DAILY TRINIDAD NEWS Trinidad, Colorado August 4, 1882 Horrible Occurance: John RIGGS Killed by Lightning The News is pained to publish the shocking intelligence of the death of Mr. John RIGGS a young cattle man well known in this community, by a stroke of lightning. He in company with H. D. ALBERTSON and David FISHER were caught in the storm on Jrujillo Creek near the Spanish Peaks and started on horseback for a house some distance away. Before they reached it FISHER stopped under a tree while RIGGS and ALBERTSON rode on, arriving at the house they found it locked the family being away, they had dismounted, when the bolt struck a post in front of the house killing Mr. RIGGS and knocking ALBERTSON down as well as one of the horses. When ALBERTSON recovered consciousness he crawled to RIGGS who had fallen under the eave of the building and was just breathing his last. The Mexican family had returned by this time and soon spread the news to their neighbors believing that a murder had been committed a large number of people soon collected and soon afterward started with the body and Mr. ALBERTSON for the residence of the brother of the dead man Mr. William C. RIGGS near El Moro, arriving there yesterday morning, and bringing in this way the first news of this deatih to his relatives. Mr. RIGGS was a young man being but twenty five years of age was married and leaves a wife and one child. Mrs. RIGGS is a daughter of Jonathan DARLING another well known cattle man. John RIGGS was a highly esteemed citizen and his death will be universally regretted by the people of Las Anihas County. It will be remembered that a man was killed by lightning a few days ago a short distance above the city; in the last conversation that ever occurred between the RIGGS brothers John remarked to William that when he had to die he would like to have death come in that manner. He little dreamed how soon the expression would meet fulfillment. The history of the family is a tragic one, they are natives of Texas, when John was but a year old and William only three, their father and mother were murdered by the Commanche Indians in Texas two sisters age seven and nine respectively were taken captive while the two boys were left to die, this was on the Texas frontier. The next day after the massacre, the Indians believing they were closely pursued, abandoned the two little girls who were picked up up by some Rangers, and from them the story of the murder was obtained and all the children were taken care of by friends. The RIGGS brothers came to this country twelve years ago where they have since resided. The funeral for John will take place this afternoon. He will be buried at the Cemetery east of the city. LATER...... Since the above was written a most pleasing report has reached the city. William C. RIGGS after purchasing a coffin for his brother went home and discovered that John showed signs of life that gave promise of ultimate recovery; he opened his eyes and moved one of his hands. Dr. BESHEAR of this city was immediately sent for and repaired at once to the scene. The News will rejoice with the family of Mr. RIGGS should he be restored to life and health, and what a miraculous incident it would be indeed. He sustained his injuries in the afternoon on Tuesday and the symptoms of life referred to only manifested themselves last night fully twenty-four hours afterward. It was too late to obtain all the particulars. =================================================================== SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 1882 =================================================================== The funeral of John RIGGS took place yesterday at 2 o'clock P. M. =================================================================== NOTE: The John R. RIGGS above is a descendant [grandson] of Thomas RIGGS and Rhoda CASEY????...... Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a J. D. RIGGS, a descendant of William C. RIGGS please inform the list. He had contacted someone in the past and informed them he had a picture of William C. RIGGS. Anyone who is a descendant of this J. D. RIGGS who knows about the picture please contact the list. Rhoda Riggs NICOL & Mary E. RIGGS would like to make contact with this J. D. RIGGS or his descendants.

