I.A. Rigby, attorney and counsellor at law, is a Kansan, born and bred on Kansas soil, and has grown to manhood in the city of Concordia. He was born in Doniphan county in 1863. His father is J.A. Rigby, a retired contractor and brick manufacturer, with residence in Concordia. J.A. Rigby came with the pioneers of Kansas from Pennsylvania, his native state, in 1857, and was personally acquainted with Jim Lane during the territorial era of Kansas. He settled in Brown and Doniphan counties. The Rigby ancestors are of English origin.

I.A. Rigby is one of five children: Matilda J., wife of Cyrus Twitchel, a real estate dealer with residence in Spokane, Washington; Mary E., wife of C.E. Branine, of Newton, Kansas. Mr. Branine is an attorney of considerable note and state senator from Harvey and McPherson counties, elected in 1900; has also held the office of comity attorney. Mr. Branine is a young man but thirty-five years old. Nannie A., wife of Ezra C. Branine, an attorney and partner of his brother, C.E. Branine, under the firm name of Branine & Branine, of Newton. George W. (see sketch).

Mr. Rigby completed a course in the Concordia high school before he was thirteen years old. After completing a business course in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, College he began on a career of teaching at the age of seventeen; taught in the Concordia graded schools. He then entered the law department of the Kansas University and graduated in 1885. Mr. Rigby has held various positions of trust; was assistant cashier in the First National Bank of Concordia (better known as Brown's bank). He was a member of the school board in 1890. In the same year he ran for county attorney, but that being the year of the Populist landslide, he was defeated. In 1898 he was the Republican nominee for county attorney, but the Democrats and Populists fused and he was beaten by a small majority.

He has been for several years and is at present (1902) a member of the city council and a member of the State Bar Association of the state of Kansas; has been honored with the appointment of delegate to congressional and state conventions almost every year. Was a delegate in the convention that nominated Judge Morrell for governor, and Judge Sturges for his seat on the bench.

Mr. Rigby first read law in the office of the able attorneys, Solon O. Thatcher and J.W. Green, for a term of two years, and subsequently graduated with high honors from the law department of the Kansas State University. September 13, 1891, he was admitted to the supreme court, and presented by Attorney General Garland. Mr. Rigby has followed the practice of law exclusively, not combining it with real estate, loans, etc. He was president of the McKinley and Roosevelt club of six hundred voting members and practically had charge of the campaign that year.