Thomas Rigg

circa 1711 - 1761

Charles County, Maryland

Thomas Rigg was a tobacco farmer who lived (at Chestnut Point?) in Wm. & Mary Parish (Upper Hundred), Charles County, Maryland on land rented from the Bruce family. He had 8 children: John, Susannah, Thomas, Sarah, Benjamin, Townley, Charles and James. He died in 1761 at about 50 years of age, leaving a widow, Mary Peel. Since Mary Peel Bowie was much younger than Thomas Rigg, she is unlikely to have been the mother of the seven older children.

Thomas Rigg had a son named Townley. Thomas Rigg's sons, John and Benjamin, and daughter, Susannah named sons Townley. Thomas Rigg's son, Thomas, appears to have a grandson named Townley. It seems likely that Thomas Rigg's wife would have a recent ancestor surnamed Townley. Given that they lived on land owned by John Bruce and later by his sons, Charles Bruce and Townley Bruce, is it possible that Thomas Rigg was married to Francis Bruce, daughter of Judith Townley and John Bruce and a sister of Charles and Townley Bruce?

There are few published accounts mentioning Thomas Rigg. He is mentioned on page 236 of Wabash County Lineages - Colonial, Revolutionary, Pioneer, compiled by Deward C. Williams, Mt. Carmel, Illinois, 1969; and on page 509 of The Riggs family of Maryland; a genealogical and historical record, including a study of the several families in England, by John Beverley Riggs, Baltimore, Md. [The Lord Baltimore Press] 1939. The latter references Liber LXXVIII, folios 23-24, Inventories, Annapolis, Maryland; and Liber LXIII, folio 99, Accounts, Annapolis, Maryland.

He was, almost certainly, the son of the John Rigg who died in 1711 in Charles County, Maryland, leaving a widow, Susannah.
A widow Susannah Rigg, mother of Thomas Rigg married Cleborn Lomax, Jr. of Charles County, Maryland by 17 Feb 1717/8. No other widow Susannah Rigg has been identified during this time frame.

Susanna Rigg, administratrix of John Rigg

He was the son of Susannah Posey.
Note that Thomas Rigg's son, John, named a son Lane Posey Rigg.

Cleborn died by 28 Jan 1728/29 when Susannah was named administratrix of his estate.

On 23 May 1729 Susanah Lomax recorded a cattle mark for her son, Thomas Rigg.

The timing suggests this was related to settling Cleborn Lomax's estate. The fact that Susannah registered the mark for her son suggests that Thomas Rigg was a minor at the time.

Susannah, widow of Cleborn Lomax, married John McNeal by 20 Mar 1729/30.

(This?) Thomas Rigg received 8s. 9d. from the estate of William Berry, according to the final account of the latter's estate, filed 9 Feb 1733.

William Berry's Final Account, 9 Feb 1733

Thomas Rigg appeared on the 1733 Tax List for Charles Co., MD. He was listed in Wm. & Mary Parish Upper Hundred (1 taxable) living next to John McNeale, his step-father.

Thomas Rigg was in court in February and March 1737/8, together with his mother and step-brother, involving a warrant against John Gibson, who had taken some flour and meat out of the house of Thomas Rigg

Charles County Maryland, Mar 1737/8 Court Records: "Thomas Rigg, Thomas Lomax, and Susanna McNeale, appeared here this day, according to the tenor of a recognizance, before Robert Yates, Gent, last Feb. 17, for their appearance here to testify for the Proprietary against John Gibson."

14 Mar 1737/8 Robert Haselepp was presented to the March Court in Charles Co., MD for marking an unmarked hog, by the information of James Rodd and Thomas Rigg.

(This?) Thomas Rigg paid 600 pounds of tobacco to the estate of John Bruce (for rent?) according to the account of the latter's estate, filed 4 May 1738. Tobacco was valued at 12/6 pCt, (12 shillings, 6 pence per hundredweight) or £1 1s. 16d.

Charles County, MD, Court Records, Aug 1743, page 607: "We also present Jane Hayes for having a bastard child living with Thomas Rigg, by information of Benja. Musgrove, Constable."

Thomas Rigg paid 1,075 pounds of tobacco to the estate of Townley Bruce according to the final account of the latter's estate, filed 14 Sep 1751. The tobacco was valued at 20 pCt, (20 shillings per hundredweight) or £10 15s. 0d.

Townley Bruce Final Account, 14 Sep 1751

He was also due 2s. 6d. from the estate.
Current money due Thomas Rigg

On 20 Aug 1753, Thomas Rigg provided a deposition concerning the boundaries of the tract Walker's Run. He was estimated to be about 48 years old when deposed.

Deposition concerning the boundaries of Walker's Run, 20 Aug 1753

This establishes the approximate birthdate for Thomas Rigg

Thomas Rigg owed 2,400 pounds of tobacco to the estate of Charles Bruce according to the final account of the latter's estate, filed 23 May 1759.

Charles Bruce's Final Account, 23 May 1759

Thomas Rigg,'s inventory was taken on 3 December 1761, filed 3 September 1762, and was valued at £66 9s. 6d. (Maryland currency). The crop of tobacco in the ground when he died was later valued at £3 12s. 4d., bringing the total value of his estate to £70 1s. 10d. Francis Posey (his mother's brother) and John Rigg signed as nearest of kin.

On 19 March 1770, William Parsons and Mary Peel, his wife, filed Thomas Rigg's account. This was not the final account. It lists several creditors of Thomas Rigg, and names his eight children. The largest single amount was 1,274 pounds of tobacco paid to Jane Bruce (widow of Charles Bruce) in 1761 (to pay the rent?). Securities were John Boy and Oswald Boy. John Bowye was Mary Peel Bowie's father.

Children of **Thomas Rigg**

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