Isaac Riggs, 1850-1927

RIGGS

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 3/11/2009 at 19:48:58

Ike Riggs, Oldest Pioneer of City, Dies Thursday

Seven Houses in Village When He Came 63 Years Ago;
Teamed To Ft Dodge

Ike Riggs, who came to Estherville in 1864, passed away at his home Thursday night of pneumonia. Mr. Riggs was nearly 77 years old but had always been unusually active and until his last illness was out every day with his truck. During his residence in Estherville the town has grown from a village of seven families to its present population of nearly 6,000.

Came Here 63 Years Ago

Deceased was born on April 14, 1850, in Stueben county, New York. In the spring of 1864 his father, James, wife (Minerva) and two sons (Isaac & William), came by train to Iowa Falls, then by stage to Fort Dodge. At that village it was necessary to hire a team to reach Estherville. Ike, then a young man of fourteen years, hired out the following spring to Eldridge Whitcomb, whose farm laid at the north end of the present city square. On July 4, 1869, Mr. Riggs married Sarah (Alice) Conner. Ten children were born to them, five of whom now survive. These are Mrs. Chas. Reed and A. C. Riggs of Estherville, Mrs. Clyde Beatty of Spirit Lake, and Ed, whose address is not known. Mrs. Riggs died about twenty years ago.

Knew Privation

Mr. Riggs passed thru all the trying experiences of the pioneer days, the wet years, the dry ones, the grasshopper ravages at which time he lost an 80 acre farm west of Estherville, the blizzards of winter and all the minor tribulations that came to the early settlers of the little villages and the wide praires of 50 years ago.

As one of his means of livelihood besides his farming operations, he did overland teaming to the nearest trading points. At first Cedar Rapids was the nearest point. Later farm produce was hauled to Fort Dodge which was a six day trip, with a good team, and six days back to Estherville. When the Milwaukee road was built, Algona and Windom, Minn., were the new trading places, then with the coming of east and west line of the Milwaukee, Jackson and Emmetsburg.

Funeral Sunday

Funeral services for this well known pioneer were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 from the Christian Church with Rev. H. L. Olmstread in charge and interment made in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Contributed by: Doreene Hansen. Source: Vindicator & Republican, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, January 26, 1927.

Isaac Hammon Riggs
1850-1927

One of Emmet county's oldest pioneers, Isaac Hammon Riggs, passed away at the home of his son, Cecil Riggs, on Sixth street on last Thursday evening [January 26, 1927]. Death came from pneumonia, he having taken a severe cold only a short time before his death.

Mr. Riggs was born on April 14, 1850 in Stueben county, New York. His early boyhood days were spent on a farm in the heavy timber district of that state. It was here he received his early schooling in a school house built of logs and with log benches. His was a real life of the pioneer days not only there, but when he with his family moved to Emmet county. He was but fifteen years of age at the time he came here with his parents. He has always made this his home with the exception of few years in Fayette county. At the time Mr Riggs came to this county with his parents (James and Minerva), the railways had only reached the central part of the state. Their trip here was made by stage and it took them six days overland. He had only resided here but three years when in 1868 (July 4, 1869) he was united in marriage to Sarah Alice Conner. Her parents were also of the pioneer people of Emmet county. Ten children were born to this union, five of whom, with his beloved wife, have gone before him. The remaining members of the family are Cecil Riggs of this city with whom Mr. Riggs has made his home for the past fifteen years. Mrs. Chas. Reed also residing here; Mrs. E. J. Beatty of Spirit Lake and Edwin Riggs. There are twenty grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Ike Riggs, as we in older times knew him, was a quiet man, a man who knew a friend and loved him and a man who sticketh to a friend like a brother. A wonderful man to visit with about the early days and interesting to talk to on these subjects. He was a man who knew the pioneer days and its hardships, but lived them as they were. He was a Christian man to the last and it seemed a pleasure to him to know he was going to the great beyond and mentioned the fact at the end of the journey.

The funeral services were held from the Christian Church on Sunday afternoon, the Rev. H. L. Olmstead officiating and the remains were laid to rest in the family lot in the East Side Cemetery.

Contributed by: Doreene Hansen. Source: Unknown.