Samuel Douglas Wiggins, Family History
 AND Biographical Record of LENAWEE COUNTY MICHIGAN CONTAINING A HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION AND EARLY SET- TLEMENT OF THE COUNTY TOGETHER WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF MANY OF THE OLDEST AND MOST PROMINENT SETTLERS AND PRESENT RESIDENTS, OBTAINED FROM PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH THEMSELVES OR THEIR CHILDREN ------------------------ VOL. I. ------------------------- WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY W. A. WHITNEY AND R. I. BONNER ADRIAN W. STEARNS & CO., PRINTERS 1879. (Page) 205 William Wiggins was born in Phelpstown, Ontario county, New York; February 25th, 1821. His father, Samuel Wiggins, was born in Warwick, Orange county, New York, in 1795, and at the age of sixteen was bound out until he was twenty-one, as an apprentice to the carpenter's trade. When he became twenty-one he commenced business for himself, in the same town, and lived there until 1823, when he moved to Phelpstown, Ontario county. He resided in Phelpstown until the fall of 1835, when he came to Ohio, and located one hundred and twenty acres of government land, on section twelve in Lucas county., two and a half miles east of the village of Sylvania, where he lived until his death, which occurred in July, 1851. About (Note: Samuel Wiggins actually died July, 1852) (Page) 206 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD 1819 he married Miss Ann Horton, of Warwick, Orange county, New York, by whom he had eight children, William being the oldest. Mrs. Ann Wiggins was born in Warwick, New York, in 1799, and is still living, with her son, in Riga. William Wiggins lived with his parents until he was twenty-one, and was brought up a farmer. His schooling was limited, being confined to winters in a district school. He came to Ohio with his parents, and assisted his father in clearing up his farm there. In the spring of 1842 he went to Toledo---then a small town---and for three years worked in a saw-mill which was owned by Judge Meyers. During this time---in1845---he located government land on section twelve, in Sylvania township, Lucas county, Ohio. In 1846 he settled on this land, and lived there for seven years. In 1853 he sold out, and purchased a new farm on section 32 in Riga, Lenawee county, Michigan. This farm is situated one-half mile north of the Ohio State line, and south-west of the cotton-wood swamp. He cleared up this farm, and built a log house, in which he lived until 1873, when he sold out to a Mr. Emerson, and moved to Riga village. Since that time he has been in the employ of Dewey, Foster & Co., as foreman of their extensive cooper shop. This shop is connected with the large stave-mill, and manufactures from ninety to one hundred barrels per day. Mr. Wiggins says that his first visit to Toledo was in 1835, when he sailed up the Maumee river, three days and two nights out from Buffalo, on the old steamboat, Commodore Perry, Capt. Wilkinson. At that time there was a log warehouse at the mouth of Swan creek, and a frame hotel, built that year, called the "Washington House." There were a few dwelling houses and stores, but most of the ground now occupied by the city was covered with water, brush and clay banks. He was often there during the construction of the Wabash canal, and was present when water was let into the section between Maumee and Providence, a distance eighteen miles, the first that was completed between Toledo and Ft. Wayne. Before Riga was organized as a township, and before there was a settler within its borders, he has hunted deer, bear and turkey, through its wilderness of cotton-wood timber, and dense swamps. When a young man followed hunting during the winter season, and has probably killed as many deer as any man in the county. December 5th, 1814, he married Miss Ann Scott, daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Scott, of Richfield, Lucas county, Ohio, by whom he has had six children, as follows: Lucine, born in Sylvania, Lucas county, Ohio, January 11th, 186, now of Wood county, Ohio; Charles, born in Sylvania, Ohio, October 5th, 1850, now of Riga; Elizabeth, born in Sylva- OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN (Page) 207 nia, Ohio, February 5th, 1852, now the wife of Samuel Woolever, of Riga; Taylor, born in Riga, Lenawee county, Michigan, May 18th, 1855, now of Wood county, Ohio; two children died in infancy. Mrs Ann (Scott) Wiggins was born in Johnston, Montgomery county, New York, February 2d, 1820, and came to Ohio with her parents in 1837, and settled in Richfield, Lucas county. Her father was born in Montgomery county, New York, in 1798, and died in Richfield, Ohio, in 1867. Her mother was of Scotch extraction, and was born in Montgomery county, New York, in 1793, and died in Richfield, Ohio, in 1871. |
 Return To Wiggins FamilyWiggins Family History Last updated December 24, 2001 Web page copyright 2001 by Charles Paul Keller  Please send me an email with your comments, Corpmiz@aol.com
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