RIGGS, WELLS, COLEMAN, GOUGE, GREGG, TAYLOR, SWEARENGEN, THOMAS
BRANCHES of Peggy Riggs Kopp's FAMILY TREE

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Thank you for stopping by my TREE!

My name is Peggy RIGGS KOPP. You'll find me at the very top. Most of my ancestors had died before I was born and so this genealogical research project has been my way of getting to know about the people from whom I came. Equally important to me is establishing a record of our ancestry for the coming generations who may want to know about their heritage.

On these pages you will find my primary surnames: RIGGS, WELLS, COLEMAN, GOUGE, TAYLOR, GREGG, THOMAS, SWEARENGEN.

One mysterious ancestor in particular, my grandfather, Edwin Finley WELLS, aroused my curiosity. He was the first individual that I wanted to research. Fortunately my niece, Tammy, found a record of him showing that he had lived in IL. Thanks to her we had a place to begin. As events would unfold, Randolph County, IL proved to be an important location for the WELLS line. I found it particularly interesting to consider the geographical areas covered by my ancestors. Maps will be included to indicate the patterns of migration.

In 1989, using e-mail and the internet, my sister, Wanda RIGGS KETELHUT, our family genealogy guru, began to patiently assist me with this project. Since my first hurdle was learning how to spell 'genealogy' her task was not an easy one. It is to her that this ancestral record is dedicated, for without her determination to discover and preserve memories and artifacts of our family lines my TREE would not have been possible.

wanda-04.jpg

Wanda Rivers (RIGGS) KETELHUT
March 3, 1933 - December 20, 2010
IN REMEMBRANCE

Amongst those who also helped, special thanks are due to RIGGS researchers Phyllis HILL, Leo RIGGS, Hazel (RIGGS) DONNERBERG, Gary RIGGS, Lola CROWDER of the Randolph County Historical Society, Emily LYONS, Elaine (MOORE) ESSARY, Wanda Gail ZSIDI, and numerous other newfound cousins who generously shared their time, data, family stories, legends and documents, making my TREE more complete. In addition to their generosity they provided me with a true sensing of how rich and colorful our TREE was and a strong hope that its future growth will be sturdy and vibrant.

While you are here I would like to invite you to visit my PHOTO GALLERY!!

As you examine my TREE, you'll see that it bears a lot of Fruit, and also an occasional Nut! If any of the Fruit on your own Tree bears a semblance to mine, I'd love to hear from you.
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Search My Entire Family Tree at Rootsweb's World Connect
also: Ancestry.com
and: GenCircles

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