2. 

EDWARD RIGGS [EDWARD#2]
MAJOR EDWARD RIGGS, M.P., OF RIGGSDALE, Deputy Governor of co.Cork[S2]
THE SECOND EDWARD RIGGS OF RIGGSDALE[S1]

BIRTH

Johnston-Liik states that EDWARD#2 was born "c.1620" However, she also quotes "The Major died about ninety years old" and, presumably relying on the Falkiner Genealogical Notes [S88], that he died in 1706. ffolliott on the other hand states that he died in 1700, and this is consistent with Low who states that his Will was dated 18FEB1700 and was proved 6NOV1702. Therefore he could have been born as early as 1610.

He is referred to by ffolliott as the second Edward Riggs of Riggsdale, county Cork, which implies there was a first Edward Riggs, who may have been his father.
Johnston-Liik suggests that EDWARD#2 may have been the son of a THOMAS RIGGS of Wiltshire (but she prefixes this reference with a question mark).

MARRIAGE

EDWARD#2 married three times but his first wife is not named by Johnston-Liik or ffolliott.

ffolliott doesn't name his second wife either, but Johnston-Liik lists his second wife as SUSANNA (surname not known). EDWARD#2 married her before 1658 because the records of Holy Trinity parish in Cork show that "Caleb, the sone of Edward Riggs and of Susana his wife, was borne the 3 of July 1658".[S27]

In 1677, Edward took as his third wife [S1] ANNE ALLEN, daughter of STEPHEN ALLEN, [S1][S3][S4] of Killoning, co.Tipperary and ELIZABETH RICHMOND [S1][S3]. Anne had been born in 1651 [S1]. Holworthy describes Stephen Allen as a Captain. ffolliott describes Elizabeth as ELIZABETH WEBB alias RICHMOND, whilst Low states she was the "brother" of JAMES WEBB of Newcastle, co.Dublin.

RELIGION

The Riggs were Baptists (as were the Allens) and Edward founded the Baptist Church in Cork (which is the oldest Baptist church in Ireland).[S1] Johnston-Liik describes him as follows:

'This gentleman appears to have been a person of great piety and considerable genius and as there was no settled baptist minister in this part of the country, it was his custom to collect his Protestant neighbours and preach to them in his own house on the Lord's day and from the accounts we have, he was well attended. Major Riggs distinguished himself on many occasions for ... zeal to the Protestant interest. His house was on assistance to any that were distressed in the troublesome times and he did not fail to encourage proselytes or such who being under conviction [of the] abominations of Popery were discouraged by the threats of their relations or friends from coming over to the Protestant religion.'

An ardent Protestant, he was hostile to Lord Chancellor Porter, whom some MPs accused of favouring Roman Catholics. He signed the Association for the protection of William III in the country.

Note that King William III was William of Orange, the Protestant king who invaded England in November 1688, forcing the Catholic James II to flee to France.

The Records of the Baptists of Cork [S7] state:

"First inquiry, Who were the chief instruments in settling a Baptist Church in and about Cork? As far as appears, first person of eminence of this profession in Cork was Edward Riggs, Esq., of Rigsdale, for many years representative in Parliament for the borough of Bandon, and in the commission of the peace. He came from England with the commissioners for settling the forfeited estates, and settled at Rigsdale about 1651. After some time he was assisted by Mr. Woods, who instructed his children in classical learning."

"Amongst those he took under his protection was Mr.Thomas Delaune, a gentleman distinguished in the learned world by his writings and plea for the Non-conformists. His parents were Irish tenants to Major Riggs. Designed for a priest, he had the first rudiments of learning in the Friary at Kilcrea (sic), near the Ovens. The Major observing his fondness for learning, undertook the care of his education. He was baptized in one of the fishponds at Rigsdale. When he grew up Major Riggs sent him to the west of Ireland (sic), to be a clerk to a fishery, which he had in company with Mr. Barnfield (sic), where he remained some years. During the troubled times he went to England."[S7].

