The Greene County, Pennsylvania Kiger Family, Part I
Charles Kiger is the earliest provable ancestor of the Kiger family who have lived in the beautiful Greene County countryside of Pennsylvania for over one hundred and eighty years. There are several possibilities as to Charles' ancestry which we will discuss in Part II of this article in the next issue of this newsletter. We can confidently say that the Charles Kygar who first appeared on the tax rolls in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1799 (indicating he was living there by 1798), and on the census there in 1800, showing him to be age 26-45, and to have a wife between the ages of 16-26, and two sons and one daughter all under the age of 10 years, is the same Charles Kiger who is the progenitor of the Greene County Kiger family.
In 1810 Charles Kiger (with that spelling) appeared
on the Fayette County census once again, and he was living in Georges
Township. A researcher of this family has told me that he found a land
transaction in Georges Township, Fayette County, in which this Charles Kiger
sold his land in 1816. It would appear that this is when he moved to
Greene County, because in this same year Charles purchased a farm in Whiteley
Township, Greene County, and in 1820 Charles Ciger (age 45 or over) and family
appear on the census in Whiteley Township where they would continue to appear
from this date on. The Charles Kiger who had been in Fayette County no
longer appears in that county as of 1820 to further support the theory that he
is the subsequent Greene County Charles Kiger. With Charles (age 45 or
over) in 1820 in Whiteley Township are his wife (also age 45 or over), two males
between 10-15, one male age 16-17, one male 18-25, one female under 10, and one
female age 18-26. Also appearing on the 1820 Whiteley Township census
record is James Ciger (age 18-25) who is shown with one female age 26-45 and two
males under 10 years of age in his household.
Charles
Keiger appears on the Whiteley Township census in 1830 where he is listed as
being age 50-60 as is his wife, and with them are one male age 20-30, and one
female 15-20. Charles' birth can only be stated as occurring between 1770
and 1774 based upon his age as given on the various census records. We
know that his wife was named Susanna as she is listed as such on a deed
transferring land in Whiteley Township recorded 6 July 1838 to son John Kiger,
but her maiden name cannot be proven. Some researchers have listed her
maiden name as Hostetler or Hochstetler and this may well be the case, but I
have been unable to find independent verification of that. By the 1830
census several "new" Keiger and Kiger listings, in addition to James
who first became a head of household in 1820, appear in Greene County. It
is quite probable that these entries pertain to the grown sons of Charles and
Susanna Kiger. In Franklin Township we find Isaac Kiger age 20-30 with a
wife in the same age bracket, and one male child under 5 years of age, and one
female child between 10 and 15 years of age. However, the greatest
concentration of these "new" Kiger listings can be found in Whiteley
Township where we find James Keiger age 30-40 with a wife of the same age group,
and one male age 5-10, two males ages 10-15, and one female under 5; John Keiger
age 30-40 with a wife of the same age, two males under 5, one female under 5,
and one female 5-10; Nicholas Kiger age 20-30, one female age 15-20 who I assume
is his wife, and one male under age 5. While it cannot be proven beyond
doubt that this Charles Kiger is the father of the other younger Kigers who
appear by 1830 on the Greene County census (with the exception of John for whom
we have proof) it would appear likely. One known son of Charles and
Susanna who does not yet appear in his own household by 1830 is Benjamin born 19
January 1804 (based on his tombstone at Claughton Chapel Cemetery in Whiteley
Township) who is no doubt the son listed living with his parents on this census.
It should be noted that Benjamin is listed as being born 19 January 1807 in the
records of several researchers. I am not sure which is correct.
There must have been at least two daughters based on the above census listings,
but their names have not as yet come to light. They are not included in the
listings that follow. Several researchers have advised me that one of
Charles' daughters was named Elizabeth but nothing more is known about
her.
The 5
sons of Charles Kiger and Susanna, numbered C1 through C5 are:
C1. James Mc.
Kiger, born about 1797, most likely the oldest son of Charles Kiger.
