John L. Riggs, of Allen Twp.

JOHN L. RIGGS represents a family of the earliest pioneers, who
        were originally natives of Wales, the home of mythical legends and
        weird, yet fascinating ballads. But more fascinating to the childish ear
        than even ancient tale or thrilling music were the new stories of a life
        where truth was stranger than fiction, of a wonderful land across the
        mighty ocean. At length a hardy band of pioneers joined an expedition
        to the New World, and among their number were the early ancestors of
        the Riggs family. After landing in America they settled in Maryland,
        where their children grew to maturity and were married. 

        William Riggs, a son of this family, was born in 1750, and in early life
        married Mary Dodson. The young couple decided to plunge yet deeper
        into the forest wilds, and in 1773 came to Washington county, Penn.,
        where he took out a patent of laud near Monongahela river, a portion
        of which is yet in the family name. He served as vestryman in an
        Episcopal church prior to 1794, and in 1799 was licensed to preach by
        the authorities of the Methodist Episcopal Society. He died in 1833; his
        wife died in December, 1819, aged sixty-four; both are buried on the
        home farm. They were the parents of thirteen children, their names and
        dates of birth being as follows; Jeremiah, December 17, 1774; Eleanor,
        October 3, 1776; James, December 14, 1778; Abrillar, February 11,
        1781; Thomas, February 19, 1783; William, April 29, 1785;
        Zachariah, May 25, 1787; Mary, June 11, 1789; Lucy, July 16, 1791;
        Noah, August 6, 1793; Elizabeth, 1795; Mahlon, December 25, 1797,
        and Anne, 1799. Quite a number of these lived to very old ages;
        several went to Marshall county, W. Va., others to different parts of
        Ohio.

        Mahlon Riggs, a son of William and Mary (Dodson) Riggs, was born in
        Washington county, Penn., and passed his entire life in Allen township.
        On August 10, 1820, he was married, by Rev. Watson, to Lydia
        Williams, who was born in 1800 in Washington county, Penn., a
        daughter of John and Margaret Williams, the former of whom came
        from Maryland with his mother, who is buried at California, Penn.
        Grandfather Williams was born February 15, 1776, and died March
        10, l861, aged eighty-five years. He was a Methodist, and was buried
        at Mount Tabor church. On March 23, 1799, he had married Margaret
        Howe, who was born in Washington county, Penn., in 1779, and died
        May 25, 1867. She was a member of the Methodist Church, and was
        buried at Mount Tabor church. They had children as follows: Lydia,
        Mary, Elizabeth, Isabel, Hannah, Thomas, John, William N., Simeon,
        Sarah and Salathiel, all now deceased, except the first and the last two
        named. John and William N. were traveling preachers in the Methodist
        Church. The children born to Mahlon and Lydia Williams were as
        follows: Mary E., born June 14, 1821, died January 15, 1836, and
        buried in Howes cemetery; John L., subject of sketch; Thomas
        Thornton Fleming, born April .29, 1826, and married Susan Redd May
        31, 1853 (both died several years ago in Moundsville, and were buried
        there); Caroline A., born October 4, 1828, and married to G. W.
        Hazelbaker June 15, 1851; Lucinda A., born September 25, 1830,
        and was twice married, first , on June 12, 1853, to J. D. Latta, and
        after his death she married Johnston Noble, who is now deceased (she
        is now living at California, Penn.); William N., born March 5, 1832,
        died April 20, 1892, and buried at Mount Tabor Methodist Episcopal
        church; James L., born March 15, 1834, married May 21, 1861, to
        Ernily Rulong, of Moundsville, W. Va., both now deceased, he having
        died February 25, 1866, and buried at Mount Tabor church; Elizabeth
        A., born August 15, 1834, married to H. J. Furnier July 29,1860, died
        February 5, 1862, and was buried at Mount Tabor. (H. T. Furnier is
        also deceased, and is buried at Mount Tabor church). The parents
        were members of the Mount Tabor Methodist Episcopal Church. The
        father died in 1886; his widow is living with her daughter, Lucinda, at
        California, Penn.

        John L. Riggs was born March 30, 1824, in Allen township,
        Washington county, and received a subscription-school education. On
        January 25, 1852, he was united in marriage with Dorothy J., daughter
        of Alexander P. Biles, a native of Allen township, where her mother
        died some years ago; her father died in Moundsville, W. Va. Mr. and
        Mrs. Riggs resided on the old homestead until 1859, when they came
        to their present home. He bought fifty-five acres, which, added to the
        original tract comprises 175 acres of well-cultivated land, furnished with
        a good brick residence. Mr. Riggs has given his attention to farming and
        stock raising; in politics he was a strong Abolitionist, now voting with
        the Republican party, which he has served as township collector and a
        member of the school board. Mr. and Mrs. Riggs have had children as
        follows: Marcellus, born December 9, 1852, unmarried and residing
        with his parents; J. A., born January 21. 1854, unmarried and residing
        with his parents (he is a contracting carpenter); Cyrenus, born
        November 29, 1855, married June 15, 1886, to Nancy Rogers, of
        Iowa (they are now living in Galva, Ida Co., Iowa, where he is a
        contracting carpenter); John W., born May 10, 1857, married March
        10, 1880, to Anna M. Alden, who was born February 11, 1862, at
        Toulon, Stark Co., Ill. (they now live in Allen township, Washington
        county, Penn); Oliver S., born September 21, 1860, married to Katie
        Bell McKenna, and they are now living on the home farm. 


        Text taken from page 618 of:
        Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington
        County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). 

        Transcribed May 1997 by Dale E. Enlow of Lake Havasu City, AZ as part of the
        Beers Project.