The information relating to Thomas and his children was obtained initially from the Appendix to the Genealogy of The Riggs Family written by Wallace [S3] some 100 years ago. The other main source for their information is Savage's Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England [S5], an earlier work compiled in 1860 which Wallace refers to and appears to have used fairly extensively. If no source is indicated, it should be assumed the information appears in both works - Savage quotes the full dates where known, whilst Wallace tends to quote only the year. If information appears only in one of these two sources, or if the details differ, then the appropriate source number is quoted.

Supplementary information has subsequently been supplied from more modern works by local historians and genealogists, and by recent researchers.

Where these sources differ, bear in mind Wallace was an amateur researcher descended from Edward Riggs of Roxbury. Hence such incorrect statements as Edward being born "probably in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire, for it is understood the name is still to be found in that region" and "In England the name (Riggs) is I believe extinct". Whilst not so numerous now as in the States, there were over 1,000 Riggs enumerated in the 1881 census of Great Britain.

Savage, on the other hand, was a former President of the Massachusetts Historical Society who had personally researched original documents, though some of his statements can be questioned with the benefit of hindsight. But of course Vital Records (though their details have been transcribed) are amongst the most reliable resources.

The more modern local historians and genealogists now have easier access to reference documents. However, if the source for the details stated by recent researchers has not been quoted, then technically those details should be treated as 'hearsay' until they can be corroborated.

The following information has been kindly supplied by Barbara Lambert, the present occupant of the Thomas Riggs House at Cape Ann.[S35]

The house that Thomas moved into in 1661 is the oldest house in Cape Ann. It had been built by the previous owners in the 1640's or early 1650's, and is still standing, at 27 Vine St. Gloucester, Ma. 01930. As it now offers bed and breakfast accommodation, current descendants of Thomas's have the opportunity to stay in the house in which he lived.[S34]

Thomas Riggs purchased the squared-log house (one of only three surviving in Massachusetts) for his bride Mary Millett in 1661. Three adventurers, the Wakley brothers and Mathew Coe, built it sometime during the 1640s or early 1650s. On the southern peninsula of Annisquam Harbor, the house looks across to Gloucester's earliest successful settlement. It was an ideal site for ship chandlery (repairing and provisioning vessels) in the protected harbor and for farming. Amazingly, the pasture between Thomas Sr.'s house and that of his son Thomas Jr. (1690) survives to this day.

When Thomas Sr.'s youngest son Andrew married Mary Richardson in 1704, a single-storey cape was added to the log house. In 1753 Andrew's youngest son George built the gambrel roof, accommodating three upstairs bedchambers. The house remained in the Riggs family nearly untouched until the current owner designed a timber-frame wing of 18th-c. handhewn beams that provides a great room and loft as well as the house's first permanent electricity, running water, and heat (save for the six working fireplaces).

George died intestate in 1798, so his household inventory was taken by the usual three assessors. He had 7 children, 3 sons who had their own properties, and 4 daughters who did not. His daughters inherited the house:

What is so exciting in this house is not only its originality, but that about half the furnishings are Riggs Family, dating from the 17th century through the mid-nineteenth century. The house remained in the Riggs family nearly untouched until recently, when the current owner erected a timber-frame wing of 18th-century handhewn beams and added in 1998 its first electricity, running water, and heat ever (save for the 6 working fireplaces).

The house is actually in Riverdale, a Gloucester hamlet and a large parcel of Riggs land survives. The pasture consists of 7 acres immediately behind the house stretching to Washington Street, which is the main road (Route 127) that rings the island. Across Washington Street is the other 3/4ths of the pasture, preserved as the Goose Cove Reservation. At the end of this is Thomas RIGGS Junior's house, circa 1690, and plank framed. So the whole pasture is framed by these two 17th century (or "1st period") houses! Furthermore, these two houses exhibit all three types of 17th-century building techniques: log, plank, and post-and-beam. Unfortunately, the 7 acre parcel immediately behind the house is currently under threat of development by the separate owner of that land.