Geography, ages and number of children appearing on early census records, and
the fact that he named his oldest son Charles, are my reasons for placing James
as a child of Charles and Susanna Kiger. According to the various
census listings James had at least four sons and one daughter, the youngest of
whom, a son named William, was still living with his father in 1850 in Wayne
Township. He was age 19 at the time indicating a birth year of about 1831.
William P. Kiger married Julia Ann Lambery on 4 October 1853. Another
known son of James and Ella Kiger is George W. Kiger, born about 1820, who died
in 1885, and who married first Frances (maiden name unknown) and second Anna E.
Calvert. James' son Charles was still living with his wife and children in
Wayne Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania, in 1850 but moved his family to
West Virginia some time after that, and died 7 August 1888 in Wetzel County in
an accident according to Ohio Valley Richmonds, Their Kith and Kin by Ethel L.
Briggs, 1976. The following biography of Charles Kiger appeared in the
Tri-County Researcher, a West Virginia Genealogical Publication covering
Marshall, Tyler, and Wetzel counties, in 1991, and is taken from H.H. Hardesty's
History of Wetzel County, West Virginia, from 1883. "Charles
Kiger--son of James and Ella A. (Donelson) Kiger, was born in Greene County,
Pennsylvania, 15 June 1818. He was married in Fayette County, PA, in
February 1842 to Sarah A., daughter of William H. and Sarah A. (Hill)
Davis. She was born in Fayette County in 1820. About 1857, with his
family, Charles Kiger took up his residence in Wetzel County and in this county
all his living children make their home. The youngest son of Mr. and Mrs.
Kiger, named Jacob Lindsay, was born 2 June 1859 and died 10 July 1876; their
daughter, Hannah, was born 3 February 1865 and died 8 June 1876; a son was born
in October 1848 and died the same day. The living children are:
Nancy, born 18 December 1842 (married David Smith on 21 October 1861*);
Margaret, born 2 December 1844; Ella Ann, born 14 October 1846 (married Luther
J. Tracy on 5 March 1868*); Cynthia, born 31 October 1849 (married David D.
Bland in October 1869*); Elizabeth, born 20 October 1851 (married George W.
Brown on 11 April 1872*); Barbara, born 2 October 1853; Jane, born 2 July 1856;
and Emeline, born 2 February 1861 (married Thomas McCallister on 1 November
1880*). Jane lives with her parents, the others have homes of their own in
this county. Although past the age when military duty could be required of
him, at the inauguration of the War of the States, Charles Kiger enlisted in the
Federal Army and did a soldier's duty throughout that struggle, receiving
honorable discharge at the close. He has two farms in Green District, one
containing 200 acres and the other 150. His specialities are sheep raising
and cattle breeding. His postoffice address is Halls Mills, Wetzel County,
West Virginia."
*The marriage information for the above children is not found in the Hardesty article being quoted but was added in parentheses to give more complete details on the children of Charles and Sarah A. Kiger. A third child of James and Ella A. (Donelson) Kiger has been identified as Ella Ann Kiger born 11 March 1827, and died 28 September 1873, who married Josiah Ferris Crane on 11 August 1845. As noted above, there were at least two other children that cannot be identified at this time.
C2. John McClelland
Kiger, born either 1797 or 1801 (depending upon which evidence you accept), died
21 September 1872, married Sarah Elizabeth McLaughlin about 1823. She was
the daughter of Thomas and Jane McLaughlin. In early census records John
appears to be older than his brother Nicholas Kiger. The will of John
Kiger dated 16 May 1870 and probated 23 September 1872 in Greene County names
the following children: Susanna Kiger; Jane Kiger; Benjamin Kiger; Edward
Kiger; John Kiger; McLaughlin Kiger; Charles Kiger; Alexander Kiger; Isaac
Kiger; and Jeremiah Kiger. The 10 children of John Kiger and Sarah
McLaughlin, numbered JM1-JM10, will be discussed one at a time. It should
also be noted that the 6 January 1840 will of Thomas McLaughlin, father of Sarah
McLaughlin Kiger, states that Sarah had a daughter named Anne Maple. Anne
was born about 1823 and is not the daughter of John Kiger. Anne was the child of
an earlier marriage for Sarah McLaughlin and was apparently not raised by John
and Sarah.
