Atlas Rigsbee Genealogy
Record modified: 2024-12-10
Born: 1841-06-27 Orange Co, North Carolina USA
Died: 1903-11-29 Durham Co, North Carolina USA
Marriages:
1. 1865-11-08 Rowena Margaret Brassfield
Children of Atlas Rigsbee and Rowena Brassfield:
Notes:
[R20.1.4.5]
married in Wake Co NC
both buried in Maplewood cemetery, Durham Co NC
They also had a daughter Virginia M 1874-10-22 d 1876-11-26.
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He was a store owner and owned a large amount of property.
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He may have served in the Civil War (Confederate), 6th NC infantry, Co C.
His brother Henry was in that Company, along with an A S Rigsby.
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US IRS Tax Assessment Lists 1862 - 1918
NC, District 4 (Durham), 1866
A M Riggsbee, Liquor Dealer; tax $25.80
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Wake Co NC Deeds 1869-1870
p363
1869-10-27 Hawkins Bledsoe & wife to A M Riggsbee; share in land belonging to estate of Albert Brassfield; $150
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Wake Co NC Deeds 1876
p315-316
1876-05-13 Thomas Riggsbee to A M Riggsbee; 150 acres where I now live; $1
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Branson's North Carolina business directory : containing facts, figures,
names and locations, revised and corrected annually
1877/1878 Durham, Orange Co merchants
Rigsbee & Watts, Dry Goods and Grocery
A M Rigsbee, Dry Goods
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Durham Co NC Deeds 1885-1886
p579
1877-08-02 A M Rigsbee and wife Roena to John V Rigsbee; 1/4 acre in Durham town; $50
p280-281
1878-07-04 Mayor of Town of Durham to A M Riggsbee; sections 61, 65, 69, 63, 67, & 71 of Durham Co; $70.08
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Durham Co NC Deeds 1881-1884
p105-106
1881-12-14 Atlas M Rigsbee and wife Rowena to Mary E Sears; lot in Durham town; $500
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Durham Co NC deed book 4 p45
1882-12-07
T J Rigsbee and wife Artelia Rigsbee... to A M Rigsbee...
for $450... tract of land... upon the waters of Third Fork...
containing 50 acres more or less...
[T J is his brother Thomas.]
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Durham Co NC Deeds 1885-1886
p188-189
1885-03-04 A M RIgsbee and wife Roena to A B Turner; 54/100 acre in Durham Co; $600
p238-239
1886-03-26 A M Rigsbee and wife Roena to Mary E Sears; 66/100 acre in Durham Co; $450
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Durham Co NC Deeds 1886-1888
p292-293
1887-02-28 A M Rigsbee and Rowena to Albert Kramer; strip of land in Durham town; $1
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Directory of the Business and Citizens of Durham city 1887
p108
A M Rigsbee, gen mer, Mangum St, resides Corporation St
R M Rigsbee (wife of A M), resides Corporation St and Rigsbee Ave
R H Rigsbee (son of A M), bookkeeper for A M, resides with father
Miss Mary Rigsbee (dau of A M), student, resides with father
Miss Zoa L Rigsbee (dau of A M), student, resides with father
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Wake Co NC Deeds 1888-1889
p479-481
1888-12-20 L O Lougee & wife to A M Rigsbee; 1/2 acre in Raleigh and a farm on Smithfield Rd; $10
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"North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970"
Durham Co Wills, 1902-1907, Vol. B p35
[The bottom of these pages is very dark and hard to read.]
I, Atlas M Rigsbee, of the Town of Durham and County of
Durham in the State of North Carolina; Being sound both in
body and mind, but being also mindful of the uncertainty of life,
and desireing to direct the disposition of my estate, do make, de-
clare and publish this my last Will and Testament, hereby annul-
ling and revoking all former wills by me made, that is to say:
I desire and direct that my body be decently buried in my
section of the Cemetery of the Town of Durham, and that the stone
or monument that shall mark my grave be selected by my
wife and paid for by my Executors.
