Basil Wiggins 1830-1916

WIGGINS, WEBB, CULLEN

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 2/7/2020 at 10:20:42

9 June 1916 - The Tipton Advertiser

After a residence in this county of sixty-two years Basil Wiggins was called home last Friday and Tuesday was laid to rest within a stone's throw of the farm upon which he lived and labored for much of that time. Slowly, but with absolute certainty, the county are leaving the scenes of their early endeavors. In the death of Mr. Wiggins the community loses one of its oldest settlers and one who was universally respected.

Basil Wiggins was born in Pennsylvania, Oct. 31, 1830. His parents moved to Ohio when he was but a child. He lived in Ohio until 1852, when, with his brother William, joined the army of people that went over land to the gold fields of California. It was while there his brother William died of mountain fever. His father, mother and sisters came from Ohio by wagon while he was in California.

He returned to Iowa in 1854 and settled on a farm west of Tipton. March 20th, 1856, he was married to Eliza J. Webb. To this union were born three sons. Franklin, who died in infancy Ed. B., of Lewiston, Idaho; and Bert W. of Lincoln, Nebr.

In 1879 he took into his home to raise Andrew J. Cullen, and was to him as faithful and true as to his own sons.

He served in the civil war from 1862 to 1864 and up to the time of his death was proud of his record as a soldier. While on the farm he and his neighbors, a few only of whom remain, banded together and hauled their grain to Muscatine, which at that time was their nearest market. He was a pioneer of Iowa. He joined the United Brethren church at an early date and continued a member until the church was disbanded, when he joined the West Bethel M.E. church and remained a member until a number of years ago, when he joined the Presbyterian church, at Tipton, Sept. 7th, 1884, and was still an active member at the time of his death.

In 1898, he moved from his farm to Tipton, where he resided until the time of his death. He passed away June 3rd, 1916, aged 85 years, 7 months and 3 days.

He leaves a faithful and devoted wife, his two sons, Andy Cullen, whom he raised and one sister.

Funeral was conducted from the Presbyterian church Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 by Rev. H. E. Andrews, and interment made at Sand Hill cemetery.