Edward Riggs, II

Arrived in Boston in the early summer of 1633. He was probably a member of the Rigges family in Lincolnshire, who bore arms, and are listed in Maddison's Lincolnshire Pedigrees. [HS 52:821-2.]

1. Name: Edward (Immigrant, 1633) Riggs
2. Sex: M
3. Birth: ABT 1590 in Lancashire, England
4. Death: 5 MAR 1672 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA
5. Religion: Puritan
6. Note:

Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase, First Lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower and artist Norman Rockwell are descendants.

IMMIGRANT, 1633

FREEMAN, 1634

Edward's will was dated September 2, 1670.

"Edward Sr. was the first generation immigrant of the Riggs family. He was born in about 1590 in England, perhaps in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire. He landed in Boston in 1633 with his wife Elizabeth Rooke Riggs (105), two sons and four daughters. They were among the early settlers in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where the first death of record was his daughter Lydia in August 1633. He became a freeman (church member, thus qualified under theological law to vote) in 1634 and his daughter Elizabeth and son John died in 1634 and his wife in 1635. In 1649, he owned 40 acres at Roxbury. His second wife, Elizabeth Frese Riggs (b. Feb. 4, 1638), died in 1669. Edward died in 1672." --Lloyd Horrocks

""Edward Riggs, the head of the family in this country was born about 1590, in England, and probably in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire, for it is understood the name is still to be found in that region. There have been many wild stories told about the origin of the family in this country - "the three brothers that came from Wales, " etc, that we will not pretend to controvert, except by simply suggesting what is known historically. He landed in Boston, early in the summer of 1633 with his family, consisting of his wife Elizabeth, two sons and four daughters. These children must have been young people, pretty well grown, for the oldest son was married two years after arrival. They were among the very early settlers in Roxbury, then a suburb of Boston. It is said that the best people settled in Roxbury. Like all immigrants, they had their full share of trials and sorrows. The first death recorded in the old books of Roxbury was that of Lydia Riggs, daughter of Edward, in August 1633. In May, 1634, another daughter Eizabeth, died, and in October of the same year the son John. August, 1635, the wife and mother, Elizabeth, died. Sometime after this Edward took a second wife, but there were no children from this union. She was also named Elizabeth, and all we know of her history is that she died in 1669. It is wholly evident that Edward was a Puritan in belief and life, for in 1634 he was made a freeman, which means a voter, and the first step to that privilege was to be a member of the church. On a loose leaf found in the ancient transcript there is an enumeration of the inhabitants of Roxbury, made somewhere between the years of 1638 and 1640, in which Edward's family consisted of four persons, and it is not violent to assume that they were himself, his wife and two daughters, who afterward became Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Twitchell. From his will dated September 2, 1670, it appears that only three lines of descent survived him, and that all his children were dead except Mary Twitchell. His daughter, Mrs. Allen, left a daughter, Elizabeth Allen, then of age and a legatee. Of the children of Mrs. Twitchell, only Joseph and Mary are named. and they, as well as others not named, appear to have been minors. Mrs. Twitchell was the principal legatee. His first bequest is 'that my daughter-in-law, my sonne Edward Rigges, his wife' and 'to my four grandchildren, my sonne Edward Rigges' children.' It will be noticed that none of these is named and as I could find only three children of the second Edward for a long time, there was some doubt as to whether Edward of Derby, Conn., and Newark, NJ., was the son of the testator. At last I found the fourth child, Samuel of Derby. The will furnishes reasonable evidence that the testator had personal knowledge of and affection for his daughter-in-law, and that she and her children then lived some distance remote from Roxbury. It is also evident that he knew the widow and children of his 'sonne, Edward' were not in needy circumstances, or he would have not assumed the possibility of their not claiming the legacies he left to them. As a quiet , Christian man, his long life came to a close in 1672, leaving a good name as the inheiritance of the thousands descended from him."

"EDWARD, Roxbury 1633, brot. w. Elizabeth and ch. Lydia, wh. d. Aug. 1633, being the earliest on the rec., Elizabeth wh. d. in May next; and John d. Oct. foll. and his w. d. next yr. in Oct. He m. 5 Apr. 1636, Elizabeth Rooke, by wh. he had not any ch. nam. on rec. of b. and therefore it may be conclud. that he had brot. one other s. and two ds. wh. liv. to m. but all d. bef. him. The w. d. 1666, and he was bur. 5 Mar. 1672, in his will of 2 Sept. 1670, naming s. Edward as dec. leav. wid. and childr. beside Joseph, Hannah, and other childr. of his d. Mary Twitchell, and gr.ch. Elizabeth Allen. He was freem. 14 May 1634." --James Savage

WARNING: Some show he d. 5 Jan 1671. Edward and his son of the same name seem to have been confused with one another in many sources.