Item First: I give, devise, and bequeath unto my wife
Roena M Rigsbee, my old home house on the corner of Green
St and Rigsbee Avenue, adjoining the lands of William Mangum,
and one-half of the land from Green St down Rigsbee Ave-
nue to Watkins St, that is to say from Green St down to half-
way between said St and Watkins St and so through the
Lot from Mangum's line to Rigsbee Avenue, and the dwelling house
where I now live, on the North side of Corporation Street, and with
said house, all the land together with all houses, fixtures, and
improvements thereon, which I now own or may own at the
time of my death West of the line to be established as follows:
Commencing at a point on the North side of Corporation Street or
near the bottom east of my garden, running North so as to strike
the South-west corner of a lot known at the Hunt Brick Yard lot
on the Northern boundary of my land. All the above property
in this item is to be held and owned by my wife Roena M
Rigsbee during her natural life, and at her death, I give and
devise all of it in fee to my son William T Rigsbee and his
heirs & I devise and bequeath in fee to my wife Roena M
Rigsbee and her heirs all my plantations on the North
Carolina Railroad near the Cotton Factory, and known as
the Winnie or Albert Brassfield place. I also likewise ___
and bequeath to her absolutely, all my house-hold _____
kitchen furniture my bay [?] horse Bob [?], and my C____
[next two lines completely illegible]
Tyson and Jones buggy. I also give and bequeath to her abso-
lutely Ten Thousand Dollars in money, unless she realize some-
thing from a policy of accident insurance which is by its terms
payable to her, in event of which such realization and recovery she
is to have only so much of said Ten Thousand Dollars as, add-
ed to what she receives under said policy the full sum of Ten
Thousand Dollars, then this legacy is not to vest, but is to go
as hereinafter provided for. I also bequeath and confirm to
her such parts of two policies in the Brooklyn Life Insurance
Company made partly payable to her, as she may be entitled
to under the terms thereof.
Item Second: I give, devise and bequeath to my daughter
Cora F Markham her heirs in fee the house on the corner
of Rigsbee Avenue and Watkins St in Durham where she now
lives, and all the land between Watkins St and up Rigsbee
Avenue half way to Green St. where the line provided for in
the first item is to be established; and I give and devise to
said Cora F Markham and her heirs in fee my James Vick-
ers plantation, and I give and devise to my said daughter
Cora F Markham during her natural life, the house and lot on
the West side of Rigsbee Avenue, North of John W Carlton's where
she once lived, together with all my land in the rear and South
of John W Carlton's to Hunt St, and at her death I give, and
devise said last mentioned house and lands to her children if
any are living at her death.
Item Third: I give and devise to my son Robert H Rigs-
bee and his heirs in fee, all my land and house lying North
of Corporation Street and North of Garrards Ally, and also a
strip of land on the West side of North Ally North of Corporation
St from North Ally to a line to be established, commencing on
Corporation St East of my garden so as to strike the South
West Corner of the Hunt Brick Yard lot, North of my land, said
strip to run from Corporation Street to the Hunt Brick Yd lot.
I also give and devise to my son Robert H Rigsbee for and
during his natural life time, and at his death to his chil-
[next two or maybe three lines completely illegible]
on the North east corner of Main and Mangum St in
Durham, and the store houses and lots on the East side of
Mangum Street, South of the Parrish Building, also my storage
house and lot in the rear of my Mangum St stores, and half
of the vacant land between said storage house and my Parrish
stores, and the vacant land in rear of my Parrish [underlined] stores on Main
St, and half of the strip of vacant land owned by me and used
as a passway between my houses and the Parrish Building.
Item Fourth: I give, and bequeath unto my daughter Mary
E Middleton and her heirs in fee the house and lot on the corner
of Watkins St, where she now lives. I also give and devise to
my daughter Mary E Middleton for and during her natural
life, and at her death to her children then living all the
balance of my houses and lots on the West side of Rigsbee
Avenue, South of Hunt St on each side of the branch, and
on Seminary St West of Rigsbee Avenue.
Item Fifth: I give and devise unto my daughter Zoa
Rigsbee and her heirs in fee, all my houses and lots lying
East of Rigsbee Avenue and South of Seminary St, West of Mangum St, adjoining
the lands of Thomas J Rigsbee, and including the dwelling house
and Baptist Female School House. I also give, and devise
to my said daughter Zoa Rigsbee for and during her nat-
ural life and at her death to her children then living I
also give and devise all my houses and lots on the East side
of Mangum St and North of Green St adjoining the lands of
W H Holloway and the Misses Hutchins.
Item Sixth: I give and devise to my daughter Sallie
A Rigsbee and her heirs in fee all my land on the West side
of Rigsbee Avenue South of Corportation St including all the
tenant houses and lots on the East side of the branch, West
of Corbett St; and the corner lot on the Southwest corner of
Rigsbee Avenue and Corporation St back to a line as shown
in plat of said land and to the lot devised to Cora F ___
ham by this will. I also give and devise to my said ____
ter Sallie A Rigsbee for ____ during her natual _____
[next three or so lines completely illegible]
lots East of Rigsbee Avenue and South of Hunt St and North
of Seminary St on each side of the branch; and the store houses
and lots South of the First Baptist Church known as the Racket
corner, on the West side of Mangum St.
Item Seventh: I give and devise unto my son William T
Rigsbee and his heirs in fee, after the death of his mother, my
old house place, on the corner of Rigsbee and Green St, and the
lot laid off with it in the first item of this will where I
now live on the North side of Corporation St. I also give and
devise to my son William T Rigsbee for and during his natural
life, and at his death to his children then living the store houses
and lots on the West side of Mangum St running through from
Main to Parrish St known as the Angier lot.
Item Eighth: I give and devise to my daughter Mattie T
Rigsbee, and her heirs in fee, my houses and lots on Broadway
St commencing at L T Buckhanan's lot, and running thence
back the depth of Buckhanan's lot, including all the lots up to
North Ally on Broadway St. I also give and devise to my
daughter Mattie T Rigsbee for and during her natural life, and
at her death to her children then living the store houses and
lots on the corner of Main and Church St known as the
Redmon corner or Kernfiner Corner, and all my houses and
lots lying on the North side of Holloway St East of Mangum St
and South of Howerton & Bro Carriage shop.
Item Ninth: I give and devise to my daughter Rosa
Rigsbee and her heirs in fee, my houses and lots on the South
East corner of Rigsbee Avenue and Corporation St from the rear or
North Corner of L T Buckhanan's lot on Rigsbee Avenue East
with his line, and in that direction with line of lots devised
herein to Mattie T Rigsbee to North Ally. I also give and
devise to my said daughter Rosa Rigsbee, for and during
her natural life and at her death to her children then
living, my store houses and vacant land on the South side
of Parrish St and East of Parrish Building now ____
[next three or so lines completely illegible]
of the rear of T J Rigsbee store houses on Main St, and one half
interest in the passway between the Parrish Building and store
houses and storage house devised to Robt H Rigsbee hereinbefore
with the express direction and charge that, there must be kept
open a passway to Parrish St not less than ten feet in width,
and all my houses and lots lying between Mangum St and
Rigsbee Avenue, and South of Green St.
Item Tenth: I give and devise to my two neices Mary and
Martha Anderson, daughters of my sister Jane Anderson my entire
interest in and to the dower or old Homestead land of Jane
Anderson their mother, after the death of their mother to hold the
same to them and their heirs in fee.
Item Eleventh: I give and devise to my brother Thos
J Rigsbee and his heirs in fee a strip of land across and
in the rear of his stores on Main St twenty two ft (22) deep,
Commencing at the east end of my storage Room house in the
rear of the store houses on Mangum St, and running to the
rear end of the Glenn Store.
Item Twelfth: I direct and instruct my Executors, herein-
after named to sell public __ private on such terms as they
may think best and convey and to deliver to the purchaser,
all my mules, horses, horses, cattle, hogs, wagons, old Buggies,
Jerseys, farming tools and utensils, threshing machines, cotton
Gins, Presses, and all other personal and real estate property
not otherwise disposed of in this Will, and to collect all
policies of life insurance, notes, accounts, or other debts of
any kind owing me. I direct my Executors to pay all my
just debts, and if the amount received by them from the
Brooklyn Life Insurance Co that is made applicable on its
face to my debts is not sufficient for that purpose they shall [?]
then pay the balance out of collections, and other life pol-
icies.
Item Thirteenth: I empower, instruct, and direct [?] ___
Executors, after paying my debts and pecuniary ___ _____
deliver and pay to the Trustees, hereinafter named [?] __
[next three or so lines totally illegible]
moneys in their hands from any source which said bonds,
and moneys said Trustees shall take and hold as a trust fund
to be by them prudently kept invested in good and safe interest
bearing United States County, City or town bond or loaned out at
best rate of interest on notes secured by real estate, at the direction
of my said Trustees. Out of the income from such fund the
Trustees shall receive as full compensation for their own labor
and responsibility six per cent among or between them of the
said income collected by them, but they have power and authority
to employ such aid, help, counsel and assistance as they think
necessary to serve them in executing said trust, and to pay
for the same out of the income of said fund, and after pay-
ing such commission and expenses, and the taxes on the fund
and premium on life insurance of W A Jenkins and such
other policies of like kind as I may hold at my death, or
have an interest in, for I direct all such policies to be kept
in force during the life of the insured and all collections from
said policies to go into said trust fund, they shall pay such
income semi-annually on the first days of January and July
in each year in equal proportions to my wife and each of
my children, or if any child be dead leaving children alive, his
or her parents share shall be paid to him, her or them, but
when the issue of any dead child becomes extinct before the
final distribution of the trust, shuch share shall vest in and belong
equally to the surviving members of the class as herein orig-
inally provded, that is to my children or their children.
The said Trust is to continue and exist for thirty (30) years [last three words underlined]
from the time of my death and is then to be closed by an [last three words underlined]
equal distribution of the fund among my children and their issue [entire line underlined]
During the existence of said trust my Trustees must pay the
expenses while at school of any minor child including Board
Raiment, Tuition, Books and other necessary expenditures, and
charge all such expenses against the share of the income
belonging to such child. But in no case shall any of the
principal of said fund be used or diminished unless it
[next several lines completely illegible]
the life insurance policies before referred to in this item. In
case of the death, removal, resignation or disability of any Trustee,
his place shall be filled by the remaining Trustees. I also give
in charge and keeping to said Trustees all the property devised
in this Will to my minor children until such children shall have
respectively reached the age of twenty one years, whereupon such child
is to take charge of his or her own property. But until such delivery
of possession said Trustees shall keep in repair and insure the
property of each minor child; improve as they think prudent the
vacant property of each and collect rents of such as can be rented &
collected, and pay all taxes. These expenses, and repairs and im-
provements shall be paid out of each childs respective income or
rents; and in no case shall any real estate of any minor
be sold to meet such expenses, taxes or improvements or repairs.
All surplus of rents or income of any minor child property
shall be treated as his or her part of the income from the trust
fund, all of which said income shall be paid to and invested
by said Trustees as if they were duly appointed Guardians. As
compensateion for their services in connection with the manage-
ment and care of the property of said infants, said Trustees
shall jointly receive ten percent of the annual income from said
property. If any of my children shall die leaving no issue, at
their death then the property and estate of such child either in the
Trust fund or devised specifically to them for life, shall go into
the trust fund specifically or the proceeds thereof as my trustees
think wisest, and be treated, mananged, and finally divided as
if originally a part of the Trust fund.
Item Fourteenth: I nominate, constitute, and appoint my
brother Thos J Rigsbee, my son Robt H Rigsbee and my son in law
Hugh P Markham, as the Executors of this my last Will &
Testament; and I likewise nominate, constitute and appoint
said Thos J Rigsbee, Robt H Rigsbee, and Hugh P Mark-
ham Trustees to execute the power and perform the ___
imposed herein on the Trustees. I declare that I _______
children as all, not liable to any other for _________
treat them as equal in my estate ___________
[next several lines completely illegible]
this Will. I charge the Executors and Trustees with the duty of
construeing it as a whole.
In testimony whereof, and of all the foregoing I have
hereunto set my hand and seal this the 7th day of August 1893.
Witness:
S E Watts
F M Carlton
[proved 1903-12-07]
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1900 census Durham Co NC p112a
Atlas M Rigsbee 58 1841-06 NC/NC/NC
wife Roena 58 1842-02 11/7 NC/NC/NC
dau Sallie A 25 1874-07 NC
son William T 22 1877-07 NC
dau Martha J 21 1879-04 NC
dau Rosa L 18 1881-12 NC
1880 census Orange Co NC p125d
A M Riggsbee 39 NC/NC/NC
wife Rowena M 38 NC/NC/NC
dau Cora F 13 NC
son Robert H 11 NC
dau Mary 10 NC
dau Zoah 8 NC
dau Sallie 6 NC
son William Thomas 2 NC
dau Martha 1 NC
servant Thomas Hughes
1870 census Orange Co NC p191
Atlas M Rigsbee 29 NC
Roena 28 NC
Cora 3 NC
Robert H 1 NC
Mary 4/12 NC
Winnifred Brassfield 55 NC [Rowena's mother]
Nancy Brassfield 22
John Gibson? 22
Thomas Barbee 50
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 12689
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is correct or complete. Hard references are given where I have them,
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