Person:Thomas Riggs (1)

Identity

The identity of Thomas Riggs of Gloucester, Massachusetts with Thomas Riggs, son of Robert Riggs, baptized in Hawkshead and apprenticed in London, is proposed but not proven.^[5]

Excerpts From Riggs Surname Study: Thomas of Gloucester

Thomas Riggs purchased the squared-log house (one of only three surviving in Massachusetts) for his bride Mary Millett in 1661. Three adventurers, the Wakley brothers and Mathew Coe, built it sometime during the 1640s or early 1650s. On the southern peninsula of Annisquam Harbor, the house looks across to Gloucester's earliest successful settlement. It was an ideal site for ship chandlery (repairing and provisioning vessels) in the protected harbor and for farming. Amazingly, the pasture between Thomas Sr.'s house and that of his son Thomas Jr. (1690) survives to this day.

When Thomas Sr.'s youngest son Andrew married Mary Richardson in 1704, a single-story cape was added to the log house. In 1753 Andrew's youngest son George built the gambrel roof, accommodating three upstairs bedchambers. The house remained in the Riggs family nearly untouched until the current owner designed a timber-frame wing of 18th-c. handhewn beams that provides a great room and loft as well as the house's first permanent electricity, running water, and heat (save for the six working fireplaces).

George died intestate in 1798, so his household inventory was taken by the usual three assessors. He had 7 children, 3 sons who had their own properties, and 4 daughters who did not. His daughters inherited the house:

Rachel received the "end of the house adjoining on kitchen with the garret above", i.e. the log house; Lydia inherited the "southwestern or unfinished chamber [known as grandfather's room--undoubtedly because it was the warmest and sunniest in the winter; it is the drawing room or parlor], also the chamber over the great kitchen with the northern side garret as partitioned off". Lydia finished this room ca. 1800 in Federal style with a nice chimney breast and dado; Mary received the "northwestern [dining] room and the chamber above with the closet and selves in the back entryway"; Marsha got the best [bed] chamber with the southern garret and side garret in the kitchen chamber. The two women that were [probably had been] married got the best rooms. By 1798 any children they had had undoubtedly had left home.

What is so exciting in this house is not only its originality, but that about half the furnishings are Riggs Family, dating from the 17th century through the mid-nineteenth century. The house remained in the Riggs family nearly untouched until recently, when the current owner erected a timber-frame wing of 18th-century handhewn beams and added in 1998 its first electricity, running water, and heat ever (save for the 6 working fireplaces). For photographs of the interior of the rooms, including the working kitchen, please visit the "Accommodations" page on The Thomas Riggs House Bed and Breakfast web-site.

The house is actually in Riverdale, a Gloucester hamlet and a large parcel of Riggs land survives. The pasture consists of 7 acres immediately behind the house stretching to Washington Street, which is the main road (Route 127) that rings the island. Across Washington Street is the other 3/4ths of the pasture, preserved as the Goose Cove Reservation. At the end of this is Thomas Riggs Junior's house, circa 1690, and plank framed. So the whole pasture is framed by these two 17th century (or "1st period") houses! Furthermore, these two houses exhibit all three types of 17th-century building techniques: log, plank, and post-and-beam. Unfortunately, the 7 acre parcel immediately behind the house is currently under threat of development by the separate owner of that land.

Current Owner of the "Ancient Riggs House":
Barbara Lambert
27 Vine St
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-281-4802

Unattributed Narrative

The Riggs line in America began with Thomas Riggs of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Based upon his stated age of about 90 at death, Thomas was born about 1631, most probably in England. It is not known who his parents were or when he emigrated to America. However, he was undoubtedly a Puritan, judging from the Biblical names of his children and the town positions he held.

One researcher has proposed that Thomas was a son of John Riggs and Marie Blake Riggs nee Hopgood. John, a merchant in Southampton England, was the son of Ralph Riggs of Fareham, Hampshire, England, who was a grandson of Thomas Rigges of Southampton. Thomas Riggs of Gloucester is further proposed to be a brother to John Riggs of Norfolk Co, Virginia, who held land in lower Norfolk County Virginia in 1653, and to Francis Riggs of Calvert Co, Maryland, who was there by 1663, acquiring no less than 2300 acres, and dying intestate in 1667. The estate of Francis Riggs of Calvert County, MD was claimed by his cousin Joseph Riggs of Virginia. The claimant said Francis was the son of John Riggs of Southampton, England and that he, Joseph, was the son of Francis Riggs of Fareham, Hampshire, England. Preliminary research has confirmed that Francis Riggs of Calvert Co, Maryland was indeed the son of John Riggs and Marie Blake Riggs nee Hopgood. And that John did apparently have another son named Thomas Riggs. Further research is being conducted to find definitive evidence that this Thomas was indeed Thomas of Gloucester, but so far, nothing conclusive has been demonstrated. Neither is there any evidence that Thomas is related to Edward Riggs of Roxbury, Mass. Wallace's reasoning to support such a relationship is fallacious.