Fascinating! Thanks so much for posting this information. ----- Original Message ----- From: BGCarwile@aol.com To: RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 4:23 PM Subject: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad Colorado DAILY TRINIDAD NEWS Trinidad, Colorado August 4, 1882 Horrible Occurance: John RIGGS Killed by Lightning The News is pained to publish the shocking intelligence of the death of Mr. John RIGGS a young cattle man well known in this community, by a stroke of lightning. He in company with H. D. ALBERTSON and David FISHER were caught in the storm on Jrujillo Creek near the Spanish Peaks and started on horseback for a house some distance away. Before they reached it FISHER stopped under a tree while RIGGS and ALBERTSON rode on, arriving at the house they found it locked the family being away, they had dismounted, when the bolt struck a post in front of the house killing Mr. RIGGS and knocking ALBERTSON down as well as one of the horses. When ALBERTSON recovered consciousness he crawled to RIGGS who had fallen under the eave of the building and was just breathing his last. The Mexican family had returned by this time and soon spread the news to their neighbors believing that a murder had been committed a large number of people soon collected and soon afterward started with the body and Mr. ALBERTSON for the residence of the brother of the dead man Mr. William C. RIGGS near El Moro, arriving there yesterday morning, and bringing in this way the first news of this deatih to his relatives. Mr. RIGGS was a young man being but twenty five years of age was married and leaves a wife and one child. Mrs. RIGGS is a daughter of Jonathan DARLING another well known cattle man. John RIGGS was a highly esteemed citizen and his death will be universally regretted by the people of Las Anihas County. It will be remembered that a man was killed by lightning a few days ago a short distance above the city; in the last conversation that ever occurred between the RIGGS brothers John remarked to William that when he had to die he would like to have death come in that manner. He little dreamed how soon the expression would meet fulfillment. The history of the family is a tragic one, they are natives of Texas, when John was but a year old and William only three, their father and mother were murdered by the Commanche Indians in Texas two sisters age seven and nine respectively were taken captive while the two boys were left to die, this was on the Texas frontier. The next day after the massacre, the Indians believing they were closely pursued, abandoned the two little girls who were picked up up by some Rangers, and from them the story of the murder was obtained and all the children were taken care of by friends. The RIGGS brothers came to this country twelve years ago where they have since resided. The funeral for John will take place this afternoon. He will be buried at the Cemetery east of the city. LATER...... Since the above was written a most pleasing report has reached the city. William C. RIGGS after purchasing a coffin for his brother went home and discovered that John showed signs of life that gave promise of ultimate recovery; he opened his eyes and moved one of his hands. Dr. BESHEAR of this city was immediately sent for and repaired at once to the scene. The News will rejoice with the family of Mr. RIGGS should he be restored to life and health, and what a miraculous incident it would be indeed. He sustained his injuries in the afternoon on Tuesday and the symptoms of life referred to only manifested themselves last night fully twenty-four hours afterward. It was too late to obtain all the particulars. =================================================================== SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 1882 =================================================================== The funeral of John RIGGS took place yesterday at 2 o'clock P. M. =================================================================== NOTE: The John R. RIGGS above is a descendant [grandson] of Thomas RIGGS and Rhoda CASEY????...... Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a J. D. RIGGS, a descendant of William C. RIGGS please inform the list. He had contacted someone in the past and informed them he had a picture of William C. RIGGS. Anyone who is a descendant of this J. D. RIGGS who knows about the picture please contact the list. Rhoda Riggs NICOL & Mary E. RIGGS would like to make contact with this J. D. RIGGS or his descendants. ==== RIGGS Mailing List ==== Check out the RIGGS Resource Page located at the following URL: http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/r/i/RIGGS/

