Riggs

Name origin: From the Danish rig, wealthy, rich; or the name may be local denoting a steep elevation, a range of hills, or the upper part of such a range.

  • Thomas Riggs (1635-1722)
  • John Riggs (1668-1748)

    Thomas Riggs

    b.prob.1631-3 England; parents ukn
    bapt.March 25, 1633 Hawkshead, Lancashire, England
    d.Feb. 26, 1722 Gloucester, MA; aged abt.90 years
    m.June 7, 1658 Gloucester, MA; Mary Millet
    b.Aug. 21, 1639 Dorchester, MA; d/o Thomas Millett and Mary Greenaway
    d.Jan. 23, 1694 Gloucester, MA
    m.(2)Oct. 30, 1695 Gloucester, MA; Elizabeth (______) Frese; widow of James Freeze (or Frieze)
    d.Jun 16, 1722 aged 80

    CHILDREN included:

    1. Mary Riggs b.Jan. 23, 1657/9 Gloucester, MA d.y.
    2. Mary Riggs b.March 6, 1658 Gloucester, MA d.Jan. 29, 1698/99 Gloucester, MA m.Nov. 21, 1677 Gloucester, MA; Benjamin Haskell
    3. Thomas Riggs b.Jan. 23, 1660/61 d. Feb. 1, 1660 Gloucester, MA
    4. Sarah Riggs b.Feb. 16, 1661/62 Gloucester, MA d.ME m.May 9, 1681 John Tucker
    5. Anna [Ann, Anne] Riggs b.Apr. 27, 1664 Gloucester, MA d.Dec. 17, 1701 m.Jan 30, 1684 Nathaniel Wharff
    6. Thomas Riggs b.Dec. 7, 1666 d.Aug. 1756 Gloucester, MA m.Ann Wheeler
        CHILDREN of Thomas and Ann included:
      • Moses Riggs b.March 31, 1698 d.bef.1756 m.Mercy Gowen
          CHILDREN of Moses and Mercy included:
        • Aaron Riggs b.abt.1735 prob.d.Aug. 26, 1811 m.Rachel ______ [both died in workhouse in Gloucester.
            CHILDREN of Aaron and Rachel included:
          • Gowen Riggs b.Sept. 5, 1756 m.Elizabeth Gove (The widow Elizabeth Riggs was appointed guardian of the minor children of Gowen Riggs Jan. 8, 1806.
              CHILDREN of Gowen and Elizabeth included:
            • Elias G. Riggs b.Edgecomb, ME July 17, 1790
                CHILDREN of Elias included:
              • George W. Riggs b.Bangor, ME July 16, 1828 m.Louisa Pratt
                  CHILDREN of George and Louisa included:
                • William Wyman Riggs b.Greenbush May 3, 1855 b.Kingfield, ME m.Mary Elizabeth Streeter
                    CHILDREN of William and Mary Elizabeth included:
                  • Leonard Emery Riggs b.ME, Feb. 13, 1899 m.Louisa ______
                      CHILDREN of Leonard and Louisa included:
                    • child living in 2010
                • at least three other children
          • Mercy Riggs
      • Aaron Riggs b.Jan. 18, 1700/1 m.Anna Riggs
          CHILDREN of Aaron and Anna included:
        • Aaron Riggs b.Gloucester March 18, 1749/50 m.Martha Adams
            CHILDREN of Aaron and Martha included:
          • Joshua Riggs b.March 22, 1785 m.Thomazine/Tammy Grover
              CHILDREN of Joshua and Thomazine included:
            • Aaron Riggs b.Gloucester Sept. 1818 m.Leonora Amanda Seavey
                CHILDREN of Aaron and Leonora included:
              • Fitz B. Riggs b.Gloucester June 16, 1824 m.Ada P. Swim
                  CHILDREN of Fitz and Ada included:
                • Francis Porter Riggs b.Gloucester Jan. 31, 1889 m.Margery ______
                    CHILDREN OF Francis and Margery included:
                  • child, living 2010
                • at least two other children
    7. John Riggs Feb. 25, 1670 d.Jan. 12, 1740 or Jan. 12, 1748 m.Ruth Wheeler
        CHILDREN of John and Ruth included:
      • Jonathan Riggs b.Gloucester Dec. 20, 1700 m.Sarah Phipps
          CHILDREN of Jonathan and Sarah included:
        • John Riggs b.Gloucester May 6, 1749 m.Sarah Woodward
            CHILDREN of John and Sarah included:
          • John Riggs b.Attleborough, MA Jan. 2, 1772 m.Sarah Shurtleff
              CHILDREN of John and Sarah included:
            • Amasa Riggs b.Montgomery, MA Oct. 9, 1797 m.Marvilla Litchfield
                CHILDREN of Amasa and Marvilla included:
              • Azial Litchfield Riggs b.MA, Nov. 4, 1824 m.Emeline Eugene Knox
                  CHILDREN of Azial and Emeline included:
                • Robert Ensign Riggs b.MA, Sept. 21, 1851 d.Idaho, Nov. 9, 1933 m.Agnes Smith
                    CHILDREN of Robert and Agnes included:
                  • Albert Smith Riggs, b.Idaho Jan. 1, 1890 d.Teton, Idaho Aug. 19, 1949 m.Iris Nancy Simpson
                      CHILDREN of Albert and Iris included:
                    • Don Albert Riggs, b.Idaho April 10, 1920 d.June 5, 1976 buried Teton
                        CHILDREN included:
                      • child still living 2010
          • Elizabeth Riggs b.April 22, 1673 Gloucester, MA d.Apr. 28, 1728 Gloucester, MA m.Apr 28, 1692 Ezekiel Collins
          • Abigail Riggs b.Dec. 29, 1678 Goucester, MA
          • Andrew Riggs b. Jan. 8, 1682 d. 1749 or 1771

