Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 415 - 416

DAVID C. RIGGS.  The subject of this biography, now a retired and well-to-do farmer, having his residence in the city of Wichita, is numbered among the early and honored pioneers of this county, who came within its borders during its very first settlement, and when the cabins of the homesteaders were few and far between.  He wisely took advantage of the state of things at that time, and secured a quarter-section of land six miles south of the city, upon which he operated about two years.  He then sold out at a good price, and invested the  proceeds in city real estate, of which, however, he could only purchase two lots with the capital at hand.  He, however, was subsequently enabled to add to this, and his property has become valuable.  He has been prominent in the local affairs of the county.

      Our subject was born in Howard County, Mo., during the territorial days of that section of country, on the 27th of January, 1821, and is the son of Reuben and Catherine (Saling) Riggs, natives of North Carolina.  Reuben Riggs removed from his native State to Kentucky, by means of pack horses, before the day of wagon roads, locating in Warren County, near the pioneer town of Bowling Green, where he met and married Miss Catherine Saling, who was born and reared in North Carolina.  They lived in Kentucky until after the birth of five children, then the young people removed to Tennessee, locating in the vicinity of Duck River, where they became the parents of six more children.  Their next removal was to Howard County, Mo., in 1818, were David C., our subject, was born, he being the youngest of twelve children, the eldest being born in 1797. From Howard they removed to Boone County, Mo., and thence to Morgan County, Ill., in 1828, being among the early pioneers there.

      The father of our subject took up eighty acres of land in Morgan County, and purchased eighty acres additional upon which he farmed successfully for many years.  Both parents were members of the Old-School Baptist Church, in which Reuben Riggs served as Deacon for many years.  He was a stanch Democrat politically, and maintained both his religious and political principles with all the natural force of his character.  The mother of our subject removed with her parents from North Carolina to Kentucky when a young girl.  Reuben Riggs and wife removed to the vicinity of Berwick, in Warren County, Ill., in 1840, where they spent the last years of their lives, and their remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at Berwick.  Mr. Riggs was upward of eighty-four years of age, and Mrs. Riggs was eighty-two years old.  They were well known and highly respected wherever they lived.

      David C. Riggs was the youngest of the parental family, which included twelve children, of whom only three are living.  Jesse Riggs, now past eighty years, lives near Berwick, Warren Co., Ill.  His other brother, Henry, now aged seventy-six years, lives at Linnville, Morgan Co., Ill.  David C. received a fair education in the common schools, and continued a member of the parental household until twenty-two years of age.  While a resident of Warren County, Ill., he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Smith, a native of Warren County, Ky., and who removed with her parents to Warren County, Ill., when a little child.  She departed this life at her home near Berwick, Warren Co., Ill., in August, 1866.  Of this marriage there were born four sons and five daughters, namely: John P., Reuben, Nancy, Emeline and Angeline (twins), Mahlon, Douglas, Catharine and Mary.  John P. married Minerva Brown; they live in Larchland, Warren Co., Ill.  Reuben married Fannie Kite in Galesburg, Ill.; they reside near Norwich, Kingman Co., Kan.  Nancy has been married three times; her present husband is a Mr. Galbreath, and their home is in Yuba City, Cal; Emeline married A.J. Butler, and resides in Oregon; Angeline married J. P. Henderson, and now lives in Wolfe City, Tex; the twins were married at the same time at the home of their father; Mahlon married Nancy Snow in Texas;  he died at Peoria, Ill., in 1882.  Douglas married Ida Jones, and they live at Caldwell, Sumner Co., Kan.; Catharine married Thomas Wickery; they also live in Caldwell, Kan.  Mary married William Dering, and their home is in Mt. Hope Township, Sedgwick Co., Kan.

      Mr. Riggs, on the 17th of June, 1867, contracted a second marriage, with Miss Martha Gowdy, who died in Wichita on the 3d of December, 1883.  Of this union there were no children. Mr. Riggs has no relatives with him in Wichita.  In the fall of 1862, while a resident of Illinois, he was elected Sheriff of Warren County, on the Democratic ticket, in a county at that time giving 700 Republican majority.  His deputies were the well-known attorney, John E. Alexander, formerly of Alexis, and the brother of our subject, Jesse Riggs, of Roseville. During his two years' term of office there was an unusual number of criminal arrests, and it was stated that Sheriff Riggs captured more deserters than any other officer of the kind in Illinois.  During his residence in Warren County he also served as Justice of the  Peace of Roseville Township for a period of ten years, and during this whole time never had a decision reversed by a higher court.  He represented Roseville Township also in the County Board of Supervisors for a period of six years, and was Township Assessor two years and Collector one year.

      Mr. Riggs still votes the Democratic ticket, and continues an old Predestinarian Baptist in religious belief.

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