestors. It was like gold to me! My first real peek into our family's past. How we got here and who we came from. The earliest names in the the tree are Frederick Kayhart (aka Gearhardt)  who married a Vanderhouf/Vanderhout. It says Frederick was born at sea in 1757 and died 1855 in Pine Brook (I assume NJ).  This couple are my 4th great grandparents. It also had another set of 4th great grandparents listed. Thomas Leach who was born 1781, in Nyack, NY. and died in Brook Valley (no date shown). His wife is simply listed as Priscilla. No last name, no dates.
I only recently came back to this tree to try to expand on it, but that is another story for another day. An amazing story it is too!

My Maternal Line
On that same trip back home, I went to visit Grandma. No trip back home was complete without a visit with Grandma. Grandma was that very special person in my life. We spent so much time at her house when we were growing up. She taught us kids many things, nurtured us, inspired us, put up with us, and fed us. Grandma fed us good things. But on this trip, while my little boys were running around playing with dogs and toys, I asked Grandma if she had any family information, names in a Bible or anything. She started telling me by memory, and I still have where I tried to write those names down in a way I could remember who was who. It was all so confusing. Names of people I could barely remember meeting as a small child. Grandma would mention them in stories through the years, but it was hard for me to remember who was who. They were names floating in the air. Then Grandma got out a newer Bible. not "the family Bible" just a Bible. She opened it up, and found a couple slips of paper.  I asked her permission to take them to Dad's so I could scan them. I promised to return them quickly. She agreed and that is what we did.
Here are those scans, which is what I started with when I started on my maternal line.

This white paper is my grandma's line (my mom's mom). Surnames include: RIGGS, MAKIN, BARRETT.
The yellow papers (was actually one long page but we had to split it into two scans) is my grandpa's line (my mom's dad). Surnames include: DUNCAN, MC CLUER, HASE. The double entry of Duncan is not a mistake. The family lore handed down was that Albert and Viola were cousins. But that will be another story for another day too.