    NOTE: Thomas was the Town Clerk of Gloucester, MA for 51 yrs., a selectman for 20 yrs, a periodic schoolmaster, and a Rep. to the General Court in 1700.

    From Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families 1620-1700, by Holmes: THOMAS, town clerk Gloucester, Mass., fifty-one years; married 1658.

    He is said to have been educated in England as a scrivener and his ability in that line made him a welcome addition to the community [Gloucester, MA]. The Thomas Riggs House, near Goose Cove-the oldest house on Cape Ann 9circa 1645) and one of only three surviving squared-log houses in Massachusetts.

    1st. vol, of Gloucester Town Records: [1704] Thomas Riggs se. claimed 5 comon rights 1 he have son Tho Riggs 1 to son John Riggs 1 to son in Law Nathanael Wharff 2 reserve [page 285].

    See NEHGR April 2010, Vol. 164.

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    John Riggs

    b.b.Dec. 25, 1669 [or Jan. 1, 1669 or Feb. 25, 1670] Goose Cove, MA; s/o Thomas Riggs and Mary Millett
    d.Jan. 1, [or 18 or 12], 1748 or 1740 Gloucester, MA
    m.Jan. 1, 1690 Gloucester, MA Ruth Wheeler
    b.May 15, 1677 Salisbury, MA; d/o Henry and Abigail (Allen) Wheeler
    d.ca.1731/32 Gloucester, MA

    CHILDREN included:

    1. Ruth Riggs b.Nov. 4, 1690 Goose Cove, MA d.Aug. 18, 1711 Gloucester, MA m.Oct. 25, 1710 James Lane
    2. John Riggs b.March 22, 1691 Goose Cove, MA d.March 30, 1732/3 Gloucester, MA
    3. unnamed child b.abt.1693 d.abt.1693 Goose Cove, MA
    4. Jeremiah [Jeremy] Riggs b.Oct. 5, 1694 d.Dec. 3, 1716 (or 1726) Falmouth, ME m.Rachel Haskell
    5. Mary Riggs b.June 30, 1696 Goose Cove, MA d.Jan. 31, 1742 Gloucester, MA following the birth of her first child. m.Jan. 1, 1711 John Lane who was subsequently killed by Indians at Penobscot June 22, 1724 aged 36 years. John was a younger brother of James Lane who married Mary's older sister Ruth. He was also an brother of Dorcas Lane who married William Tucker, and of Sarah Lane who m.Thomas Riggs, son of Thomas and Ann.
    6. Comfort Riggs b.March 3, 1698 Gloucester, MA m.July 28, 1717 Thomas Cotton
    7. Jonathan Riggs b.Jan. 3, 1699 Gloucester, MA d.Jan. 16, 1699 Gloucester, MA
    8. Jonathan Riggs b.Dec. 20, 1700 Gloucester, MA d.Dec. 7, 1759 Attleborough, MA
    9. Abigail Riggs b.Sept. 10, 1702 Gloucester, MA d.Aug. 6, 1744 Gloucester, MA
    10. Rachel Riggs b.Aug. 30, 1704 Gloucester, MA m.(1)Dec. 8, 1720 Thomas Lufkin m.(2)May 11, 1769 Thomas Choate
    11. Elizabeth Riggs b.June 26, 1707 Gloucester, MA m.Jan. 1, 1724 Daniel Hill
    12. Ruth Riggs b.Feb. 16, 1712 Gloucester, MA d.Aug. 22, 1744 m.Jan. 1, 1728 Andrew Wellman

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    This page last updated on August 5, 2010