Kiggins, Skiggins, of Washington Co. PA & Ohio
I have spent a lot of time working under the belief that Jonathan, Robert, James, and Thomas Kiggins of PA, OH, & TX were the sons of James and Sophia Kiggins of Philadelphia. All the information did not fit as it should, and progress was limited due to an overall lack of new information. In reviewing records in Ohio County, WV, and Washington Co. PA, I think I may have an interesting new possibility about our Kiggins ancestors. Brooke and Ohio County WV records and histories show that the surname John Kiggins branch was using evolved/was synonymous with Skiggins (& similar varients). The name Skiggins is nearly unheard of, but can be found in the adjoining Washington County, PA (where Jonathan was supposedly from). Interestingly enough, it can be connected to a Thomas and James. This James was about the same age as the James who went to Texas, and both married women by the name of Mary Wolf in PA around 1800. The Skiggins/Skiggans/Kiggins group in Washington Co. PA/Ohio Co. VA appear to be sons of a Fergus Skiggan (1800 census), who I believe is the Fergus Kagan from Ireland, who ran from the ship after arriving in Philadelphia in 1765. I would be interested in anyones thoughts or correspondance on these possibilities.
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Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
The records of Bedford County, Colerain Township, Pennsylvania offer more support that Fergus Kiggins was the ancestor of the Kiggins family of Washington Co. PA/Ohio Co. WV, Miami and Putnam Co. OH, and TX. Fergus was taxed in Bedford County, Colerain Township from 1784-1799, and spellings of his name are found as Kagan, Keggan, Kigin, Kigon, Schigens, Skegans, Skiggens, Skiggins, Skigens, Kiggans, Kigans, Scigon, and Kiggins. His son, John, was taxed in Colerain Township in 1791, 1792, 1793, 1797, 1798, and 1799. His son, Thomas, was taxed in Colerain Township as a single freeman in 1793, 1798, and 1799. They were land owners, and Bedford County records are likely to contain more information. in 1800, Fergus is found in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and Thomas is one of the older sons in his household. John and James are heads of their own household. John and Thomas are found in records of Ohio County WV (John died there, and Thomas moved back to PA, befor moving on to Putnam County, Ohio). James married Mary Wolf, and moved to Ohio, Missouri, and Texas. Fergus' two youngest sons Robert and Jonathan moved on to Miami, Shelby, and Mercer County, Ohio.
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
I have a photo album that belonged to J.T Kiggins of Putnam Ohio. It has photos dated from the mid 1800's One is of J.T Kiggins at age 19. The information on that photo says he was born January 4, 1847 in Putnam Ohio and died November 22, 1926 in Burlington Kansas. He married Alice Foster in 1868. The book is very old and is stamped inside as being from a drug store in Defiance, Ohio. There are about 40 photos in the book, including one of Abraham Lincoln. My father found the book in an old dresser that he had and we would like to get it to the Kiggins family. I found this website by doing a search on J.T. Kiggins and after reading some of the posts I believe that I have found the right family.
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Yes, you have found the right family! It is amazing what artifacts turn up over time.
Keith
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
I'm so glad to be able to get it back to your family. To who and where can I send it?
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Great! You should send it to Mary Joan Haller. She is a direct descendent of J.T. Kiggins. I told her about the album, and she is very excited. Her e-mail address is mjhaller00@hotmail.com. I sent you her snail mail address through the Ancestry system, because I didn't want to post it on the message board. Thank you again!! Keith
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Very good. I'll send it on to her. i'm glad we could get the book back where it belongs. Julie
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Any other named photographs of any Kiggins in the book?
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Thank you for these leads. My g-g-g-grandmother was Nancy Kiggans (or similar), born around 1808-1810, probably in Ohio Co., Virginia (now West Virginia). She married Isaac Burkham of Ohio Co. on 13 Sep 1829. The marriage took place in Washington Co., Pennsylvania, and was performed by Squire Isaac Mayes, Justice of the Peace. The marriage record transcription has her as "Nancy Skiggins" (but also Isaac as "Burkim"). The couple continued to live in Ohio Co. and had at least eight children, one of whom was my g-g-grandmother Malinda (later Winters).
Isaac Burkham died on 22 Feb 1868, but the death record doesn't indicate if he was married or widowed. Nancy was alive at the time of the 1860 census, but I haven't found anything for her after that, nor a death record. The children's death records indicate several variations of their mother's maiden name, i.e. Kichens, Kigans, Kigginis, but the only "Skiggins" version is in the transcribed marriage record.
I'll try to look into the Fergus Kegan connection, but if anyone else runs across any information about Nancy, I'd love to hear about it.
Kate
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Re: Kiggins of Washington Co. PA & Ohio Co. WV & Miami Co. OH
Nancy is probably descended from Fergus' son, John. He settled in Ohio County
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