Gloucester was first colonized in 1623 by the Dorchester Company, although most of the fishing colony returned to Salem, Mass. or England in 1626. Additional settlement began in 1630, and by 1639 there was sufficient population to apply for incorporation which was granted in 1642. Thomas Riggs first appears in the records in 1658. On 7 Jun 1658, he married Mary Millet. On 23 December 1658, he was given a grant of six acres of upland lying at Little River at Goose Cove.

Thomas was a welcome addition to the Gloucester community, being educated as a professional scrivener in England. He served as town clerk for 51 years, from 1665 to 1716. (It is estimated that fully one-half the population of Gloucester in 1664 could neither read or write.) When the first public school was established in 1698, Thomas Riggs, was the first schoolmaster. He was a selectman for 20 years and a representative to the General Court in 1700.

In 1688, Gloucester was among the rebellious towns of the Massachusetts Bay Colony which refused to pay odious taxes imposed by the governor, Sir Edwin Andros. Resultantly, seven of the prominent citizens were arraigned and fined at Salem for the refusal of the town to honor the terms of its warrant. Thomas was one of these seven who were fined 40 shillings each, in addition to the fees.

In addition to the land granted in 1658 at Goose Cove, Thomas acquired other land by grant and purchase. On 7 Oct 1661 he bought from Thomas and John Wakley and Matthew Coe, houses, gardens and home lots on the south side of Goose Cove. [Matthew Coe, a fisherman, lived in Portsmouth in 1640, came to Gloucester before 1647. He had a grant of land on Stage Neck in 1651, which, with a house erected thereon, he sold to Thomas Riggs 10 years later, and removed with his wife and family to Back Cove, Falmouth, Me.] On February 27, 1688, it was voted at a town meeting that every householder and young man who had attained his majority and was a native of the town, capable of the rights and duties of citizenship, should be granted six acres of land. Rights of way for free passage were provided for, and the inhabitants were given the privilege of cutting wood upon these lots for their own use. Thomas, as well as his son Thomas Jr. received one of the 82 lots. In 1697 he exchanged land with his brother-in-law Nathaniel Millet. A Thomas Sr. also received land in the 1723 distribution, but it is not clear whether this went to his estate since he was already dead, or whether this refers to his son, and the Thomas Jr. who also received land, to his grandson.

Wallace states that the descendants of Thomas were devoted to whaling and other maritime pursuits.

City of Gloucester Open Space Plan, 1998 - 2003 35. RIGG'S LANDING, Riggs Point off Vine Street, Assessor's map 112.

STATUS: Historical. Ownership now private. Needs research.

NOTE: Department of Environmental Management has approved acquisition of a 2.5 acre parcel up the street from this landing, for the purpose of establishing a new landing. Will need to negotiate with the property owners, who have been approached. Very good location, with access to deep water. Room for parking area, picnic site, etc. City should continue to pursue along with State.

According to Holmes, the name "Riggs" means a steep elevation, a range of hills.

Thomas Riggs first appears in Gloucester as a grantee of land at Goose Cove in 1658. In 1661 he bought houses and lands of Matthew Coe and Thomas and John Wakley, also situated near Goose Cove. The Millet genealogy tells that the old Riggs home was still standing in 1913 and occupied by his descendants.

A record of the early settlers shows "Riggs, Thomas, age 32 in 1667."

Babson tells that Thomas was said to have been educated in England for the profession of a scrivener. This made him a valuable addition to the community where half the men were unable to write. He was the second town clerk in Gloucester MA and held that office for 51 years, 1665-1716. He also served as selectman for more than 20 years, and was representative in 1700.

The first public school on Cape Ann was opened in the meetinghouse on The Green in 1698. Thomas Riggs, Sr., was elected schoolmaster with an arrangement whereby he was to receive a salary of one shilling sixpence per day while teaching. But controversy arose, and he served for only one year. Then public schooling lapsed until 1703, when a new teacher was obtained.

