Re: JOHN EDWIN RIGG born October 13, 1855 son of NEWTON RIGG
-
In reply to:
JOHN EDWIN RIGG born October 13, 1855 son of NEWTON RIGG
Cathy Farrell 4/28/14
INFORMATION FROM BOOK. I AM NO RELATION OR HAVE NO FURTHER INFO.
Biographical Review Volume XXIV
Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Pittsburgh and the Vicinity Pa
Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company 1897
Pg. 97
JOHN EDWIN RIGG, M.D., one of the foremost physicians of Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, was born October 13, 1855, in Washington County, Pa., son of NEWTON RIGG. He comes of English stock and a pioneer family of Washington County, where his grandfather, HIJAH RIGG, was a respected resident for many years. NEWTON RIGG worked at the carpenter's trade in his younger manhood in Pike Run Township, Washington County. He afterward bought a farm near Scenery Hill, in the same county, and was there engaged in agriculture until his death in 1879, at the age of 68 years. He married MARGARET, daughter of JONATHAN WINNETT, a well-known farmer and a prominent public man of that section of the State. His children were: ELLA; JOHN E.; LAURA; and MARK A., of Crafton, this county. Both parents were united with the Methodist Episcopal church many years ago. The mother now resides in Wilkinsburg.
JOHN EDWIN RIGG assisted on the home farm and attended the district school until he was about 14 years old. Then he began studying with a private tutor. Subsequently he took a college course in pharmacy with a preceptor, and at the age of 16 entered a drug store at Belle Vernon. He soon became a clerk in the prescription department of the store, and served in that capacity for two or three years. Then resigning that position, he next took a course at the Long Island Medical College of Brooklyn, N.Y., and in 1879 was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeon in Baltimore. He took a partial course in the Johns Hopkins University, and in the winter of 1885 and 1886 he took a full course in polyclinics at Philadelphia. Previous to this time, however, DR. RIGG had established himself as a practitioner at Stonersville, Pa., where he located seven years. In 1886 he came to Wilkinsburg, where he has since devoted himself to his profession. While caring (pg. 98) for a general practice, he gives a certain part of his time to the treatment of the eye, ear, nose, and throat. He occupies a commodious and attractive residence, which he built in 1888 at 816 Wood Street. He is an honored member of the Wilkinson Club, the Allegheny County Society, and the American Association. He is also a Scottish Rite Mason, having membership in Orient Lodge, F. & A. M., and in the Valley of Pittsburgh Consistory. The Doctor is likewise a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs and of the Royal Arcanum. In politics he is a Republican, and takes an active interest in public improvements of all kinds. He was one of the organizers of the Wilkinsburg Electric Light Company, is president of the Board of Health, was School Director for two terms, and served as Township Auditor for three terms.
DR. RIGG was united in marriage January 18, 1878, with MISS IDA BELLE WEAVER, daughter of JOHN H. and ELIZA McDONALD WEAVER. Five children have been born to Dr. and Mrs. RIGG: LIDA, CARL H., LAURA BELLE, EDNA WINNETT, and MARGARET STELLA. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he represented in the last General Conference, held at Cleveland.
Annals of Old Wilkinsburg and Vicinity, The Village 1788-1888
Edited by Elizabeth M. Davison & Ellen B. McKee
Copyright 1940 By the Group for Historical Research, Wilkinsburg, Pa.
Printed by Davis & Warde, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pg. 358
In 1886 DR. JOHN EDWIN RIGG opened an office on Wood Street near the corner of Penn Avenue, on approximately the site of the Rowland Theater.
Born on a farm in Washington County, October 13, 1855, he was a descendant of English ancestors, his grandfather, ELIJAH RIGG, being the pioneer in Western Pennsylvania. DR. RIGG'S father was NEWTON RIGG, a carpenter and later a farmer residing near Scenery Hill. Until 14 years of age JOHN EDWIN helped on the farm, then studied pharmacy and clerked in a drug store. He next took up the study of medicine at the Long Island Medical College, Brooklyn, New York and at the College of Physicians and Surgeon in Baltimore, receiving his degree from the latter in 1879. Graduate study at Johns Hopkins and at the Philadelphia Polyclinic followed. DR. RIGG commenced practicing his profession in Stonerville, Pa. In 1879 and moved to Wilkinsburg in 1886.