JM1. Susanna
Kiger, born 13 August 1824, and married Jeremiah
Cosgray.
JM2. Benjamin E.
Kiger (called "Black Ben" based on his hair color to distinguish him
from his first cousin Benjamin, Jr., son of his father's brother Benjamin, Sr.),
who was born 27 April 1827 and died 4 June 1906, and married Margaret Brock (and
were living in Springhill Township in 1880) and had the following 10 children
numbered BE1-BE10:
BE1.
Francis Marion Kiger, born 18 September 1848 (birthdate as found in the family
Bible and the death certificate--his tombstone gives 19 September 1848 as his
birthdate) and died 25 October 1924, who married Lucy Fonner (after 1871), and
had the following 11 children numbered FM1-FM11: (Lucy Fonner was
apparently not the mother of the oldest two children and the name of their
mother is not certain at this time) FM1. Dora Elizabeth Kiger (or Elizabeth Dora
Kiger), born 18 October (year not given), died 12 February 1936, and married
Morgan Tilton Yoders; FM2. Franklin M. Kiger born 15 April 1872 and married
Bertha S. (maiden name unknown); FM3. Clara Ellen Kiger, born 22 February
1877, married Samuel Perriot Connor, and died 2 February 1944; FM4. Alonzo Henry
Kiger (or Henry Alonzo Kiger), born 24 January 1879, and died 10 April 1935;
FM5. Luna Anne Kiger, born 20 January 1881, and died 10 April 1924; FM6. Hulda
"Hope" Marinda Kiger, born 26 November 1882, and died 9 January
1968 who married David Dukate; FM7. Jessie Forrest Kiger, born 18 August 1885,
and died 26 May 1913; FM8. Orpha Olive Kiger, born 28 July 1887 and died 2 May
1971, who married Jessie B. Chambers; FM9. Effie Edith Kiger, born 3 January
1890, and married Harley Luther Phillips on 7 May 1919; FM10. Francis Morgan
Kiger (or Morgan Francis Kiger), born 15 March 1892, and died 24 June 1964 who
married Anna Kanan; and FM11. Herbert Charles Kiger (or Charles Herbert Kiger)
born 31 July 1897 who married Bessie M.Taylor about 1918. The information
for the above children of Francis Marion Kiger was taken from notes made by
Huldah Kiger Dukate and included in her Bible. The 1880 census record appears to
list the wife of Francis Marion Kiger as "Linby" but a close
examination of the original record shows the name to be
Lucy.
BE2.
John F. Kiger, born about 1850 who married first Rachel Ann Headlee about 1876,
and second Mary E. Headley about 1881. One daughter resulted from the
second marriage. She is Mary Eva Kiger born January 1882 who married Jake
Hawkins. The above information is from the records of a researcher of this
line. However, the tombstone of Rachel Ann Headlee Kiger in Headlee
Cemetery III shows Rachel Ann's date of death as 13 May 1893 which could
indicate an inconsistency between the two
records.
BE3. Franklin Pierce Kiger, born March 1853;
BE4.
Elizabeth M. Kiger, born 15 March 1855 and died 11 July 1918, who married
William Kughn;
BE5.
Burbridge Enos Kiger, born 28 August 1857 and died in 1936, who married Mary
Elizabeth Phillips, and had the following children numbered BB1-BB7: BB1.
Grover Cleveland Kiger born 22 November 1888 and died 5 October 1961; BB2.
Minnie Mae Kiger, born 22 November 1889, and died 20 December 1984, who married
William H. Cole about 1913; BB3. Joseph Franklin Kiger, born 20 April 1892, and
died 4 August 1979, and who married Ocie B. Cole; BB4. Laura Catherine Kiger,
born 9 April 1896, and died 24 January 1924, who married Adolphus Wilkinson
about 1917; BB5. Emma Frances Kiger, born 17 July 1898, and died 31 March 1977,
who married Wayne White about 1923; BB6. Benjamin W. Kiger, born 20 March 1901,
and died 25 July 1975; BB7. Olive E. Kiger, born 15 July 1906, and died 14 April
1997, who married John Lawrence Van Druff on 17 October 1946 (a first marriage
for Olive and second for
John).