Sources:

1. rcp Database, 17 Jun 2005 http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET &db=rcp53&id=I86184
2. Lloyd A. Horrocks Database, 13 Jun 2005 http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET &db=horrocks&id=I37122
3. Jessica Johnson Database, 16 Mar 2005 http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET &db=:3070001&id=I06373
4. Genealogy of the Riggs Family, by John Wallace, 1901, pp. 2-6
5. A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, Before 1692, By James Savage, Volume 3 http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/newengland/savage/bk3/ridgeway- robie.htm
6. _UID: 66DAA1D282C04164B23B02035406FAA58547

Marriage 1 Elizabeth (Immigrant) Holmes b: Abt 1592-1595 in Essex, England

• Married: 16 SEP 1618 in Waltham Abbey, Nazine Parish, Essex, England

Children

1. Sgt. Edward (Immigrant, 1633) Riggs b: Abt 1614-1619 in Lincolnshire, England
2. Mary (Immigrant) Riggs b: 1625 in probably England
3. Lydia Riggs
4. Elizabeth Riggs
5. John Riggs

Marriage 2 Elizabeth (Immigrant) Frese b: 1595 in Nazine Parish, Essex, England

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• Edward Riggs
• M, #12434, b. circa 1593, d. 1672
• Edward Riggs Relationship to son is not proved. He was born circa 1593 at of Nazeing, Essex, England.1 He married Elizabeth Holmes on 16 September 1618 at Nazeing, Essex, England; He married (2) Elizabeth Roosa on 5 April 1635 at Roxbury.1 Edward Riggs died in 1672 at of Roxbury, MA.
• Family Elizabeth Holmes b. c 1595, d. bt 1 Jan 1635 - 5 Apr 1635
• Children
  • Thomas Riggs (Riges)+ b. 1632, d. 26 Feb 1722
  • Mary Riggs+2,3 b. 1632, d. 30 Oct 1694
• Citations
• [S14] Unknown author, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey., 3rd Supplement of Torrey which says he was born about 1593 and died in 1672. He was married (1) 16 September 1618 at Nazeing, Essex to Elizabeth Holmes (died in 1635), p. 221. His 2nd wife was Elizabeth Roosa (died in 1669) whom he married at Roxbury on 5 April 1635.
• [S11597] Ancestry.com, Submitted by bmachia14.
• [S14] Unknown author, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey., p. 761. Also see 3rd Supplement of Torrey which says she is the daughter of Edward, p. 259.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p414.htm#i... ____________
• Edward Riggs
• Birth: 1593 Harwich, England
• Death: Mar. 5, 1671 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
• Born by about 1593, based on date of first marriage. Came from Nazeing, Essex to Massachusetts Bay in 1633 & settled in Roxbury MA. Died in Roxbury 5 March 1671/2.
• Married: (1) Nazeing, Essex, 16 September 1618 Elizabeth Holmes; she was buried at Roxbury October 1635.
• (2) Roxbury 5 April 1635 Elizabeth Roosa; she died at Roxbury 2 September 1669.
• In a letter to William Bradford dated 28 July 1637, John Winthrop wrote of the exploits of Edward Riggs in the Pequot war:
• "... they gave order to surround the swamp, it being about a mile about; but Lieutenant Davenport, and some twelve more, not hearing that command, fell into the swamp among the Indians. The swamp was so thick with shrub wood, and so boggy with all, that some of them stuck fast, and received many shot. Lieutenant Davenport was dangerously wounded about his armhole and another shot in the head, so as fainting, they were in great danger to have been taken by the Indians, but Sergeant Rigges, and Jeffery and two or three more rescued them, and slew diverse of the Indians with their swords"
• Source: Anderson's GreAt Migration Study Project.
• Find A Grave contributor Grant W. Sullivan adds:
• here are the dates & spouses of 4 generations of Edward Riggs:
• Edward Riggs (Sr.) & Elizabeh Holmes
• Sgt. Edward Riggs Jr. (1619 - 1668) & Elizabeth Roosa
• Edward Riggs III (1636 - 1715) & Mary Munn
• Edward Riggs IV (1668 - 17xx (in dispute) & Alphia Stoughton
• Family links:
• Spouses:
• Elizabeth Holmes Riggs (1590 - 1635)
• Elizabeth Rose Riggs (____ - 1669)
• Children:
  • Edward Riggs (1614 - 1670)*
• Burial: Unknown
• Find A Grave Memorial# 35379903
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35379903 ____________
• ROOSA, Elizabeth
• b. ABT 1618
• d. 1668 New Jersey
• Family:
• Marriage: 5 APR 1635 Boston, Suffolk, Mass.
• Spouse: RIGGS, Edward
• b. ABT 1614 England
• d. 1668 New Jersey
• Children:
  • RIGGS, Mary
  • RIGGS, Edward
  • RIGGS, Samuel
  • RIGGS, Joseph
  • RIGGS, Lydia b. 1646 Derby, New Haven, CT.
  • RIGGS, Elizabeth b. 1648 Boston, Suffolk, Mass.
  • RIGGS, John b. 1650 Boston, Suffolk, Mass. d. 1670 Milford, New Haven, CT.
• From: http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_bb0.htm#46 ____________

Arrived in America on the "William and Jane" or the "Mary and Jane", early summer of 1633 at Boston, sailing from London

Settled in Roxbury

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He was the Sergeant in the Pequot War in 1637.

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http://alvyray.com/riggs/printpapers/RiggsRevisited_finalTGversion.pdf

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