Bobby, What a fascinating newspaper article, especially the sting in the tail where he was buried despite having very belatedly shown apparent signs of life! It was exactly 5 years ago today that Rhoda Riggs Nicol posted a message to RIGGS-L, stating that a year earlier (November 1997) J D Riggs had posted a picture of W. C. Riggs. I've been back through the RIGGS-L archive, reading messages 82-92 which cover November 1997, but there's no reference there I'm afraid. Regards @¿@ Geoff Riggs - Chepstow, South Wales, UK ~ RIGGS Surname Study www.riggs.org.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (@¿@) Searching for {~} the Missing Link ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----- Original Message ----- From: <BGCarwile@aol.com> To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 10:23 PM Subject: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad Colorado > DAILY TRINIDAD NEWS > Trinidad, Colorado > August 4, 1882 > > Horrible Occurance: John RIGGS Killed by Lightning > (edited out) > NOTE: > The John R. RIGGS above is a descendant [grandson] of Thomas RIGGS and Rhoda > CASEY????...... > Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a J. D. RIGGS, a descendant of William C. > RIGGS please inform the list. He had contacted someone in the past and > informed them he had a picture of William C. RIGGS. Anyone who is a descendant of > this J. D. RIGGS who knows about the picture please contact the list. Rhoda > Riggs NICOL & Mary E. RIGGS would like to make contact with this J. D. RIGGS > or his descendants. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Riggs" <rriggs3@earthlink.net> To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 1998 6:07 AM Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] J D RIGGS The Jane RIGGS in my family tree was b. July 05, 1828 and d. April 19, 1886, Brading, IOW?, Hampshire, England. Any relation? Rose Barnes wrote: My great grandfather was William Riggs, born in England and daughter of Jane. William's son was Stephen Riggs. Rose Barnes Rhoda & Bet wrote: In November, 1997, J D Riggs posted a picture of W. C. Riggs, Ambrose Lee and Henry Riggs, along with a message in which he states that his line is from John Rowland Riggs. He decends from John C. and Jane Riggs, as do I. My line is thru William Carroll Riggs, a brother of John Rowland. There is no address on these messages where I can contact J. D If anyone knows how he can be contacted, I would appreciate your help. Or if you know and will let him know I am trying to locate him. We have a lot of information that he might be interested in. Thanks for your help. Rhoda Riggs Nicol- koolgma@rmi.net

I do not think my line is the same as mentioned in the previous e-mails below but the initials are the same. Could there be any connection? My Line George C. Riggs m: Margaret Henry Riggs m: Eliza Ann Scoggins William Calvin Riggs m: Sarah Elmina Lambert, 1867 Springville, St. Clair Co. Alabama. Diane Miller ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Riggs" <riggs@one-name.org> To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 8:28 PM Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad Colorado > Bobby, > > What a fascinating newspaper article, especially the sting in the tail where > he was buried despite having very belatedly shown apparent signs of life! > > It was exactly 5 years ago today that Rhoda Riggs Nicol posted a message to > RIGGS-L, stating that a year earlier (November 1997) J D Riggs had posted a > picture of W. C. Riggs. > > I've been back through the RIGGS-L archive, reading messages 82-92 which > cover November 1997, but there's no reference there I'm afraid. > > Regards > > @¿@ Geoff Riggs - Chepstow, South Wales, UK > ~ RIGGS Surname Study www.riggs.org.uk > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > (@¿@) Searching for > {~} the Missing Link ! > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <BGCarwile@aol.com> > To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 10:23 PM > Subject: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad > Colorado > > > > DAILY TRINIDAD NEWS > > Trinidad, Colorado > > August 4, 1882 > > > > Horrible Occurance: John RIGGS Killed by Lightning > > (edited out) > > NOTE: > > The John R. RIGGS above is a descendant [grandson] of Thomas RIGGS and > Rhoda > > CASEY????...... > > Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a J. D. RIGGS, a descendant of William > C. > > RIGGS please inform the list. He had contacted someone in the past and > > informed them he had a picture of William C. RIGGS. Anyone who is a > descendant of > > this J. D. RIGGS who knows about the picture please contact the list. > Rhoda > > Riggs NICOL & Mary E. RIGGS would like to make contact with this J. D. > RIGGS > > or his descendants. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Richard Riggs" <rriggs3@earthlink.net> > To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, November 19, 1998 6:07 AM > Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] J D RIGGS > > > The Jane RIGGS in my family tree was b. July 05, 1828 and d. April 19, 1886, > Brading, > IOW?, Hampshire, England. Any relation? > > Rose Barnes wrote: > My great grandfather was William Riggs, born in England and > daughter of Jane. William's son was Stephen Riggs. > Rose Barnes > > Rhoda & Bet wrote: > In November, 1997, J D Riggs posted a picture of W. C. Riggs, Ambrose Lee > and Henry Riggs, along with a message in which he states that his line is > from John Rowland Riggs. He decends from John C. and Jane Riggs, as do I. > My line is thru William Carroll Riggs, a brother of John Rowland. There is > no address on these messages where I can contact J. D > If anyone knows how he can be contacted, I would appreciate your help. > Or if you know and will let him know I am trying to locate him. We have a > lot of information that he might be interested in. Thanks for your help. > Rhoda Riggs Nicol- koolgma@rmi.net > > > ==== RIGGS Mailing List ==== > **************************RIGGS WEB PAGE************************* > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/riggs.html >

Diane: We can only go as far as Thomas & Rhoda Casey Riggs who were the parents of John C. Riggs who was the father of John Roland. None of the names you mention are a part of our line-- but who knows ? Rhoda ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diane Miller" <dianermiller@cox-internet.com> To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2003 8:06 PM Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad Colorado > I do not think my line is the same as mentioned in the previous e-mails > below but the initials are the same. Could there be any connection? > My Line > George C. Riggs m: Margaret > Henry Riggs m: Eliza Ann Scoggins > William Calvin Riggs m: Sarah Elmina Lambert, 1867 Springville, St. Clair > Co. Alabama. > > Diane Miller > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Geoff Riggs" <riggs@one-name.org> > To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 8:28 PM > Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad > Colorado > > > > Bobby, > > > > What a fascinating newspaper article, especially the sting in the tail > where > > he was buried despite having very belatedly shown apparent signs of life! > > > > It was exactly 5 years ago today that Rhoda Riggs Nicol posted a message > to > > RIGGS-L, stating that a year earlier (November 1997) J D Riggs had posted > a > > picture of W. C. Riggs. > > > > I've been back through the RIGGS-L archive, reading messages 82-92 which > > cover November 1997, but there's no reference there I'm afraid. > > > > Regards > > > > @¿@ Geoff Riggs - Chepstow, South Wales, UK > > ~ RIGGS Surname Study www.riggs.org.uk > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > (@¿@) Searching for > > {~} the Missing Link ! > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <BGCarwile@aol.com> > > To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 10:23 PM > > Subject: [RIGGS-L] Re: John R. RIGGS [1857-1882]......OBITUARY Trinidad > > Colorado > > > > > > > DAILY TRINIDAD NEWS > > > Trinidad, Colorado > > > August 4, 1882 > > > > > > Horrible Occurance: John RIGGS Killed by Lightning > > > (edited out) > > > NOTE: > > > The John R. RIGGS above is a descendant [grandson] of Thomas RIGGS and > > Rhoda > > > CASEY????...... > > > Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a J. D. RIGGS, a descendant of William > > C. > > > RIGGS please inform the list. He had contacted someone in the past and > > > informed them he had a picture of William C. RIGGS. Anyone who is a > > descendant of > > > this J. D. RIGGS who knows about the picture please contact the list. > > Rhoda > > > Riggs NICOL & Mary E. RIGGS would like to make contact with this J. D. > > RIGGS > > > or his descendants. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Richard Riggs" <rriggs3@earthlink.net> > > To: <RIGGS-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Thursday, November 19, 1998 6:07 AM > > Subject: Re: [RIGGS-L] J D RIGGS > > > > > > The Jane RIGGS in my family tree was b. July 05, 1828 and d. April 19, > 1886, > > Brading, > > IOW?, Hampshire, England. Any relation? > > > > Rose Barnes wrote: > > My great grandfather was William Riggs, born in England and > > daughter of Jane. William's son was Stephen Riggs. > > Rose Barnes > > > > Rhoda & Bet wrote: > > In November, 1997, J D Riggs posted a picture of W. C. Riggs, Ambrose Lee > > and Henry Riggs, along with a message in which he states that his line is > > from John Rowland Riggs. He decends from John C. and Jane Riggs, as do I. > > My line is thru William Carroll Riggs, a brother of John Rowland. There is > > no address on these messages where I can contact J. D > > If anyone knows how he can be contacted, I would appreciate your help. > > Or if you know and will let him know I am trying to locate him. We have a > > lot of information that he might be interested in. Thanks for your help. > > Rhoda Riggs Nicol- koolgma@rmi.net > > > > > > ==== RIGGS Mailing List ==== > > **************************RIGGS WEB PAGE************************* > > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/riggs.html > > > > > > ==== RIGGS Mailing List ==== > **************************RIGGS WEB PAGE************************* > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/riggs.html > >