For photographs of the interior of the rooms, including the working kitchen, please visit the "Accommodations" page on The Thomas Riggs House Bed and Breakfast web-site and also the Bed and Breakfast at the Thomas Riggs House web pages.

Entries in Savage refer to Benjamin Haskell, or Hascall, of Gloucester, son of Capt.William Haskell whose "Descendants are more numerous than of any other early settler of Gloucester".[S5]

Benjamin married at Gloucester [S15] 21NOV1677 MARY RIGGS [S5][S15], daughter of Thomas Riggs.[S5] and the records show they had 8 children.

Savage, who only lists 6 of their children, states that Benjamin was deacon, selectman, representative 1706 and 1707, and died 1741 aged 92. Mary died 29JAN1698N in her 39th year.[S15] Torrey [S6] states that Mary was Benjamin's first wife and the marriage of Benjamin Haskell and Emma Bond of Beverly, MA at Beverly 10JNE1698 is recorded at Gloucester, MA [S15] and at Beverly.[S16]

Savage [S5] states that on 3JLY1667 Benjamin's brother William Haskell (born 26AUG1644) married Mary, daughter of William Brown, and one of their sons was Joseph Haskell (born 21APR1673). A recent researcher states that Joseph married Rachel (Woodward) Elwell at Gloucester on 19MCH1696 and that they were the parents of RACHELL HASKELL, who married JEREMIAH RIGGS, grandson of Thomas Riggs. [S13]

According to the Gloucester Vital Records [S9], THOMAS (son of Thomas of Gloucester) and Ann only had 6 daughters (and 4 sons). However, Wallace [S3] and Savage [S5] both report that Thomas and Ann had 7 daughters (and 4 sons).

The 'missing' daughter was probably the ANN who married Joseph Richardson Junior at Gloucester 24FEB1712N [S9], and who was referred to by Thomas (son of Thomas of Gloucester) in his Will (amongst his other married daughters) as Ann Richardson [S8].

MARY was born 25SEP1688, 10 months after Thomas and Ann married, and therefore was the eldest daughter. ABIGAIL was born 26FEB1691N or 26FEB1692N and HANNAH was born 7JAN1696N, and I believe ANN may well have been born between these two as the third eldest daughter. Mary was probably named after her father's mother and Abigail after her mother's mother, and Ann could then have been named after her own mother.

Although Thomas and Ann named a subsequent daughter ANNA, as distinct from ANN, the same apparently occurred in Thomas's brother's family. The Gloucester Vital Records [S9] show that ANDREW and Mary named a daughter ANNE (born 10JAN1711N) and then named a subsequent daughter ANNA (born 13JLY1724), even though ANNE apparently did not die before ANNA was born.

It is possible that the entry for ANN's birth was omitted in error during a transcription of the original records.

After reasoning this argument, a recent researcher strengthens it by stating that Ann was born 30DEC1693 in Gloucester [S13].

Entry in Vinson [S4]:-

Daniel Richardson, third son of Joseph and Margaret (Godfrey) Richardson, of Newbury, Essex Co, MA; born there, April 4, 1692; married Sarah Pottle on 5FEB1723 (see below). He lived in Methuen, Essex Co, MA.

According to a record maintained by the Reverend Theophilus Cotton of Hampton Falls, NH. Daniel Richardson married on 5FEB1723 Sarah Pottle, the daughter of Christopher Pottle, a tanner, and Hannah (Graves) Pottle. This record is reproduced in History of Hampton Falls, NH, 1640-1900, by Warren Brown, Manchester NH, John B. Clark Co. 1900. Vinton stated that Daniel married a Lydia (surname unknown) but it was Daniel's nephew, Daniel son of Joseph (Junior), who apparently married Lydia Davis.

Daniel's will is dated May 5, 1768. It was lodged in the probate office Nov. 17, 1774, from which it appears that he died in that year; proved 1774, (Middlesex probate office, box 358).

