Kansas Quiggs
Mary Ann Shirley born 1 Nov 1855 Agahdowey Parish, Derry Ireland
Mary Ann Shirley was born 1 Nov 1855 in Aghadowey Parish, the tenth child and youngest child of Valentine Shirley and Ann Orr. Mary Ann traveled to the U.S. with her mother in the early 1870s, arriving presumably in Philadelphia. She married John S. Quigg, who was also born in Ireland. First they lived in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, and then Indiana.
On 3 July 1881, the Quigg family and four of their children began a trip by covered wagon, intending to go from IN to Mount Vernon, MO. (Where three of her grandmother's siblings settled.) However, en route they met a family traveling to Kansas and were persuaded to go to that state where they took up government land west of Duquoin, Harper County. They raised wheat and met with many hardships. In 1884 there was an Indian scare. Since the Quiggs did not have any guns, they went to Harper, Kansas, 10 miles away and stayed until the scare was over. It proved to have been a rumor started by cattle men who hoped to scare the farmers away so that they could get the farms for grazing cattle.
The Quiggs held onto their land and had five more children. The nine total were: John Orr Quigg, Anna Quigg, Margaret Quigg, Mary Ann Quigg, Samuel Quigg, Alexander Quigg, Jennie Quigg, Elizabeth Quigg, and George V. Quigg. (Presume George Valentine Quigg.) John S. Quigg died 3 April 1935, and Mary Ann Shirley Quigg was still living on the family farm near Harper as of June 1940. Three of her nine children had died by then, and her children and grandchildren had scattered, some living in Kansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Canada.[from the Shirley Association web site]
John Orr Quigg married Stella Elberta Coleman in Harper Co. Ks.They are both buried in the Duquioin Cemetery, Harper Co. Ks. near the family farm. Their son Lester John Quigg married Margery Irene Knepper Quigg and their son John Ashton Quigg is my spouse. More to follow on their generation.