BE6. Joseph Benson Kiger, born December 1860 and married Emma (maiden name
unknown). There are four children numbered JB1-JB4: JB1. Lucy B.
Kiger, born 1903; JB2. Homer R. Kiger, born 1906, and died 1982; JB3. Jennie M.
Kiger, born 7 June 1909, and died 31 August 1978; JB4. Lindsey Stephen Kiger,
born 1911, and died
1964.
BE7.
Sarah E. Kiger, born 7 April 1862 and married David L. Headlee;
BE8. Mary
C. Kiger, born about 1864, and married Joseph Phillips;
BE9.
Morgan Benjamin Kiger (or Benjamin Morgan Kiger), born 8 November 1866 and died
3 May 1943, who married Anna Delilah Newell;
BE10.
Eliza Jane Kiger, born August 1871.
JM3. Sarah Jane Kiger, born 21
May 1828 and died 17 October 1907, who married John Asby
Brock.
JM4. Edward Kiger, born
about 7 February 1830, and died 19 March 1895, married Ellen/Ellanor Hamilton
and had the following children listed with them on the 1860 census in
Gilmore Township and/or the 1880 census in Whiteley Township, Greene
County. The children of Edward Kiger and Ellen Hamilton are numbered
E1-E7: E1. Margaret J. Kiger, born 19 March 1854, and married William
Gooden; E2. Hannah M. Kiger, born about 1856, and married Archibald Dulaney; E3.
John S. Kiger, born 4 March 1858 and died 6 November 1921, married Agnes C. Hoy;
E4. William H. Kiger, born 16 May 1859, and died 17 April 1922, who married Ella
B. Gooden; and E5. Mary Kiger born about 1863 who married first David Lemley
about 1885 and second Lafayette Headlee 9 November 1895; E6. Lewis Franklin
Kiger, born November 1867 and died 9 May 1949, who married about 1891 to Sarah
T. John; E7. Clarissa A. Kiger, born about 1868 and married about 1890 to Samuel
Conklin.
JM5. John Kiger, Jr.,
born 21 April 1832, died 17 June 1904, married Mary Guthrie. He was living
in Gilmore Township in 1860, and Whiteley Township in 1880, with his wife and
the following children: Marinda J. Kiger born about 1865; Sarah E. Kiger
born about 1869; Nancy E. Kiger, born about 1871; Cephas Franklin Kiger born 13
September 1875, and died 6 June 1953, and married Hannah Rosella Dulaney; and
Ida F. Kiger born about 1878. and died 20 October
1895.
JM6. McLaughlin C. Kiger
born 7 May 1835, and died in 1916, who married Elizabeth Guthrie in 1856, was
living in Wayne Township, Greene County in 1880, and had the following children
numbered Mc1-Mc9: Mc1. John G. Kiger. born January 1857 and died in 1920,
and on 26 March 1887 married Margaret M. Lemunyon; Mc2. Sarah Jane Kiger, born 5
December 1857 and died 23 September 1938, who married David L. Freeland about
1880; Mc3. Rebecca Kiger, born about 1863, who married James Payne on 10
November 1887; Mc4. Spencer Sturm Kiger, born 17 May 1863 in Greene County, and
who died on 15 July 1949 in Earnshaw, West Virginia, and is buried in Mount
Herman Cemetery, who married Almira Phillips on 20 January 1889. Their children
numbered SS1-SS7 are: SS1. William McLaughlin Kiger, born about 1892 in
Coburn, West Virginia, and died 20 July 1970 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and
married Essie Pearl Haught; SS2. Jessie P. Kiger, born 10 April 1892, and died
19 June 1892; SS3. Dora E. Kiger, born 22 January 1895 and died 20
November 1895; SS4. Mary Kiger, born about 1900, who married Gary Dodd;
SS5. Mabel Kiger, born about 1900, who married Buddy Hinerman; SS6. Opal Kiger,
born 23 February 1908 and died 1 July 1976 who married Daniel Elzie Anderson;
SS7. Austin E. Kiger born 1 October 1914 and died 17 October 1915; Mc5. Josephus
(Cephas) Kiger, born 25 June 1866, died on 7 May 1944, married Mary Ann Kughn
about 1893; Mc6. Martha Kiger, born about 1867, who married Richard Dolan about
1892; Mc7. Rosberry L. Kiger, born 29 December 1869, and died 9 July 1950; Mc8.