When daughter Sarah moved to her log cabin home in New Boston (Gray) ME, she took with her a manuscript arithmetic, undoubtedly made and used by Thomas. And Thomas' great-granddaughter, Mary Haskell, was the first female school teacher in Grey ME, having taught a private school in the summer of 1797, and her list of scholars has been preserved.

While Edmund Andros was governor of New England, several towns refused to assess the taxes which the Governor and his Council levied upon them. One of these towns was Gloucester, seven of whose citizens: William Haskell, sen.; James Stevens, Thomas Riggs sr., Thomas Millet, Jeffrey Parsons, Timothy Somes, and William Sargent sr. were fined at the Superior Court in Salem for the non-compliance of the town with a warrant for the assessment of one of those odious taxes in the year 1688. The first five were selectman of the town that year, and Somes was its constable. The justices came to Gloucester to bind them over for their appearance at court, and they had to pay, in addition to the bonds, for "the Shott for said justices by their order at the Taverne;" stating that the "Totall for the first bout was three pounds fifteen shillings money." At court, all but Somes were fined forty shillings each; to which three pounds one shilling each were added for the fees.

1. ↑ Thomas Riggs, in Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   3:541-542.

   Thomas (Riggs), Gloucester, was town clk. 51 yrs. selectman 20, sometime sch.m. rep. 1700; m. 7 June 1658, Mary d. of Thomas Millet, wh. d. 23 Jan. 1695, had Mary, b. 6 Mar. 1659; Thomas, 23 Jan. 1661, d. in few days; Sarah, 16 Jan. 1662; Ann, 27 Apr. 1664; Thomas, again, 7 Dec. 1666; John, 25 Feb. 1670; Eliz. 22 Apr. 1672; Abigail, 29 Dec. 1678; and Andrew, 8 Jan. 1682. He m. 30 Oct. 1695, Eliz. Frese, and d. 26 Feb. 1722, aged 90. His wid. d. 16 June foll. aged 80. Mary, m. 21 Nov. 1677, Benjamin Haskell; and Sarah, m. 9 May 1681, John Tucker.

2. ↑ Thomas Riggs, in Kluegel, Helen Richardson. Collateral Lines of Descendants of William Richardson of Newbury, Mass. (Honolulu (possibly): The Author (typescript), 1960)
   b1-c3.

   Thomas Riggs¹ first appears in Gloucester, Mass., at the date of his marriage, 1658. He had a grant of land the same year, of six acres of upland lying on Little River, and 7 Oct. 1661 bought of Coe and the Wakleys, houses, gardens and home lots on the south side of Goose Cove. By grant and purchase he acquired other lots of land, and was at one time the largest owner in the common territory. His superior attainments would indicate that he was from a family of position in England. Tradition has it that he was educated for the profession of scrivener, and this is substantiated by his capable performance. He was town clerk from 1665 to 1716, a selectman between 1669 and 1705, representative to the general court 1706. He aided in the erection and maintenance of both saw and grist mills. He inaugurated a system of schools, and was schoolmaster many years, and promoted the welfare of church and other town institutions. … In defence of the rights and liberties of the people, he stood with Jeffrey Parsons, Thomas Mlllett (his father-in-law), William Sargent and others; so that Gov. Andros and his oppressive measures received little favor at their hands, although they were subjected to penalties for their action.

3. ↑ Riggs Surname Study: Thomas of Gloucester
   Accessed 28 Jan 2013.
4. ↑ Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts.: Essex Institute, 1917)
   3:258.

   Riggs, Thomas, town clerk about 50 y., [died] Feb. 26, 1721-2, a. abt. 90 y.

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Anderson, Robert Charles, and Alvy Ray Smith. Proposed Hawkshead, Lancashire, Origins of Edward (1) Riggs of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and Thomas (1) Riggs of Gloucester. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Apr 2007)
   82:120-20@82:121.

   The authors propose that Thomas Riggs, son of Robert Riggs of Hawkshead, baptized 25 March 1633 in Hawkshead and apprenticed 3 Feb 1646 to Richard Barlow, scrivener of London, was the Thomas Riggs of Gloucester, Massachusetts, scrivener, who died Feb 1721/22 aged about 90 (hence born about 1632).

6.   Alvy Ray Smith, PhD, FASG. Edwardian Rigges of America V: Thomas Riggs (1633-1722) of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and His Descendants to 2006 v6.1. (Berkeley, CA: Ars Longa).

   link

7.   Alvy Ray Smith, PhD, FASG, The Probable Genetic Signature of Thomas1 Riggs, Immigrant to Gloucester, Massachusetts, by 1658, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   164(2010):85-94, 95-103@88.

   link