Isaac Riggs, 1850-1927

RIGGS, CONNER, BEATTY

Posted By: Doreene Hansen (email)
Date: 3/23/2011 at 21:59:18

Isaac Hammon Riggs

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. 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 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 a few years in Fayette county. At the time Mr. Riggs came to this county with his parents, the railroad 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 1869 he was united in marriage to Sarah Alice Conner. Her parents were also 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. (also Mrs. Ed Beatty. 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 love 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 that 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.

Source: Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; January 26, 1927.