Mary Ellen Kiger, born about 1872 who married John W. Cross and lived in Akron,
Ohio, in 1949; and Mc9. Rouena Kiger, born about 1874, and married Lafayette
Anderson about 1899.
JM7.
Charles Evan Kiger, born 10 March 1835, and died 11 October 1922, married first
Mary Ann Rose who died 22 September 1876, and who shows up on the 1880 census
record for Perry Township, with second wife Catherine C. Connor, and children
Isaac N. Kiger, born 24 June 1859, and died 24 September 1918, and married about
1880 to Elizabeth J. John; ; Cassandra Ellen Kiger, born about 1861 who married
about 1903 to Jesse Mariner; Moss McClellan Kiger, born 2 November 1862, and
died 11 December 1944, and married 25 December 1887 to Siddie Belle Fox; Hannah
Z. Kiger, born about 1864 and died about 1932 and married Thomas Lindsay Moore;
and Lemon R. Kiger (male) born 25 August 1872 died 21 May 1945, and married
twice. The first marriage occurred about 1797. His first wife's name
is unknown and his second wife's name is Belle H. Wade whom he married about
1921. Records of Valley Chapel Cemetery in Perry Township list among those
buried there two additional children from the second marriage: Bertha
Leone Kiger born 3 February 1882 and died 6 April 1885, and Calvert Kiger born
26 March 1889 and died 28 February 1894.
JM8. Alexander Kiger, born 28
August 1838, and died 9 December 1898, living with his family in Franklin
Township, Greene County, in 1880, who is the subject of the following biography
taken from The Biographical History of Greene County by Samuel P. Bates, page
753 "Alexander Kiger, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Whiteley
Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and Sarah
(McLaughlin) Kiger, who were of German and Irish descent. His father was a
farmer all his life, and died in 1872. Of his family of ten children, the
subject of this sketch is the eighth. He was reared on a farm in his
native township, and attended the district school. Mr. Kiger has made a
success of farming and is the owner of 173 acres of valuable land where he
resides near Holbrook, in Jackson Township. Mr. Kiger was united in
marriage, March 9, 1862, with Catharine, daughter of Isaac and Phoebe (Pope)
Higgins, who were of Dutch and English origin. Mr. and Mrs. Kiger's
children are--Jerome B. (born 1862 who married Violena Kuhn), Elizabeth (born
about 1866), John L. (born about 1868), Newton, Belle (born about 1871) and
Sadie. Mr. and Mrs. Kiger are members of the Methodist Protestant
Church. He is trustee and class-leader in the church and a teacher in the
Sabbath-school. In politics he is a Democrat." It should be
noted that "Newton" is actually Isaac Newton born 24 June 1869 who
died on 24 September 1918 who married Elizabeth J., and "Sadie" is
most likely daughter Sarah Jane born about
1873.
JM9. Isaac Kiger, born about
1841, and who is listed in his father's will as "disabled" and the
1880 census shows him living with his brother Ben in Whiteley
Township.
JM10.
Jeremiah Kiger, born about 1844.
