James Rolla Doig and Agnes L. Wallace were married in Iowa in 1854. He was a Presbyterian minister and taught college at Washington, Iowa, and Mammoth College at Mammoth, Iowa. He died in 1881. His wife, Agnes, was ill a great deal with bronchial trouble. Her doctor recommended a dry, warmer climate, so in 1883, she and six of her eight children came to Kansas in a covered wagon and settled in Coldwater. Her children were: Ella, 24 years; Anna 22 years; Rolla, 20 years; Jenny, 13 years; and Haldane, 9 years.
They lived in the covered wagon for a time after coming to Coldwater. This was fortunate as they had to move the wagon on one occasion to escape the path of a prairie fire. They were threatened by Indian raids, rattlesnakes, they argued about the location, there was a shortage of water, and many other inconveniences plagued them as well. But there were also good times, and the excitement of it all was quite an adventure.
Ella, after teaching several years, married Grant Sutton, who taught in Coldwater at the time and later moved to eastern Kansas. Anna taught a year or so, then married George Jeffries of Wichita. Rolla became a doctor and moved to California, where another brother lived. James married Vivian Hakes and continued living in Coldwater and Protection where he was in the bank, and later in the Farmer's Co-op until his death in 1924. Jenny taught school for a few years; one year was in the Ferrin home before the schoolhouse, Ridge Summit was built. She married Grant Stephens in 1896 and continued to live near Coldwater until her death in 1913. Haldane Doig moved to California.
Agnes Doig lived with her two daughters, Ella and Jenny, during her later years. She died at Moline, Kansas, and was taken back to Iowa for burial beside her husband.
Comanche County History, page 348, The Comanche County Historical Society, 1981.
Jenny Doig lived with the Arthur & Alice (Eyerly) Ferrin family on the west side of Spring Creek in West Powell Township. Somewhere I have the memoirs of one of Arthur's daughters which mention the school teacher Jenny Doig boarding with them for a while. -- J.F.
Also see:
Alice (Eyerly) Ferrin: "Early Day Memories", The Wilmore News, October 31, 1939.
Vivian Maude (Hakes) Doig, wife of James G. Doig, daughter-in-law of James R. and Agnes (Wallace) Doig.
Doig Infant Son, grandson of James R. and Agnes (Wallace) Doig.
Ruth Doig, grand-daughter of James R. and Agnes (Wallace) Doig.
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This page was created 09 Sept 2002; it was last updated 8 Sept 2006. Thanks to Bobbi (Hackney) Huck for transcribing the article.