Elisha B. Wiggins

William + Susan Irene Ridings. Susan was born on 5 Jan 1828 in Humphreys, Tennessee; died on 15 Feb 1908 in Henry, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Reuben married Ruth Belew about 1812 in North Carolina. Ruth was born about 1805 in Union, South Carolina; died in Oct 1880 in Humphreys, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: Between 1775 and 1783, North Carolina

Notes:

North Carolina Militia, Revoluntionary War.
Temporary metalmarker placed by Hunt's Spring Chapter DAR - Revoluntionary Soldier 1755-1819.

Lacking just six years of being 200, the surname, "Wiggins", has been one of the most prevalent and respected family names in the history of Monroe County. In the local telephone book today, 76 families bearing the Wiggins surname are listed. Of course, the beat goes on through countless marriages of the original Wiggins lineage under a multitude of other names.

It all started in the fall of 1817 when William Wiggins, his wife who was the former Elizabeth Cooper, and his four oldest sons and their families, joined with their extended families and neighbors in a wagon train that was formed in Fayetteville, N.C. Slowly they made their way through South Carolina, garnered passport through the Indian country of Georgia, until they connected with the Old Federal Road that brought them into Southwest Alabama.

For the record, it should be noted that among this same pioneer group were included other prominent Monroe County families such as Thompson, Thames, Locke, Bayles, Henderson, Beard, Longmire, Northcutt, Lyons, Dubose, Newbury, Kinnard, Sheffield and Ranaldson.

One of the four sons (Elisha) left the convoy at Greenville and settled in Butler County. Another son, (Elihu), departed when the group reached Burnt Corn and settled in Sparta in Conecuh County. The other two sons, (Stephen and Elijah) and their father (William) moved on and settled in the Mexia area. Later, Elijah moved his family to the Red Hills area in northern Monroe County, where he resided until his death.

The two orders of business for the newly arrived Wiggins families was to apply for a land grant, clear the land for crops and to found a church.

Thereby, on Nov. 28, 1817, William Wiggins and his sons joined in founding the Old Salem Baptist Church and served among its first deacons. This is believed to have been the first Baptist Church established in all of Monroe County, which in 1817 was still a part of the Alabama Territory (Alabama did not become a state until 1819) and included all of the former land area claimed by the Creek Indian Nation. Many have forgotten that, at that time, Monroe County encompassed half of the land area of our present state. Of note, is the historical fact that the First Baptist Church of Monroeville has its first roots in this over 193 church.

Sadly, William Wiggins died on June 6, 1819 and thus was able to enjoy his frontier home less than two years. Since there was no established cemetery in the area at the time of his death, he was buried in an obscure plot of his land.

Six years later, William Wiggins' wife, the former Elizabeth Cooper who was a member of the prestigious Cooper family that had royal lines in England and a relative of the author, James Fennimore Cooper, died and was buried next to her husband.

Much of the history of the Wiggins family was compiled by Lucy Wiggins Colson, a native of Skinnerton and now a resident of Huntsville, gleaned from her extensive travels in North Carolina and England. She was assisted in locating the graves of William Wiggins and his wife by the extensive genealogy research by the late Oscar Wiggins.

Throughout the following years, other family members were buried nearby on the same plot. Today, there are 68 marked graves and 44 unknown graves that are marked with large rocks.
As a result of their efforts, on May 5, 1984, the graves of William and Elizabeth Wiggins were marked with memorial plaques in a special ceremony by the Hunt's Spring Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter of Huntsville, with the support of the Lt. Joseph M Wilcox Chapter in Camden and the Old Federal Road Chapter of NSDAR of Monroeville. An impressive double tombstone (photo hereon) was erected in their memory by the trustees in 2007.

William Williams earned this honor as a Revolutionary soldier while serving from 1781-82 in the North Carolina 10th Regt. of Foot and the Wilkerson's Company in the District of Wilmington. Such recognition is of the highest honor, for the purpose of the DAR is "to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved America's independence".

The next and latest high honor for this historic cemetery came as recent as this past July 12 when Wiggins Cemetery became only the fourth cemetery in Monroe County to become listed on the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register. Major credit for this recognition is due Susan Thompson Loftin, a direct descendant of Stephen Wiggins. Susan can be credited with the research and completion of the necessary papers and photos required by the Alabama Historical Commission.