Thomas Delaune (?1635-1685)[S158] was born at Brinny (the next but one parish to the west of the northern half of Dunderrow parish, and only four miles or so from Riggsdale). He became a schoolmaster in London, married the daughter of a Baptist preacher and became a Protestant Dissenter. He wrote a number of works including in 1683 "A Plea for the Non-Conformist". This was in the reign of Charles II and he was immediately tried and found guilty of writing "seditious and dangerous matters against the Government". Unable to pay the fine levied, he was sent to Newgate Prison at the beginning of 1684 where his wife and children joined him. "His poverty was so great that his only means of sustenance was the chance gifts of visitors to the prison, but he is said to have exhibited great patience and fortitude until the death of his wife and two children from want of air and sufficient nourishment, when his health gave way, and he died after a few weeks' severe suffering, having been in Newgate about fifteen months".[S65] He was subsequently honoured as a Baptist Martyr.

However, there are two other accounts, differing in minor detail, of Thomas Delaune's early years in co.Cork, which suggest as earlier date for Major Riggs's involvment in Riggsdale:

"DELAUNE, THOMAS (d. 1685), non-conformist writer, was born at Brinny, near Cork. His parents were catholics and rented a farm under a landlord named Riggs, who, struck by the quickness and capacity of Delaun, placed him at a priory at Kilchiash(sic), about seven miles from Cork. There the lad received a good education and remained till upwards of sixteen, when he became clerk to the proprietor of a pilchard fishery near Kinsale (sic), named Bampsfield (sic). He remained there several years. His employer was a protestant and persuaded Delaune to renounce catholicism, which brought so much obloquy and persecution upon him that he gave up his situation and settled in England."[S65]

"Thomas Delaune was a native of Ireland. His parents were Roman Catholics. The gentleman on whose estate they lived noticing in young Delaune an aptness for study, sent him to a friary at Kilcrash(sic), about seven miles from Cork, for education. Having remained there nine years, he obtained a situation at Kingsale, as clerk to a Mr. Bampfield(sic), who was largely engaged in the pilchard fishery. Mr. Bampfield's efforts were blessed to his conversion from Popery and sin. After some years he found it necessary to leave Ireland, his religious zeal having excited persecution".[S66]

If 1635 was the year of Thomas's birth,[S158] if he remained at the Priory nine years,[S66] until after his sixteenth birthday,[S65], he would therefore have first gone there at the age of 7 (or 8) in about 1642 (or 1643). This indicates that Major Riggs owned land near Riggsdale about 1642.

PROPERTIES

Edward is included in the list of names of grantees in the "Commission of Grace, or Enrolments Under the 'Act of Grace' in Ireland".[S159]
The original Commission of Grace was enacted under Charles I in 1634, empowering Commissioners to grant new tenures of land to patentees or other owners or proprietors of land in order to confirm their proof of title. The ongoing task of the Commissioners was extended to enable grants made as Enrolments Under the Act of Grace to continue until the late 1680s.

In 1684, EDWARD#2 was indicted of High Treason by a Major Lawless for "saying that he, Edward Riggs, had a good estate in England and that if he could not live quietly in Ireland he would go tither"(sic). The charge was eventually dropped, but in 1689 EDWARD#2, his wife and their children did flee to England when James II landed at Kinsale. His income was then estimated at £800 a year, plus £120 out of offices.[S1]
James II had been the Catholic king from 1665-1668, who attempted to regain his throne from the Protestant William of Orange by taking a French army to Ireland, but failed following his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

In 1698, an EDWARD RIGGS was admitted to the Middle Temple, described as "second son of Edward Riggs of Sudbury (sic), Gloucestershire, Esq" [S49] Sudbury was an alternative spelling for Sedbury, which is in the parish of Tidenham on the north bank of the River Severn next to the border with Monmouthshire).