Entry in Vinson [S4] states that Joseph Richardson, son of William and Elizabeth (Wiseman) Richardson, of West Newbury, Essex Co, MA, was born there 18MAY1655. He married on 12JLY1681 Margaret Godfrey, who was born 9OCT1663, the daughter of Peter and Mary (Browne) Godfrey, of Newbury, Essex Co, MA.

He took the oath of allegiance to the colony in 1678, aged 23. He was a cordwainer, and lived in West Newbury, Essex Co, MA, Essex Co, MA. His will is dated 7APR1724 and was proved 1JNE1724 (Essex Probate Records xv. 51). His son William was his executor.

Children:

Entry in Vinson [S4]:-

Joseph Richardson, son of Joseph and Margaret (Godfrey) Richardson; born in Newbury, Essex Co, MA, 31DEC1686; married ANN RIGGS, of and at Gloucester, 24FEB1712.

Joseph Richardson bought a 100 acre lot and an 80 acre lot in Chester, NH as early as 1725, but it does not appear that he ever lived in Chester. He bought the lots for his sons, four of whom afterwards resided in that town. Joseph Richardson lived in what is now West Newbury, Essex Co, MA, Essex Co, MA, on the road from Newburyport to Bradford, about a quarter of a mile from Brown's Springs.

Joseph Richardson, of Newbury, Essex Co, MA, made his will 24APR1764; proved 1APR1767 (Essex Probate Records, xliii. 228). No wife is mentioned.

His children were:

A recent researcher [S13] states that MARY RIGGS married after 5OCT1751 to JOHN WALKER (born 1OCT1728 at Kittery, York Co, ME). Amongst their 11 children born between 1752 and 1776 was SARAH WALKER, born 3MAY1765, who married a BARNABAS WHITNEY (another was a Rachel Riggs Walker). He states that John and Mary later died at Gouldsboro, Hancock Co, ME.

"A Genealogical History of Freeman" [S12] contains the following entry:

"BARNABAS WHITNEY-5, b. Aug. 18, 1766 in Gorham, son of Isaac & Hannah (Lombard) Whitney. He md., Jan. 1, 1789 in Buxton, Sarah R., dau. of John & Mary (Riggs) Walker of Gouldsboro, Me. She was b. May 3, 1765. They came to Freeman in the early 1800's."

Thus two completely different sources corroborate each other, making it much more probable that MARY married JOHN WALKER, and not WILLIAM HARPER as stated by Willis. [S11]

The same researcher [S13] states that John and Mary's son JOSIAH WALKER, born 3JLY1756 at P(e)arsontown, York Co, ME, married as his first wife ANN(A) FICKETT on 1MCH1783 at Westbrook, Cumberland Co. Anna(a), born about 1765 at Falmouth, was the daughter of NATHANIEL FICKETT and MARY nee PENNELL who married on 25JNE1765 at Falmouth, and Mary (born about 1745 in Falmouth) was the daughter of THOMAS PENNELL and RACHEL nee RIGGS, the sister of MARY WALKER nee RIGGS. So JOSIAH WALKER and ANN(A) FICKETT were first cousins, once removed.

Entry in Savage [S5] refers to "William Wentworth of Dover:

"Ruling Elder, had first been at Exeter, 1639, in the original combination with thirty-four others, and it may be that he had accompanied his father John, a Wheelwright, across the ocean in 1636. He had followed him from Exeter to Wells, where he was made constable 1648, but in 1650 seems to have fixed his residence at Dover where he was selectman 1665 ... preacher in 1666, had wife Elizabeth and children

Entry in Savage [S5] refers to "Henry Wheeler of Salisbury:

By wife Abigail had

"The History of Portland, from 1632 to 1864 ..." was written by William Willis and first published in 1831 and 1833. Details of the revised and enlarged second edition and its facsimile, from which the following extracts were first taken, are included in the Sources [S11]. The words in brackets are to clarify these extracts and were added by the researcher who originally provided the information to me. I subsequently discovered it is viewable online.