To all cemeteries that have achieved this honor, the Commission offers for sale a historical marker. However, they are costly and, at this time, the cemetery fund is not adequate to purchase one. Perhaps, other descendants of this distinguished historic Monroe County family will become aware and desire to contribute towards this worthy goal.

In time, Delia Hendrix Thompson, a direct descendant of Stephen Wiggins (son of William Wiggins) inherited the property. In 1925, she and her husband, C.S. Thompson, deeded the one and a half acres, which encompass all of the graves, for usage as a permanent cemetery. In the transaction, Samuel Thompson and Lorenzo Wiggins became the first Trustees of the Wiggins Cemetery. This cozy, woodland cemetery, located at 430 Thompson Drive in Mexia, has been managed by Wiggins descendants since that date.

Presently, the cemetery is managed by Susan Thompson Loftin. Other Wiggins descendants who help maintain the grounds are trustees, Deloris Thompson Fleming, Linda Thompson Ward, Freddie Biggs, John Coleman Moore, Susan Wiggins Thomas and Johnnie Smith, and members of the Simpson family.

William Wiggins, Sr. and Family
1755 to 1818 , North Carolina

William Wiggins, Sr. was born about 1755 in Halifax Co., or Johnson Co., N.C. to George W. Wiggins and FNU (Wilson) Wiggins. He served in the military between 17 Oct 1780 and 17 Oct 1781 Revolutionary War, Coleman's Co., N. C. 10th Regiment, and also in the military between 17 Oct 1781 and 19 Apr 1782 Revolutionary War, Lt. Wilkerson's Co., N. C. 10th Regiment (Reference Number: 17672). William married Elizabeth Cooper about 1775 in Sampson County, N. C. Elizabeth was born about 1759 in Duplin Co., N. C. to Fleet Cooper, Sr. and Margaret (Coor) Cooper. William and Elizabeth lived in Sampson Co., N. C. after the war where they raised a family of eight sons and one daughter. In 1818, William and Elizabeth came by wagon train to Monroe Co., AL., which was then known as the Alabama Territory. Four of their older son's and their families came with them to AL.

They were Elijah Daniel, Stephen, and twins Elihu and Elisha. The Wiggins families attended Old Salem Baptist Church which is near Mexia, AL. They lived in what is known as Red Hills Area. They were farmers. Recently, William Wiggins, Sr.'s Family Bible was located. At the time it is in the possession of Mrs. Virginia Whitaker of Monroe, Louisiana. She acquired the Bible from an Uncle in California and has had it rebound. William Wiggins, Sr.'s children were all listed in the Bible, along with his parents as follows:

Father: George W. Wiggins b: Abt. 1725 in N.C. Mother: FNU Wilson b: Abt. 1720

Married: 1775 in Sampson Co., NC to Elizabeth Cooper b: 1759 in Duplin County, North Carolina

Children:

(1). Elihu Wiggins b: 16 Dec 1776 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(2). Elisha Wiggins b: 16 Dec 1776 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(3). Stephen Wiggins b: 10 Feb 1778 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(4). Willis Wiggins b: 16 May 1781 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(5). Elijah Daniel Wiggins b: 15 Jan 1784 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(6). Lewis Wiggins b: 1786 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(7). Reuben Wiggins b: 1788 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(8). William Wiggins, Jr. b: 7 Jun 1791 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.
(9). Elizabeth Wiggins b: 20 Nov 1796 in Sampson Co., North Carolina.

William married Elizabeth Cooper about 1775 in Duplin, North Carolina. Elizabeth (daughter of Fleet Cooper and Margaret Coore) was born in 1759 in Duplin, North Carolina; died on 13 Jul 1825 in Mexia, Monroe, Alabama; was buried in Jul 1825 in Mexia, Monroe, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Temporary marker placed by Hunt's Spring Chapter DAR - Wife of Revoluntionary Soldier 1759 1825.

William Wiggins' wife, the former Elizabeth Cooper who was a member of the prestigious Cooper family that had royal lines in England and a relative of the author, James Fennimore Cooper, died and was buried next to her husband.