D. R. RIGGS. This prominent and law-abiding citizen has been a resident of Douglas County, Missouri, for many years, and his career here has been an exceptionally honorable and useful one. He was born in Maury County, Tennessee, May 20, 1832, a son of Alvis and Petronila (Ray) Riggs, natives of the Old North State, where the grandparents were also born.
Samuel Riggs, the paternal grandfather, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died in the State of his birth. The maternal grandfather, David Ray, was a merchant by occupation, and was an honorable, upright man. Alvis Riggs became a resident of Tennessee in an early day, and after following the useful and honest life of the farmer in Maury County, died there in 1849. His widow came to Missouri with her son, D. R. Riggs, later returned to Tennessee, but during the progress of the war she was brought back to Missouri by her son, and quietly breathed her last in Springfield in 1890. Her union with Mr. Riggs resulted in the birth of nine children: Griffin, who died in Illinois in 1855; William S., who is living in Springfield, Missouri; David R., in Douglas County; Margaret J., who lives in Springfield, has been married three times, and is now the wife of Mr. Shaw; John C. is a farmer four miles northwest of Ava; Robert was killed while serving in the Confederate Army; James is a farmer of Polk County, Missouri; Peter died in Springfield in 1885; and Mary E., wife of A. McCracken, died in Stone County in 1884. The mother of these children was a worthy member of the Christian Church.
David R. Riggs was a single man when he came to this State, and in Springfield he was married to Miss Lucinda McQuerter, a daughter of J. S. McQuerter. She was born in Coles County, Missouri, and after her marriage with Mr. Riggs they engaged in the hotel business in Springfield, which they conducted during the war. After that time they moved to Taney County, where Mr. Riggs sold goods, farmed and raised stock, and was also in the milling business at Forsyth from 1867 to 1887, when he removed to a farm four miles from Ava, and since 1893 has resided in the town. He has built him a handsome home, and is now dealing extensively in stock, which he has found to be a very profitable business. He is one of the “old timers ” of this part of the State, is a very shrewd and successful business man, and is widely and favorably known.
He has always been a Democrat in politics, is prominent in all public affairs, and he and his wife are worthy members of the Methodist Church. His hotel in Springfield was destroyed by fire in 1866, but he is nevertheless wealthy, and besides his pleasant home in Ava, owns the farm four miles from town, and also a farm in Christian County. He and his wife have four children: Petronelia and Louisa, twins, Alvas J., who is a cattle buyer of Springfield; and David R., who is living on a farm in Christian County. The eldest daughter is the wife of W. A. Wilson, of Forsyth, while the second is the wife of T. W. Davis, of this county.