RIGGS WHITCOMB
| Riggs Whitcomb, eldest son of Alden and Susan (Guest) Whitcomb, was born in Frankfort, Herkimer County, New York, 22 Oct 1821, of English ancestry. In August, 1842, he married Elizabeth Stevenson, daughter of Hiram and Mary (boyles) Stevenson and born 12 Sep 1822 at Worcester, Otsego County, New York. They had four children, one born in New York and three in Byron township; Byron, Sarah, George and Alden. In November, 1850, Mr. Whitcomb went to Ohio, and two years later bought 40 acres of land on section 28 this township, where he resided one year, and than purchased 40 acres on section 29. In 1857, he made another purchase of 40 acres on section 33, and took possession of it in 1858. At the time of his purchase his land was covered with timber, and it cost from $1.25 to $17.00 per acre. When he fixed his residence here, his sole effects were a small load of furniture and three or four dollars in money. He then cleared a fair proportion of his estate and has been very successful in his business ventures. His grandfather was a "Green Mountain boy", enlisting as a private at 18 years of age and serving through the entire period of the Revolution. Mr. W. enlisted at Grand Rapids, 5 Jan 1864 in Co. f, 14th MI Infantry, under Captain Nicholson, served until the close of the war, actively engaging in a number of battles. At Bentonville, he was wounded in the right arm and the right side almost simultaneously, and was sent to the hospital at David’s Island, New York, then transferred to Harper’s Hospital at Detroit. His son, Orrin, enlisted at Grand Rapids in the same regiment when 16 years old, and died at Franklin, Tennessee of consumption. Mr. and Mrs. Whitcomb have lost nine children named as follows: Byron, who died in New York; Sarah Ann, who was burned to death in Ohio, at four years of age; Charles A., who died, age on year; Orrin, who died while serving in the war of the Rebellion, in Tennessee; Orrin II, died while an infant; Amos, died at the age of nine years; Elton, who was accidentally killed by a circular saw at the age of 21; Annette, age 21 years, and Alice, age 14 years. Through all these trials they were faithful members of the Methodist Church in Byron Center. |
Transcriber: ES
Created: 7 April 2014