EDWARD#2 subsequently returned to Rigsdale, Co.Cork, because he was described as "Edward Riggs of Rigsdale, esquire" when he served on the jury at an Inquisition in Cork in 1694.[S53]

Johnston-Liik states that EDWARD#2 died leaving his widow Anne "'possessed of a good part of his Irish estates which might amount to twelve hundred pounds probably per annum.' The English estate was worth £120 p.a.". The Irish estates would have included the following townlands:

Johnston-Liik notes that "Lands in the barony of Kinalea were sold to Edward Riggs of Rigsdale by Benjamin Hodder of Cork in 1699. Riggs gave leases for life for Dunkerreen to William Phipps in 1698 and of Killaminoge in the barony of Kinalea to Thomas Barter in 1697." As can be seen from the map on the right, these townlands are in the adjacent parishes to Dunderrow.

There is a reference in the will of an Andrew Drinan in 1802 to "lands of Coolsekin (sic), Tureen (sic), Armagh beg (sic) and Riggsdale",[S42] and the first three townlands are all in Dunderrow parish adjacent to Riggsdale. The reference states they were "held under Sir John Riggs, Bt", whereas they would probably at that time have been held under SIR JOHN RIGGS MILLER, who had married ANNA RIGGS the daughter of EDWARD#4 and the sole heiress of MAJOR EDWARD RIGGS's son, EDWARD#3.

COAT OF ARMS

When RICHMOND RIGGS was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1725, his father THOMAS RIGGS was described as an "armiger", i.e. a 'person entitled to heraldic arms'. Similarly, when EDWARD#3's son EDWARD#4 matriculated from Oxford, he was described as "Edward, son of Edward of Binfield, Berks, armiger".[S118] Thomas and EDWARD#3 were the sons of EDWARD#2 (Major Edward Riggs), from whom they would have inherited the right to his heraldic arms. EDWARD#2 might have been granted them initially, or he may have inherited them in turn from EDWARD#1.

It was thought initially that, from the timescale for the birth of EDWARD#2 (between 1610 and 1620), the Lord Steward with the Funeral Entry of a Grant of Arms in 1600 may have been EDWARD#1's father. That was based on the rarity of the surname, especially in Ireland, and the above facts about Riggsdale and the Battle of Kinsale.

However, when EDWARD#2's great-granddaughter Anna RIGGS married Captain John MILLER in 1765, she was described an heiress of EDWARD#3, i.e. a heraldic heiress who had inherited the right to bear his Arms. These are said to be depicted as an escutcheon of pretence on her husband's shield carved on her monument in Bath Abbey and are described as "a fesse ermine between three water spaniels argent", as illustrated by the image on the left. The Harleian Society Volumes[S103] identify a shield with similarities as being associated with RIGGS of FULBECK and STRAGGLETHORPE. The image on the right illustrates that the water spaniels on that shield carry a gold birdbolt in their mouths, and it has a talbot as a crest The pedigree given is that of THOMAS RIGGS of LINCOLNSHIRE, the father of William RIGGS, Auditor of the Exchequer under Edward VI in 1549 (and styled "the King's Auditor").

That implies that Anna's great grandfather, Major Edward RIGGS of Rigsdale may have been related to the RIGGS family of Lincolnshire, but that has not yet been established. It is not unknown for the Herald's Visitations to have allocated similar arms with slight variations to families with the same surname even though they may not have been related.

PROFESSION & PUBLIC LIFE

EDWARD#2 received the Freedom of Cork in 1691 and the same year he was appointed a Trustee for the disbursement of the fund levied for the relief of the inhabitants of Bandon-Bridge in 1691.