DR. RIGG married MISS IDA BELLE WEAVER, daughter of JOHN H. and ELIZA WEAVER. Five children were born: LIDA, (wife of DR. J. VAN BALLANTYNE); LAURA BELLE, (MRS. JOSEPH WALTER LEWIS); EDNA WINRETT, (MRS. A. TODD BROWN); CARL HAZLETT, and MARGARET STELLA.
He at once became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was for some years president of the board of trustees. He served two terms as school director; was one of the organizers of the Wilkinsburg Electric Light Company, now incorporated in the Duquesne Light Company; was a director of the First National Bank and of the Wilkinsburg Real Estate and Trust Company.
Professionally, he was a member of the American Medical (pg. 359) Association, the Allegheny County Medical Society, was president for some years of the Wilkinsburg Board of Health, lectured for a time in the Medical Department of Pitt University, and served several years as chief of staff at Columbia Hospital.
Toward the close of his life DR. RIGG became afflicted with Bright's disease, which terminated in his death on October 2, 1917.
He is also mentioned in this work. No more details of his life were added that were not already mentioned above.
A Century and a Half of Pittsburg and Her People, Vol. 4
Under the editorial supervision by John W. Jordan, LL.D. Of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
New York: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1908
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3342609&id=I678734887http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3342609&id=I678734887
•Name: John Edwin RIGG
•Given Name: John Edwin
•Surname: RIGG
•Sex: M
•Birth: 13 Oct 1855 1
•Death: 3 Oct 1917 in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Cty, PA 1
•Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Cty, PA 1
•Note:
Name Suffix: M.D.
Mrs. Brown said about her father, "He first studied medicine with a Preceptor, and an older doctor, and then attended Long Island Medical College, Brooklyn, NY, and after graduating from there, went to the Graduate College of Physicians & Surgeons, Baltimore, MD, where he received his MD degree. He took special studies at Johns Hopkins University and at the Philadelphia Polyclinic. He qualified as an Oculist, but his responsibilities were such that he never left the general practice of medicine.
He started his practice in Stonerville (now Alverton), Westmoreland County, PA in 1879, in Wilkinsburg in 1886, where, besides his practice, he served 2 terms as School Director, President of the Board of Health for several years, was one of the organizers of the Wilkinsburg Electric Light Co, now part of Duquesne Light Co, Director of the First National Bank (now the Pittsburgh National Bank, Wilkinsburg Branch), Director of Wilkinsburg Real Estate & Trust Co. and on the original staff when Columbia Hospital was built. He was a member of the South Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for many years, one of the organizers of the Layman's Association of the Pittsburgh Conference, life member of the Pittsburgh church Union, trustee of Allegheny College, past President and life member of the Allegheny County Medical Society, member of the American Medical Association. A letter was sent to him from the University of Pittsburgh stating that he was the outstanding Obstetrical doctor in Pittsburgh and inviting him to teach that subject at the University.
One of the family jokes was about a small farm he owned on the edge of Wilkinsburg. My youngest sister was not doing well so one day Father came home leading a cow. Mother said "Good Heavens, Ed, we can't keep a cow in town." so he bought this small farm. We went to it in April and came home in October. We came to school with him in the morning & stayed with Grandma until he was ready to go up on the hill. Later, he rented the farm to a dairyman. At that time a typhoid epidemic broke out & he, as President of the Board of Health, visited all the dairies nearby. The dirtiest dairy was found to be the Rigg farm! However, due to the speed of straining & cooling the milk, the milk itself was the purest in the area. The farmer was given strict orders to clean up, but Father never lived that down."