William S. Riggs

William Sears Riggs, his personal and family background, and his involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

William S. Riggs

1830-1923

Biographical Sketch

William Sears Riggs was born in Putnam County in west-central Indiana. His parents were among its founders. (Putnam County was formed in 1822.) Evidently, his parents were in Kentucky before that. The 1880 census shows his father born in Kentucky and his mother in Pennsylvania. (Contra are genealogy records showing his father and mother from Connecticut.) One of his brothers was named Andrew Jackson Riggs who was the namesake of one of his sons.

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah contains this on William Sears Riggs: Sson of John Riggs and Mary Gillman of Indiana. Born March 19, 1830, in Putnam county, Ind. Came to Utah July, 1850. Married Sarah Reeves Feb. 7, 1855, at Cedar City, Utah (daughter of William Reeves and Frances Long of England). She was born Sept. 28, 1837. Their children: Sarah Frances, m. E. W. Littlefield; Mary Elizabeth, m. David C. Wixom; Malissa Ann, m. Joseph S. Ingram; Caroline Jane; Emma Lovina, m. Joseph E. Griffin; William Reeves b. May 22, 1865, m. Priscilla S. Barnhurst; Andrew Jackson, m. Christena Henrie; Amanda Ellen, m. Ernest A. Griffin; Malinda Isabelle, m. William H. Bryce; Roselia, m. Frank Ahlstrom.

Family resided Kanarra and Panguitch, Utah. High councilor of Panguitch stake 1879-91; bishop's counselor of Henrieville ward 1892. Carpenter. (Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, 1133.)

William S. Riggs' role in the massacre is not known with certainty. He was named in the 1859 federal arrest warrant issued by Judge John Cradlebaugh and was named as a participant in Stenhouse'sRocky Mountain Saints in 1873. However, he was not named by John D. Lee nor mentioned by other witnesses during the Lee trials of 1875-1876. He is not known to have made any statements about the massacre.

Additional Information: Records show that at the end of 1854 Riggs was paid for his services as a fiddler. In August 1857, he paid for lots in Cedar City. (Shirts, Trial Furnace, 356, 387-88.)

William Riggs was among the six families who moved down Ash Creek and founded Toquerville, 1858. The other family heads were Joshua T. Willis, John Willis, Samuel Pollock, Josiah Reeves and Willis Young. All were interested in raising cotton. (Woodbury, "A History of Southern Utah an its National Parks," Utah Historical Quarterly, 12/3-4 (Jul.-Oct. 1944), 147.) 

William S. Riggs was an original settler in Kanarra (later Kanarraville), c. 1862. The other heads of families were William R. Davis, Richard Palmer, Samuel Pollock, James Davis, Elisha H. Groves, John H. Willis, Sidney Littlefield, Edward Littlefield, Josiah Reeves, and Rufus Allen. (History of Iron County, 174.)

Riggs was a Private in the 3rd platoon, Volunteer Cavalry Co., 1st Brigade of the Iron Military District and was involved in military reconnaisance and operations during the Black Hawk War, 1866. Under the leadership of Captain James Andrus, Riggs rode in an expedition for Washington County to near the junction of the Grand and Green Rivers in eastern Utah during that war.

A William Sears Riggs and sons were cattle raisers in Henrieville, Garfield County, 1880s. His son, William R. Riggs, was postmaster in Hatchtown, Garfield County, c. 1890. (History of Garfield County, 153, 172.)

References: Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, 1133; Gottfredson, Indian Depredations in Utah," 225; Shirts and Shirts, A Trial Furnace, 356, 387-88; Woodbury, "A History of Southern Utah an its National Parks," Utah Historical Quarterly, 12/3-4 (Jul.-Oct. 1944), 147; Seegmiller, History of Iron County, 174; and History of Garfield County, 153, 172.

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