Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon."
Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a33.
 
JAMES W. and WALTER W. RIGSBY

     are residents of Garfield county, W. T. James Rigsby, their father, was
born in North Carolina about the year 1797. He was eighteen years of age when he
fought under Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. He soon after moved to
Kentucky and married Sarah Thompson, born in that State in 1801. They had a
family of thirteen˜Susan, Mary, John W., Festus W., Louise, Martha, James W.,
born February 4, 1831, Walter W., born July 31, 1832, David T., Talbert S.,
Sarah, Nancy, and Frances. Of these, five girls and three boys are still living.
The family moved to Missouri in 1822, James being born in Randolph county, and
Walter in Marion county, of that State. In 1839 the family went to Iowa, where
the boys grew to manhood. In 1852 James crossed the plains to California, and
the same year John and Walter went with another train to Oregon. James went into
the mines near Hangtown (Placerville), and afterwards journeyed to the mines in
the northern end of the State, reaching Yreka in the fall of 1854. In the spring
of 1856 he began merchandising with his brother Walter, on Beaver creek. Four
months later they went to Jackson county, Oregon, and mined and ranched for
several years. In 1858 James was carried away by the Frazer river excitement,
and went to the Carriboo mines, having a severe fight with the Okinagan Indians
on the road thither. He remained in British Columbia until the spring of 1864,
when he went to Idaho and spent the summer in the mines at Elk City.  After
wintering at Walla Walla, he went to the Blackfoot country with cattle in the
spring of 1865. In the fall of that year he came to Pataha creek and took up a
ranch just above the one then and still occupied by his brother Walter. Two
years later he sold this and took up another on Pataha flats, now occupied by
Robert Montgomery. In about two years he also sold that place and went to
Whitman county, where he settled on some land and lived there about five years.
He then sold that ranch and settled where he now lives, four miles from Pataha
City. He is dealing quite extensively in cattle and horses, and has 160 acres of
fine land, his place being illustrated in this volume. March 4, 1878, he married
Mrs. Nancy White (nee Crumpacker.) They have a son named James W.  Since his
birth they have suffered the loss of a little girl named Martha L.  Mrs. Rigsby
was the widow of Charles White, by whom she had four children, Lillie, Olive,
William and Casander. 
     When John and Walter came to Oregon in 1852 they stopped in Yamhill county.
The next June they went to Lane county, and in June, 1854, to Yreka, Cal., where
John died. Walter had a hay ranch there until the spring of 1856, when he began
merchandising on Beaver creek, with his brother James. They went to Jackson
county, Oregon, the same year, where Walter mined and ranched until 1862. In the
spring of that year he went to Florence, Idaho, and mined three summers. He then
made a trip to Oregon, and in the spring of 1865 purchased his present ranch on
the Pataha, just above Pataha City. The ranch was taken up by James Hathaway in
1861, and came into the possession of John Wilkins in 1863, who sold it to Mr.
Rigsby. This has been his home ever since. We give a view of it on another page.
He has 200 acres along the creek, some of it meadow, and is raising grain, hay
and stock. He also has 160 acres two miles north of Pataha City. December 14,
1871, he married Miss Annie Crumpacker, a native of Missouri. Their daughter,
Sarah Ann, was born February 14, 1873, and the young mother died January 14,
1874. Mr. Rigsby's residence is pleasantly situated amid a grove of trees, just
on the edge of Pataha City.

* * * *

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.