Edward Riggs, eldest child of Samuel Riggs and Kesiah Baldwin, was likely born in Essex Co, Province of East Jersey (NJ) on February 7, 1720.
Capt. Edward Riggs married Jane Buckley on Feb. 7, 1749 in the Hanover 1st Presbyterian Church in Hanover, Morris Co, NJ.
According to traditional and partial records of the Presbyterian Church, Capt. Edward together with three brothers Timothy, Reuben and Samuel II were given letters of removal (and presumably introduction) from the church in 1757 to remove to North Carolina. Whether all four brothers left together is unknown. Capt. Edward, in particular, may not have left until after 1760. An Edward Riggs and his children moved from Morris Co. NJ to Surrey Co. NC in 1765.
When he did leave, Capt. Edward and is wife likely traveled down the Great Philadelphia Wagon Trail through Lancaster, York and Harrisburg past Hagerstown, MD and then through Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. At that time, the sparsely settled western area of North Carolina consisted of two very large counties - "Old" Rowan on the north half and "Old" Tryon on the south.
In 1767 to 1769 he was reportedly living on the Yadkin River in NOrth Carolina.
In 1774 he was elected Captain of the Surry Co. militia.
In 1782 during the American Revolution, and apparently while living in "overhill" North Carolina, Capt. Edward was appointed Revolutionary Army Auditor for North Carolina's Sullivan and Washington Counties in the Morgan, subsequently the Washington Military District. In Tennessee Soldiers in the Revolution", by Penelope Johnson Allen, pg. 28, in 1781-1783 three Riggs were residing in Sullivan and Washington Counties of NC (encompassing the NE corner of present TN): namely, Edward, Reuben and Samuel Riggs. By the time the U.S. authorized Rev. War pensions, Capt. Edward Riggs was deceased. However, in the 1830s as elderly men both Reuben and Samuel received Rev. War pensions in Tennessee.[5]
1774 - elected Captain of the Surry Co. militia.[7]
"freeholders of Morris County, NJ; Town of Hanover, August 31, 1752 - (brothers) Edward Riggs and Rubin Riggs." [8]
1765 - found on Rowan Co. tax list, meaning he was either a fee landowner by grant or purchase, or a tenant on the proprietary land holdings of Lord Granville.[9]
April 17, 1767 - Overseer of a road built from Shallow Ford to Elkin Ford on the Yadkin River. In modern geography, Shallow Ford is about 15-miles west of Winston-Salem, NC. As the name implies, Shallow Ford was a shallow section affording a safe place for travelers to cross. Today the Yadkin River is the continuous north and east boundaries of Yadkin Co, NC. Shallow Ford is the southeast corner of Yadkin Co. and Elkin Ford the town of Elkin in the extreme southwest corner of Surry Co.[10]
1748. Six families (Carter, Bryant, Linville, Forbush, Davis and Hughes) made up the Bryant Settlement near the Shallow Ford.
1749. Isaac Ferree obtained a license to operate a ferry near Shallow Ford.
In 1770, a road from the Shallow Ford west to Mulberry Fields (North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co.) was ordered. The Mulberry Fields Road later connected southwest to the Wilderness Road at Lower Sawra Town (Cherokee) to Kentucky (cut in 1775) and became known as part of the "Daniel Boone Trail." In 1772, the Moravians opened a road west from Salem to the Shallow Ford.