In 1691, he and a Mr George Rogers presented (in London) a Report to the House of Commons "Committee Appointed to Receive Proposals for Raising Monies Upon the Forfeited Estates in Ireland, and to Inquire into the Disposal of Forfeited Estates There". This Report gave evidence "as to the signing of the agreement to take the matter of the forfeiture of estates in Ireland out of the direct control of the Exchequer and into the hands of the Commissioners of the Revenue; the Commissioner's practice of letting forfeited estates to themselves at an undervalue; and the Commissioners practice of wrongly seizing and retaining goods, and disposing of them for their own uses."[S24]

Major Riggs was a Member of the Irish Parliament for Bandon-bridge, later known as Bandon, from 1692-93 (serving on 3 Parliamentary Committees) and again from 1695-99 (serving on 7 Parliamentary Committees).[S2]
The Kingdom of Ireland had its own Parliament (with two chambers, the Lords and Commons, as in Great Britain) until the Act of Union in 1800 when Ireland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

He was appointed Deputy Governor of co.Cork in 1699.[S2]

DEATH

ffolliott states that Major Edward Riggs died in 1700, and Low states that his Will was proved 6NOV1702 and that it was dated 18FEB1700 (though it is not clear whether this means 18FEB1700N or 18FEB1701N - see the explanation on Methods of Recording Dates/Years). On the other hand, Johnston-Liik quotes that "'The Major died about ninety years old'" and states that he died in 1706, presumably because the Falkiner Genealogical Notes [S88] state that his Will was proved 6NOV1706.

However, an account by the curate of the area, Alexander Ogilby, dated 15AUG1699 referred to "Major Rigg's (sic) monument" in Ballinebury church.[S91] Normally such a reference wouldn't mean a monument erected by Major Riggs or in his honour (i.e. during his lifetime), but one in memory of him (i.e. erected after his death). That would mean EDWARD#2 died before 18AUG1699.

"Anne Riggs Widow and Executrix of Edward Riggs Esquire, deceased" and "Allan Riggs Son and Heir of the said Edward Riggs" successfully defended an Appeal in the House of Lords on 23JNE1714 with others against "Two several Orders or Decrees made in the Court of Chancery, in the said Kingdom" (of Ireland) 7DEC1702 and 27NOV1707.[S70] This confirms the Will was proved on the earlier date of 06NOV1702, because this must have preceded the first Order or Decree made on 7DEC1702.

WIDOW

Johnston-Liik states that Anne "was 'possessed of a good part of his [her husband's] Irish estates which might amount to twelve hundred pounds probably per annum ... When her eldest son, Edward, came to proper years and had a family, she generously gave up at least a third of the Irish estate to him'."
Note that, as will be seen later, ALLEN RIGGS, EDWARD#3's elder brother, died before 3APR1716 when his Will was admitted to Probate, Edward married at the end of 1715, and therefore later at the time Edward 'had a family' he would have been the eldest surviving son.

Anne died in 1740 [S1] and the Will of Ann Riggs of Rigsdale was probated in 1741 [S60].
Johnston-Liik states that "In 1744, Anne Riggs was granted fairs at Drumdear" but this must refer to the widow of EDWARD#3. EDWARD#3's widow was also named Anne, she was still alive on 1FEB1742N when EDWARD#3's Will was proved in England,[S9] and her own Will was not proved until 1769.[S41]

THE  SONS  OF  MAJOR  EDWARD  RIGGS

THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  MAJOR  EDWARD  RIGGS

THE  LANDS  OF  MAJOR  EDWARD  RIGGS

The above map shows Townlands in which land is recorded as being owned in the middle of the nineteenth century by:

- JOHN HEWITT WHEATLEY, probably the son, rather than the husband of the same name, of JANE ELIZABETH WHEATLEY nee MILLER;
- SIR RIGGS FALKINER (the third Baronet), whose great-grandmother RUTH FALKINER nee RIGGS was the daughter of EDWARD#2.

Townlands shaded in pink are those in which land is recorded as being owned by EDWARD#3 RIGGS at the beginning of the C18th, who would have inherited it following his father EDWARD#2's death about 1702.