C3. Nicholas Kiger,
born about 1800, married Barbara Hochstetler/Hostutler about 1829, and had the
following 9 children numbered N1-N9:
N1. Armstrong Kiger, born
15 May 1830, and died 10 January 1916, married Hannah Martha Latimore/Lattimore
about 1854, with whom he is buried at Claughton Chapel Cemetery (old section),
and had the following 9 children numbered A1-A7: A1. Nicholas Kiger, born 12
March 1855, who married Mary Jane Franks about 1881; A2. William Kiger, born
November 1857, who married Jemimah (Joanna) Kuhn about 1878; A3. Adaline Kiger,
born 10 March 1859 and died 28 October 1876; A4. (George) Jarrett Kiger born 11
March 1862, and died 30 March 1912, and married Amanda Arabell Shultz on 6
October 1887; A5. David Kiger born 6 November 1864, and died 11 April 1946, who
married Melissa A. Kuhn on 28 February 1887; A6. Rose Ann Kiger born 1 March
1867 and died 16 March 1871; A7. Alfred Kiger born 6 October 1870, and died 7
October 1894; A8. Sadie B. Kiger born about 1873; and A9. John L. Kiger born
March 1875 who married Lucinda Lapping about 1892.
N2. Joseph Gibson Kiger,
born about 1833 who is the Joseph G. Kigar listed on the 1880 census living in
Wayne Township, Greene County, with no wife in the household but children James
W. Kiger born about 1861, who married Flora Bell Marshall on 19 June 1891,
George Grant Kiger born January 1862 , and died 1915, and married Lucy A.
(maiden name unknown), Margaret M. Kiger born about 1867. There are two
additional children of Joseph G. Kiger who were no longer living at home when
the census was taken in 1880: John W. Kiger, born 14 October 1857,
and died 25 August 1940, who married first Martha Huffman about 1880, and second
Elizabeth (maiden name unknown) about 1910; and Hannah Martha Kiger, born about
1859, died 20 September 1898, who married Leroy Newell about
1875.
N3. Rhoda Kiger, born
about 1834 whose married name was Coals;
N4. Charles Kiger, born
about 1838, who married Mary Ellen Lockart about 1863, and had the following
children living with the family in 1880 in Perry Township: Susanna Kiger,
born 31 July 1864, and died 20 January 1950, and who married James Lindsey
Kerns; Jeremiah Kiger, 29 March 1868 and died 29 July 1942, who married Flora
Belle Dulaney about 1894. William T. Kiger born about 1873, who married
Sarah Elizabeth Lehew about 1896; Abrilah Kiger, born about 1876; and Mariah
Kiger born July 1879, and died 17 January 1948, and who married first a Mr.
Lahew about 1905, and second Homer Hardesty about 1880. The oldest child
of Charles and Mary Ellen Kiger was no longer living at home by the 1880
census. She is Cassa E. Kiger born April
1861.
N5. Susanna Kiger,
born about 1841 whose married name was VanDruff;
N6. William Kiger, born
about 1843:
N7. Mary Jane
Kiger, born 30 May 1845 who married Samuel Main/Maine;
N8. Peter Kiger, born about
1847;
N9. Nickolas
Kiger, Jr., born about 1849.
I have listed
Nicholas Kiger, Sr. as a probable child of Charles and Susanna in view of the
fact that he is geographically located near this family and he had children
named Charles and Susanna most likely named for Nicholas' parents.
Nicholas and Barbara Kiger and their children were
living in Perry Township in 1850. At a later date this family moved to
Wetzel County, West Virginia.
C4. Isaac Kiger,
born 1800-1810, presumed son of Charles Kiger, appears on the 1830 census in
Greene County, but disappears on the 1840 and later census records. We
know from the 1830 listing that he had one son born between 1825-1830, and one
daughter born between 1815-1820. It is safe to assume that Isaac either
moved away from this area between 1830 and 1840 or died during this
time.