1767 to 1769 - was reportedly living on the Yadkin River in NC.[11]
March 2, 1769 - Edward Riggs was bondsman for the marriage of Reuben Riggs, assumed as his oldest son, to Mary Crawford (recorded Rowan Co, NC).[12]
August 11, 1769 - with William Potter was appointed Overseer of the Shallow Ford road.[13]
As indicated by the 1767-1769 reference, Capt. Edward lived along the Yadkin River, likely somewhere between the Shallow and Elkin Fords. In modern voice, being appointed an overseer of a new road meant he was the initial right-of-way agent responsible for seeing that the road was built, kept open and maintained. The usual context in colonial America was to appoint an affected landowner who coordinated where the road was to be cut and to work out the necessary details with all of the affected property owners.[14]
Sep. 1772 - submitted claim for services rendered.[17]
1774 - elected Captain of the Surry Co. militia.[18]
1774 - Edward plus son Jesse are on the Surry Co. tax list.[19]
May 10, 1775 - filed a lawsuit against William Shepard.[20]
Colonial NC Land Records
In 1782 during the American Revolution, and apparently while living in "overhill" North Carolina, Capt. Edward was appointed Revolutionary Army Auditor for North Carolina's Sullivan and Washington Counties in the Morgan, subsequently the Washington Military District. In "Tennessee Soldiers in the Revolution", by Penelope Johnson Allen, pg. 28, in 1781-1783 three Riggs were residing in Sullivan and Washington Counties of NC (the NE corner of present TN): namely, Edward, Reuben and Samuel Riggs. By the time the U.S. authorized Rev. War pensions, Capt. Edward Riggs was deceased. However, in the 1830s as elderly men both Reuben and Samuel received Rev. War pensions in Tennessee.[21]
When Capt. Edward specifically moved west of the Appalachians is fairly well evidenced by son Samuel's defining 1834 Hawkins Co, TN Revolutionary War pension application (see Samuel Riggs notes). In brief, and based on the actual 1834 geographic references used by Samuel, or about 40 years after Tennessee statehood in 1796:
April 1760 - Samuel Riggs was born in Morris Co, NJ.[22][23]
1765 - at age 5 moved with his parents to Surry Co., NC for 12 yrs.[24][25]
1777 - moved with his father to Powell's Valley, Indian Creek, Hawkins Co, TN.[26][27]
1778 - moved "northward" to the North Fork of the Holston River due to Indians.[28][29]
1778 - volunteered to garrison a fort on Beaver Creek.[30][31]
April 1779 - moved with his father back into North Carolina.[32][33]
Fall 1780 - moved with his father back to Greene Co, TN.[34][35]
1780-85 - lived at the head of Lick Creek in Greene Co. (the "head", or "head waters", of Lick Creek is assumed to be its confluence with the Nolichucky River in the extreme southwest corner of present Greene Co, TN. Otherwise, the eventual northern end of Lick Creek is in present Washington Co, TN south of Kingsport. For some 44 years, Samuel resided less than 15 miles due west from the confluence of Lick Creek and the Nolichucky in the extreme southeast corner of Hawkins Co., later Jefferson Co., now Hamblen Co, TN.
1785-88 - lived on the waters of French Broad river in present Jefferson Co. TN.
1788-90 - lived on the waters of the Holston River in Jefferson Co, TN.[36][37]
1790 - moved to Fall Creek (Hawkins Co.) where he lived for 44 years in the same location. (as written, this is a geographic error. In 1790 Capt. Edward Riggs sold son Samuel the western 200-acres of his 1787 grant of 1,000 acres. Samuel was ultimately to operate the Riggs Tavern south of Morrisville in present Hamblen Co, TN. The land Samuel lived on was next door west from his brother Jesse, who was next door west to their father Edward, with Samuel being next door east from sister Sarah and her husband, James Ellis. All of this land was in the northeast corner of Jefferson Co, now the SE corner of Hamblen Co., TN.)[38][39]
Under a miscellaneous warrant of survey found in the NC State Archives microfilm, Raleigh, this same 200 acres sold to son Samuel was resurveyed on November 18, 1792 as follows:
"Territory So. of Ohio River. Scale 100 ps (poles) in one inch. By Virtue of a Warrant to me Directd of (Nov. 17th?) I have surveyd for Saml Riggs Two Hundred Acres of Land on fall Creek Including the place he now lives on joining a survey Made for Jessey Riggs.
Beginning at a line of small white oak on a Ridge turning thence North 98 West 160 (poles) to a (??) oak on a Ridge thence North 220 (poles) to a stake. Thence East 160 (poles) a Stake & from thence to the Beginning. Surveyd 18th day of Novemr 1792.
by Thos King
Saml Riggs & James Alles (sic..James Ellis> - SCB <Sworn Chain Bearer>"
Based on the above, from 1780 to about 1800 Capt. Edward Riggs effectively lived within an approximate 15-mile radius of the modern common corner of SW Greene, NW Cocke, NE Jefferson and SE Hamblen Counties of TN.[40]
For Capt. Edward Riggs, the following records are relative to that portion of North Carolina that became the eastern division of the state of Tennessee.
