2. 

EDWARD RIGGS [EDWARD#2]
MAJOR EDWARD RIGGS, M.P., OF RIGGSDALE, Deputy Governor of co.Cork[S7]
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.

PROPERTIES

Johnston-Liik states that "Major Riggs 'settled at Rigsdale about the year 1651'", but the previous reference to Thomas Delaune (placed in a priory by his parents' landlord named RIGGS about 1642) establishes there was a RIGGS owning land near Riggsdale about 1642.

In 1680, a SAMUEL RIGGS was admitted to the Middle Temple, described as "son and heir of Edward Riggs of Finchey Island, Co.Cork, Ireland, Esq" [S49]. As yet, I've been unable to identify Finchey Island from any map or gazetteer.

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]
Note that James II was the previous Catholic king, 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.

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]

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).

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." She also quotes 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.".

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).[S7]
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.[S7]

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 implies he died before August 1699.

"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

Edward apparently had the following sons either by his first wife or by his second wife:

Edward had the following sons by his third wife, Anne: [S1][S3][S4]

THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  MAJOR  EDWARD  RIGGS

Edward also allegedly had up to six daughters by his third wife Anne, some of whom were probably born between the births of the above sons. However, they are shown here separately because the various sources differ as to the order in which they were born and the details of their husbands. Only Judith and Ruth were named by all four sources, Frances (mistakenly) by three, Elizabeth by two, Julia by only one source and Mary (mistakenly) by another.

My reconstruction of this part of the family group is therefore based on a possible composite of the differing sources:

ORDER	ffOLLIOTT [S1]	LOW [S3]	HOLWORTHY [S4]	JOHNSTON-LIIK [S7]	COMPOSITE
1		----	----	----	----
		m. Timothy EDGE		m. Timothy EDGE	m. Timothy EDGE
2 m. 1707	Ruth	----	Mary (see below)	Ruth	Ruth
	m. Caleb FALKINER		m. Caleb FALKINER	m. Caleb FALKINER	m. Caleb FALKINER
3 m. 1723	Judith	Judith	Judith	Elizabeth	Judith
	m. John DOUSE	m. ---- FALKNER		m. John NEVILL	m. John DOUSE
4	Julia	Ruth	Ruth (see below)	Judith	Julia
	m. Benjamin WHITE				m. Benjamin WHITE
5 m.before1657		Frances	Frances	Frances	(by previous wife - see above)
6 m. 1700	Elizabeth	----	----		Elizabeth
	m. John NEVILL	m. ---- NEVILLE			m. John NEVILL