- RICHARD WIGGIN, for fifteen years a resident of Janesville,
was born Sept. 20, 1824, in the
- town of Meredith, in that part of Strafford, now constituting
Carroll County, N.H. His grandfather, Chase WIGGIN, came to Meredith
from Newmarket, N.H., where his Welsh ancestor settled about
two hundred years ago. Chase WIGGIN and Mary EATON, who were
married and became the parents of our subject, were born in Meredith.
Richard is the youngest of their eight children, seven of whom
grew to adult age. He was reared on a farm, going from home at
the age of nine years. With the exception of a quarter at the
High School in Meredith Village his education was wholly supplied
by the old-fashioned district school.
- On reaching the age of seventeen, young WIGGIN went to Boston,
where he found employment
- for a year in the freight house of the Concord Railroad.
After working four years as a stone-mason, he returned to railroad
work, and became a freight conductor on the Boston, Concord &
Montreal Railroad in 1846. He remained in the employ of this
corporation for seven years, during the last four years filling
the position of station agent at Warren and Woodsville, successively.
- In 1854 Mr. WIGGIN removed to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he secured
employment as passenger
- conductor on the Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, now a
part of the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago line. In 1872
he was promoted to the position of Master of Transportation,
and the next year took up his residence at Salem, Ohio. In 1869
he was again promoted, being appointed assistant Superintendent
of the Eastern division of the Ft. Wayne road; and a year later
became Superintendent of the same division. This rapid advancement
showed that his ability, energy, and faithfulness were appreciated
by his employers. In his fidelity to their interests he was led
to overtax his strength, and in 1874 he was compelled by failing
health to resign his position and seek rest. In that year came
to Janesville, and purchased a small piece of land in the western
part of the city, on which he made his home ever since. By subsequent
purchase he added to the original grounds, making fifty-three
acres, on which he is now engaged in growing tobacco.
- Mr. WIGGIN was married Sept. 15, 1850, at Sandwich, N.H.,
to Miss Rebecca H. JOHNSON,
- a native of that town. The lady is a daughter of Isaiah H.
and Elmira (WILSON) JOHNSON, of English descent and New Hampshire
birth. Mr. and Mrs. WIGGIN are active communicants in the Janesville
Baptist Church, and valued members of society. Their home is
a hospitable one, and is delightfully located in the outskirts
of the city. Of their six children, three are buried in Allegeny
Cemetery, Pittsburgh. The eldest, Myra A., died at the age of
twenty-one only three months after becoming the bride of Dr.
William C. DAKE. Richard and Rebecca died in infancy. Of the
living, Adelaide A., the eldest, is now the wife of Dr. W. C.
DAKE, and resides in Nashville, Tenn. Twing Brooks is a practicing
physician in Chicago, and Marion Payne is at home with her parents.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 565-566.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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