1783 - on "Old" Greene Co, NC tax list (later Greene Co, TN) together with a Jennie Riggs (very likely Edward's daughter) and Reuben Riggs (oldest son). Greene was created in 1783 from "Old" Washington Co, NC, which had been split off from Sullivan County in 1777. In addition to the previous discussion, the Washington Military District was colonial North Carolina's attempt, in part, to appease colonists attempting to organize the "State of Franklin" out of the Watauga Settlement. The statehood effort failed in the U.S. Congress by one vote and the area encompassed therein was ceded in 1790 to the United States, becoming known as part of the United State's Southwest Territory south of the Ohio River. Tennessee itself gained statehood in 1796.[41][42]
1784 - Greene Co, NC, lawsuit of Edward Riggs vs. John Newman, Samuel Lyle & Shadrach Morris. Shadrack likely was the father of Gideon Morris, who would become Edward's adjoining neighbor and the father-in-law of Edward's son Samuel.[43]
1787 to 1788 - received three land grants from North Carolina for land in "Old" Greene Co. totaling 1,645 acres on the waters of the Holston River along (south of) Dumplin Creek south of Robertson's Creek (sic..properly Robinson's Creek). At the same time, son Jesse Riggs received a grant for 70 acres on the Holston River along Fall Creek.[44]
September 8, 1790 - sold 80 acres to James Ellis "on the waters of the Holston including the plantation said Ellis now lives" (Hawkins Co, TN Deed Book 1, Pages 59-60). Immediately above this entry is a deed from Jessee Riggs to Polly <sic> Shelton dated September 6, 1790 for 255 acres attested by Edward Riggs, Reubin Riggs and Samuel Riggs. Since Jesse (written as Jessee) apparently signed and sealed the deed and no other Jesse in this time frame having been identified except as the son of Edward, this Jesse did not die in the Revolutionary War as others have suggested (see 1834 Rev. War pension of Jesse Riggs of Giles Co, TN).[45]
Although the difference in county locations is confusing, study indicates Edward and his family essentially remained in the same general locale beginning as early as 1780. Various changes and divisions occurred for Greene Co. into Hawkins into Jefferson and finally into Hamblen counties. The 1,000 acre grant plus either the west abutting 200 or 445 acre tract is now located in the extreme southeast corner of Hamblen Co, TN. Because the county seat of Jefferson was closer than the county seat of Hawkins, and apparently portions of the actual grants may possibly have been in both counties, other than deed transfers the majority of associated family marriages are recorded in Jefferson Co, TN.
On pg. 124 of Vol. VII, No. 3 of "East Tennessee Roots" is the notation that according to the Records of Hamblen County - Tombstone Records, the latter by the Copying Historical Records Project #465-44-3-115 of July 1938:
"Riggs Graveyard: Located on the farm of Hardee Dougherty, half a mile north of Russellville on the Three Springs Road. It is supposed that Jesse Riggs is buried here by his wife. Sam Riggs, the father of Jesse, is buried in an unmarked grave on an adjacent farm. Before the Riggs owned the land, it was owned by Galbreath and Loy and <the> Eckels [sic] have owned it since the Riggs, but it has been in the Dougherty family for many years. Hardee Dougherty lives in the old Riggs home, which has been greatly improved. This information was given by Hardee Dougherty."[46]
Historical Markers in southern Hamblen County:
"Morris Cemetery - In Morristown, on South Cumberland Street. A few yards east is the family graveyard of the founders of Morristown. In 1787, Gideon, Daniel and Absalom Morris, formerly of the Watauga Settlement, received grants in this area, from which Gideon deeded the land on which the town was built."
"Sulphur Springs - Site of the land grant from North Carolina taken out by Edward and Jessie Riggs September 20, 1787, later the site of a tavern. In 1818, it was a religious campground established on 100 acres."
