Joseph Riggs
Birth: 1743
Morristown
Morris County
New Jersey, USA
Death: Aug. 25, 1814
Amity
Washington County
Pennsylvania, USA
Joseph Riggs was the son of Rebekah Hand (1716-1785) and Gideon Riggs (1713-1786).
He married Hannah Cook (1742-1819) in 1770 in Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey.
Children:
• Stephen (1771-1845)
• Rev. Cyrus (1774-1849) •
• Daniel (1776-__)
• Rebecca (Riggs) Axtell (1779-1823)
• Hannah (Riggs) Dodd (1782-1806)
• Eunice (Riggs) Axtell (1784-1816)
• Joseph Cook (1788-before 1850)
Joseph served in the Revolutionary War along side his father, Gideon, who was 65 years old. Henry Earle Riggs, in his 'Our Pioneer Ancestors' quotes a certificate he received from the Office of the Adjutant General of New Jersey dated March 5, 1908. It reads: "It is certified that the records of this office show that Joseph Riggs served as Private, Captain John Lindley's Company, Colonel Sylvanus Seeley's Eastern Battalion, Morris County, New Jersey Militia; on return dated May 7, 1778, without remark, during the Revolutionary War. - R. Herbert Brintnall, The Adjutant General."
In the Washington County, Pennsylvania, Volume I of Deeds, page 226, it is found that on February 10, 1795, J. Corey and his wife sold 198 acres of land on Ten Mile Creek to Joseph Riggs for the sum of 270 Pounds, Pennsylvania money. It would seem then to be reasonable to assume that Joseph made the long hard trip with his family across the mountains from New Jersey to Western Pennsylvania in 1794.
Joseph Riggs' will is found in the Washington County, PA, Will Book Number 2, pages 545 and 546. It was made on August 22, 1814, and probated on August 27, 1814, some five days later, making it obvious that Joseph died shortly after he drew up his will.
Joseph Riggs is buried in the Lower Ten Mile Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Amity, Pennsylvania.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32169671