page 189 (Chapter 6 "Massachusetts rule restored"):

a large tract "at Capisic, bounded at the bounds of Thomas Cloice at the east, being on the gully running down on the back side of said Cloice's house, on the south by the gully as it turns, and on the west by the old path running near Capisic falls that went down to the Back Cove." Part of this latter tract descended by mesne conveyances to Rev. Thomas Smith, by whom it was sold to Jeremiah Riggs in 1735, who occupied it till his death. (Source The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, not yet verified)

In the autumn of 1735, Jeremiah Riggs and John Sawyer came here from Cape Ann" (the island on which Gloucester is situated) "with their families: they became useful inhabitants, and are the ancestors of a numerous race, who continue to reside among us (2). ... Riggs lived first upon the Neck," (Falmouth Neck was an early name for Portland) "but in about 1735, he moved to Capisic" (later known as Stroudwater, Cumberland Co), "on the old John Ingersoll farm, where he pursued his trade, which was that of a tanner. He was great-grandson of Thomas Riggs, an inhabitant of Gloucester from 1658 to his death, and son of John Riggs and Ruth Wheeler, who had eleven children (4)."
Footnotes:
(2) Mr. Smith" [a Portland minister whose diary Willis edited] "says of them 'they were both good sort of men, errors excepted'.
(4) He left four sons, Wheeler, Jeremiah, Joseph, and Stephen. John Jones, Esq. of Westbrook, married one of his granddaughters, and lives upon the same farm.

BAGADUCE EXPEDITION
In the midst of this summer (1770), the arrival of an English fleet in Penobscot bay, and the capture of Bagaduce Point, upon which Castine is situated, in June, produced a strong sensation throughout the States. The united feeling of government and people was to drive the enemy from the soil and preserve the integrity of our territory. The government immediately organized a force to consist of fifteen hundred men, wholly from Massachusetts ; and a fleet consisting of nineteen armed vessels, and twenty-four transports, was put in requisition for the occasion. ... One regiment ... was raised in this neighborhood, to which Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth contributed two companies ... Our soldiers sailed on the 18th of July in a transport sloop from this town ... for Townsend, now Boothbay, the place of rendezvous, where they remained a few days for the other forces. But notwithstanding the spirit with which the people engaged in this enterprise, and the ardent hopes entertained of its success, the result was very disastrous. The expedition was hastily got up and measures were concerted without sufficient prudence and caution. To increase the difficulties, on the arrival of the forces in the Penobscot, the commanders of the fleet and army disagreed in their plan of attack. It was, however, determined to make an assault upon the garrison and take it if possible by storm; for this purpose the troops were landed on the north side of the promontory at sunrise, where they climbed a precipitous bluff amidst a heavy fire from the enemy's battery on the hight. Capt. Warren's company from this town was the first that ascended the cliff and formed, when the enemy fled to their entrenchments.(1)
Footnote (p535):
(1) Further particulars of this expedition may be found in Williamson's History of Maine, vol. ii. p. 468. Wheeler Riggs, a carpenter, was the only person from this town who was killed; a ball from the enemy's battery struck a tree, and glancing, fell on his back; he was engaged in building a battery. He was son of Jeremiah Riggs, was married to Mary Cobb in 1742, and lived in Plum street ; his children were Josiah, Joseph, Daniel, Mary, Wheeler, and Abigail.

Riggs, Jeremiah, was the first of the name who came here, and is the ancestor of all who now reside in this vicinity; he emigrated from Cape Ann in 1725. His children were Wheeler, Jeremiah, Joseph, Abigail, Hannah, Mary and Stephen. He was a tanner, and after living a few years on the Neck [an early name for Portland, Maine, was Falmouth Neck] he moves to Capisic [later known as Stroudwater] where he carried on his trade and where he died. The estate many years remained in his family and was occupied by John Jones, who married his granddaughter. His daughter Abigail was the first of his children born in this town, which was in 1726; Stephen the last in 1735. Wheeler married Mary Cobb in 1742; Jeremiah, Nancy Barber, 1752; Stephen, Margaret Barber, 1759. Joseph was married in 1747. Wheeler was killed in the attack on Castine, 1779. Mary married William Harper.