Death and Burial
Capt. Edward is said to have died sometime between June 16, 1817 and January 17, 1820 in eastern TN, but we have been unable to determine exactly where or the actual date. The earlier date is when Capt. Edward sold son Clisbe an abutting portion of the original 1,000 acre 1787 grant that he had chosen as his known homestead. We assume that Capt. Edward died intestate and the later date may be when an administrator was appointed. We have not verified this as fact. When and where wife Jane Buckley died or whether Edward remarried is unknown.
There were two separate and unrelated Riggs clans in colonial NC and VA, which complicates identifying who was who. Descendants of both clans also ended up in eastern TN. Capt. Edward and Jane (Buckley) Riggs have been credited by some as having three children we cannot account for: Edward in c1768, Mahulda in c1770 and Mary T. in c1772.
The early eastern TN censuses are replete with wholesale omissions. Except for Rutherford Co, the entire 1810 census for Tennessee was lost. Beginning with the 1820 census, which includes nothing for Hawkins or Jefferson counties, we find the following Riggs households in eastern TN for future study.
1820 Riggs families in TN -
Bedford Co.:
David, 100001-10010 (likely David B., son of Timothy and Sarah Dunkham)
Edward, 310101-00100 (son of David B.)
Joel, 000110-20010 (son of David B.
John, 300010-20010 (likely an immediate relative of David B.)
William, 321010-21012 (ditto)
Giles Co.:
Reuben, 020101-12021 (son of Capt. Edward Riggs)
William, 220010-30010 (son of Reuben above)
Lincoln Co.:
Jessee, 001201-12100 (possibly the son of Capt. Edward Riggs who followed
sister Sarah (Riggs) Ellis to Lincoln Co, TN sometime after 1808)
Maury Co.:
Samuel, 000101-00001
1830 Riggs Families in TN - [All preemptive]
Bedford Co.:
David, pg. 53 (probably David B., son of Timothy and Sarah Dunkham)
Gideon, pg. 106 (son of David B. above)
Jeremiah, pg. 100 (another son of David B.?)
Joel, pg. 106 (son of David B. above)
Giles Co.:
Alfred, pg. 189 (son of William below)
Reuben, pg. 171 (son of Capt. Edward Riggs)
William, pg. 171 (son of Reuben above) >>
Sources
↑ "Reuben, son of Capt. Edward IV was born in 1749." Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Samuel RIGGS, Revolutionary War Pension Application S4095.
↑ Entered by Michael Lechner and Sharon Moffitt Cowen, Aug. 18, 2012
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
↑ Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt.
History of the First Presbyterian church, Morristown, N.J., First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.), "Banner" steam print, 1880 - Reference - 52 pages. googlebook.
1783 Greene County, Tennessee Tax List: David PREWITT, Martin PREWITT, William PREWITT Edward RIGGS, Jenny RIGGS, Reuben RIGGS (Abstracted by C. Hammett from The Overmountain Men... by Pat Alderman, Overmountain Press, Johnson City, Tennessee, 1970, p. 242)
Samuel RIGGS, Revolutionary War Pension Application S4095, National Archives and Records Service, STATE OF TENNESSEE, COUNTY OF HAWKINS, 1st Judicial District - April Term 1834. Attached.
Revolutionary War Privates, Reuben and Samuel RIGGS, of Morris County, New Jersey, and Tennessee, Compiled by Bobby G. Carwile and C. Hammett, 2001, for TNGenWeb (TNGenNet) and the Combs &c. Research Group. TNGenWeb.
Riggs Surname Study, Edward of Roxbury, Charting the Immediate Descendants of Edward Riggs 1589-1672, of Roxbury, Suffolk County, MA. Edward of Roxbury.
Capt. Edward Riggs IV [1720--1820], by Don Blauvelt, Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000. [http:/archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/RIGGS/2000-08/0966956764 rootsweb (A new source is needed. Link is broken.)
Riggs-1592 was created by Pamela Poindexter through the import of Pamela Poindexter Family Tree (4).ged on Sep 18, 2015
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Edward by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Edward: