James Rigsby Genealogy
Record modified: 2022-12-02
Born: 1793-02-15 Wake Co, North Carolina USA
Died: 1867-10-28 Taylor Co, Iowa USA
Marriages:
1. 1817-10-27 Sarah A Thompson
Children of James Rigsby and Sarah Thompson:
Notes:
[R05.5]
Many trees have this James as a son of George Rigsby + Hannah Buchanan of Wake Co NC, but
I am convinced he belongs with my James + Susannah instead.
I have found no record of a George Rigsby in Wake Co in the 1790s. The first George I know of in Wake
Co is one who is 45 in 1870. (And that is a black family. The earliest white George in Wake Co was 7
on the 1870 census. The earliest white George in the area is one born about 1812 in Chatham Co.) If
there was a George in Wake Co when this James was born, he left absolutely no trace.
According to the census records, my James + Susannah had 8 children: 3 sons and a daughter before
1790, and 3 daughters and a son between 1790 and 1800. James died before 1800.
Susannah and family moved to Pendleton Dist SC before 1810, when she and the 3 older sons appear
on the census there. The 4 youngest children are living with Susannah. The son is 10 to 16 years old.
In 1808 Susannah, John, Wright, Daniel, and Jeremiah Smith (apparently husband of the oldest daughter)
of SC sold land in Wake Co to John Rigsby (probably James' brother).
About 1812 they moved away from SC. On the 1820 census, Daniel and Wright are in Smith Co TN, and
John is in Allen Co KY. [Allen Co is on the state line, and at the time Smith Co was on the other side.] I
have not found Susannah on the 1820 census, but in 1830 she is also in Allen Co KY. This James also
shows up in Allen Co KY on the 1820 census, two pages away from John. There are no other Rigsbys
there.
Between 1812 and 1820 4 Rigsbys are married in Allen Co: Dicy, Elizabeth, Susannah, and this James.
About 1823 this James moves to Randolph Co MO. Dicy Rigsby also moves to Randolph about the same
time with her husband Hardy Sears. James and Hardy are three pages apart on the 1830 census.
Since there were no other Rigsbys in the area, and this James matches James + Susannah's youngest
son, who is otherwise not accounted for, it seems to me most likely that this James is part of my Rigsby
family.
[See my notes for James Sr, Susannah, and John for further details.]
--
If you are descended from this James, and are a male with the Rigsby surname, we need you for the
Rigsby DNA project. This will determine for certain whether this James is from my James.
Please email me at the link below for more information.
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Some descendants of this James have family stories that his mother Hannah Buchanan was a niece
of President James Buchanan. Unfortunately, that can't be correct. President Buchanan was born in
1791, so could not have had a niece who had a son in 1793. In addition, according to the genealogy
sites I've been able to find, only one of President Buchanan's brothers had children, and that brother
did not have a daughter Hannah. [The brother was younger than the President.]
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married in Allen Co KY
He and Sarah are buried in Bedford cemetery, Taylor Co IA.
He was a farmer.
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He served in the War of 1812, as a Private in the 14th Regiment (Mitchisson's) of the KY militia.
[My ancestor John Rigsby was in the same regiment, another sign that James was from my branch.]
"Gilbert's Historic Sketches", in a sketch about his sons James and Walter, states that this James
fought under Jackson at the battle of New Orleans.
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Allen Co Deed Book B [1815 - 1819]
1816-12-14
I James Rigsby of Allen County Kentucky ...appoint Anak DAWSON of the County and
State aforesaid my true and lawful attorney... receipt from the paymaster...of the 14th Regiment under the
command of Maj'r Gen'l John THOMAS in a detachment of Kentucky Militia in the service of the United
Stated detached in the year 1814.....my pay as a private in Cap't Thomas GRIFFINs company....Signed:
James Rigsby (mark) pg 93
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from this page:
MACON COUNTY, MISSOURI: INDIRECT INDEX OF DEEDS - BOOKS A/B
p20, 1837-07-19
Grantor: Rigsby, James
Grantee: Garth & Giddings for James C Cochran, Trustee
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1860 census Taylor Co IA p8
James Rigsby 67 NC
Sarah 63 KY
Thomas 25 MO
[son Thomas should have a daughter Mahala age 5]
1852 state census Davis Co IA
James Rigsby 2 M, 2 F
1850 census Davis Co IA p307a
James Rigsby 56 NC
Sarah 50 KY
Walter 18 MO
Thomas 16 MO?
Tolbert 15 MO?
Sarah J 12 MO
Nancy 9 IA
[Sons James and John are in Lee Co. They are supposed to have gone west in 1852. James is in
Canada in 1860.]
1847 state census Davis Co IA
James Riggsby [8 in household]
1840 census Macon Co MO p34
James Riggsby 2 M 5-10, 1 M 10-15, 1 M 40-50, 1 F <5, 1 F 10-15, 1 F 15-20, 1 F 40-50
[Talbert 4?, David 6, Walter 8, James 10, Festus 16?, John 19, James 47, Sarah 2, Martha 12, Louisa 14, Sarah 43]
1830 census Randolph Co MO p333
James Rigsby 1 M <5, 2 M 5-10, 1 M 30-40, 2 F <5, 2 F 10-15, 1 F 20-30
[James <1, Festus 6, John 8, James 37, Martha 2, Louisa 4, Mary 10, Susannah 12, Sarah 33]
1820 census Allen Co KY p 126
James Rigsby 1 M 16-25, 1 F <10, 1 F 16-25
[James 27?, Susannah 2, Sarah 23]
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 31533
I strive for accuracy, but I cannot guarantee this information
is correct or complete. Hard references are given where I have them,
but otherwise you should verify this information.
Please email me if you have any corrections, comments, or questions.
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