C5. Benjamin Kiger,
born 19 January 1804 (or 1807 as previously noted in this article), and died 21
April 1877, who married Margaret Owens, daughter of Thomas Owens and and
Elizabeth Keener (from the book The TenMile Country and its Pioneer Families by
Howard L. Leckey), and had the following children numbered BN1-BN9:
BN1. Elizabeth Kiger. born
10 November 1832, who married Eli Rose, Sr.;
BN2. Susannah Kiger, born
10 October 1834, who married Jesse Yeager;
BN3. David Kiger, born
April 1837, and died 1838;
BN4. Benjamin F. Kiger
(called "Red Ben" to distinguish him from his cousin called
"Black Ben,"), born 6 November 1838 and died 8 March 1906, who appears
on the 1880 census in Springhill Township with wife Casandra A. Thomas and
children Margaret Ellen Kiger, born 17 April 1862, who married William Church;
Elisabeth Z. Kiger, born 16 January 1864 and died 6 May 1877; Jane O. Kiger,
born about 1865; Rebecca S. Kiger born about 1867; Melissa Kiger born 14
December 1869, married Joab B. Main in 1891 and died 31 May 1941; Franklin Kiger
born 1871, and died 6 August 1930, and married Bertha Stockdale; Benjamin
Ellsworth Kiger born 30 November 1873, and died 1942, and married Marinda
Dell Wildman; Sarah Leota Kiger born 21 March 1875, who married James L.
Kennedy; and Elias Kiger born April 1877. From other sources I have
learned that there were additional children of this couple as follows:
Lida M. Kiger, born 18 April 1877, and died 31 October 1908; Alice B. Kiger,
born about 1879, and died 1945, who married John J. Rice; John H. Kiger, born 26
June 1881, and died 24 October 1898; Oscar R. Kiger, born August 1883, and
married Etta H. (maiden name unknown); and Cassa E. Kiger, born October
1888. Benjamin Kiger's obituary also names daughters Estella Kiger and
Olive Kiger who married Morris L. Pethel. It should also be noted that
although Lida M. and Alice B. were born prior to the 1880 census they do not
appear with this family on the
entry.
BN5. Hudson Kiger,
born 28 December 1840, and died 4 October 1899, who appeared on the 1880
Whiteley Township census with his wife Eliza (Zimmerman) and children Margaret
Z. Kiger, born 10 May 1868, who married David L. Headlee; Benjamin C. Kiger born
July 1871; Dorcas Lenora Kiger born about 1872, married John Franklin Blaker;
Robert F. Kiger born February 1875 and died 1933; Ida E. Kiger born about 1878,
who married Kelsey Connor; Lonnie (Alonzo) R. Kiger, born December 1879 and died
in 1957 who married Hettie Ann. In addition to the above there were the
following children born after the 1880 census: Louie E. Kiger born 17
January 1882, and died 10 June 1955, who married Francis Fox. Sr., Clemma A.
Kiger born September 1884, wo married Elza Wilbur Mapel; Clara E. Kiger born
April 1887 and died 1947 who married William Arthur Hoy; an infant who was born
and died in 1890; and Ina Pearl Kiger born December 1891;
BN6. Margaret Kiger born
1844, who married a Stephens born about 1844;
BN7. Jane Kiger, born 28
February 1846;
BN8. Perry
Kiger, born 1847 and died 11 April 1848;
BN9. Eleanor Kiger, born 21
June 1849, and died 26 November 1886.
On the
1850 census Benjamin's mother Susannah Kiger is living with them and the age
listed for her in this record would indicate that she was born about 1773.
This would prove to my satisfaction that Susannah was Benjamin's mother,
therefore, proving that he is a son of Charles Kiger. Benjamin wrote his
will 11 November 1872 and died on 21 April 1877 at age 73 years 3 months and 2
days of age, making his birthdate 19 January 1804.
It should be noted
that the cemeteries referred to in ths article as Claughton Chapel Cemetery are
actually three cemeteries surrounding Claughton Chapel. By far most of the
Kigers are buried in the old cemetery to the right of the chapel which is known
as Fairview-Kiger Cemetery. The property was originally Kiger property set
aside as a family burial ground.
The research and
efforts of many people went into Part 1 of the Greene County Kiger story, most
notably that of Claire Giler and Leona Prutzman. I would like to thank all
who shared their information and family photos with me and helped to make this
article possible.
Input is invited from anyone who
would like to share ideas and theories as to the ancestry of Charles Kiger which
will be discussed in the Part II of the Greene County Kiger story in our next
issue.
Copyright© 1998 by Joan M Young