Reuben D. Rigal, Liberty Center

Sitting: James Simpson Riggs and 2nd wife Sarah Reed; standing: sons - James Alonzo, Charles Wm., half-brothers, Emerson and Gale Riggs.

Rosanne, a teacher, married Vernon Jones and they live in Geneva, Nebraska, with their children Jo Ann, Stephen, and Andrew. Joanne, a teacher, married Michael Boys, and they live in Plymouth, Indiana, with their children David, Samuel, Angela, Benjamin, and Thomas.

In Maryland in the year 1730 a baby boy was born to colonial parents. This boy was John Rigg. He grew to manhood and served as a Patriot in the Revolutionary War. It was after the war that he married Sarah Yeaman. To this young couple a daughter Susannah was born.

It was this Susannah Rigg who changed the family name of Rigg to Riggs when she married Thomas Riggs also of Maryland. Thomas and Susannah Riggs had a son, John Posey. John Posey Riggs was our great grandfather.

John Posey Riggs came to Ohio as early as 1835. In 1841 he married Mary Ellen Smith. He like his father and grandfather before him were farmers. At the age of sixty-two he died leaving a large family of sons and daughters. His widow and family continued to live in Perry County until 1871 when she moved her family to Henry County. Just why she came to Henry County is not definitely known. It could have been that her sons were now able to help her with a larger farm. She bought eighty acres of land in Harrison Twp. on what is known as State Route 6.

James Simpson Riggs, our grandfather, was the youngest child. He helped his mother on the farm until he married Sarah Hefflinger in 1875. They lived on a farm near the Maumee River, on the now known River Road. Three children were born to this couple, Charles William in 1876, James Alonza in 1878, and Mary Ellen in 1881. The family continued to live in Henry County. The young mother died when the children were quite young.

James Simpson Riggs with the help of relatives tried to keep his young family together. It was difficult for him to farm and rear his children even with the help of relatives. He married a second time in 1887 to Sarah Ann Reed.

To this union were born two sons, Emerson in 1888 and Gale in 1894.

Charles William Riggs, oldest son of James Simpson and Sarah Hefflinger Riggs, assumed much of the responsibility of the younger children. At a very early age he was working for neighboring farmers. That meant working spring, summer, and fall months and going to the Lemert School on Sand Ridge Road during the winter months. Charles got his education in this manner and continued going to school until young manhood.

In 1901 Charles William Riggs met and married Wilhelmine Doris Antonette Hoch, (Minnie). Minnie Hoch was the daughter of John Ludwig Hoch and Marie Korte who came to America from Germany in 1881. They settled in Holgate and lived there until their deaths.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles William Riggs lived in Henry County all their lives. Their first home was on a farm near Hamler. In 1902 a daughter Vitre L. was born. In 1904 a son Leroy C. was born and two years later in 1906 a son Orley W. was born. Charles W., looking to the time his sons could be of help, rented a still bigger farm and moved to the George Ricker farm in Pleasant Twp. Here another daughter, Beatrice A., was born in 1908.

While living in this area, Charles W. and his brother James Alonzo owned and operated a "threshing rig" - a steam powered engine and a grain separator - and did threshing jobs for farmers in that vicinity.

While Charles William Riggs and his family were living near Holgate, his father, James Simpson Riggs, living on a farm near Hamler, suffered a stroke and had to give up farming. He sold his farm to his son Charles W. and moved to the town of Hamler.

Now Charles had his own farm. His family increased by two sons, Arnold D. born in 1910 and Charles A. born in 1915. Charles W. worked hard as a farmer and to supplement his living, he and his brother James Alonzo worked as carpenters building many barns in the area.

Submitted by R. Daniel Rigal