[p. 878] one of the best known citizens of New Castle, who is a representative of the oldest pioneer family of Lawrence County, was born on the old Rigby homestead, on which he still lives, in 1837, and is a son of Seth and Margaret (Brady) Rigby.
Seth Rigby, father of Seth, was also a son of Seth, and was born July 7, 1793, in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, two and one-half miles northeast of Winchester. In 1800 he accompanied his father to Lawrence County, where the latter bought 300 acres of government land, which father and son subsequently cleared. In 1801 the home was established on the farm which the present Seth Rigby owns. Seth Rigby II. served as a soldier in the War of 1812. In his early days he was a strong Whig, but became an equally ardent supporter of the Republican party after, its organization. He married Margaret Brady, who was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and they had twelve children, four sons and eight daughters. The eldest son, Isaac, lost his life at the battle of Resaca, Ga., during the Civil War.
Seth Rigby, the present bearer of the old family name, is the only survivor of his parents' large family. During his early manhood he worked in the mills, but since the death of his father he has been engaged in farming, market gardening and quarrying limestone. He has ever been a loyal and patriotic citizens and demonstrated the same in 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company B, Fourteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. He served faithfully for two years and eleven months under General Sheridan, that fearless commander who never spared ether himself nor his soldiers when dangerous duty was to be faced. On two occasions, Mr. Rigby had his horse shot from under him but fortunately escaped injury to himself. He entered the army as a private, but for about one year of his service he acted as sergeant of his company. He was honorably discharged May 28, 1865, and immediately returned to the old homestead, where he has lived quietly and usefully ever since.
In 1871, Mr. Rigby was married to Elizabeth Carson, who died December 11, 1899. She was a daughter of Alexander Carson, who was killed at the battle of Cold Harbor, during the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Rigby had seven children, namely: Ida May, deceased; Harvey, who works as a heater in the Shenango tin mill; Luella, who married Richard Parks, who works as a fireman in the steel mill; Robert Perry, residing at Potter Valley, Cal., is an electrician; Hugh Carson works as a mill man in the heating department; Susan Irene is the wife of Thomas Phelps; and Frank, deceased. Mr. Rigby has reared his family in the faith of the Disciple Church, and has set them a good example, being an official of the Central Christian Church for the past nine years. He united with the Christian Church at Pumpkin Town in 1856, prior to the Civil War. He has ever since been active in mission work, both at home and abroad. Mr. Rigby's reminiscences of early days in what is now the southern part of New Castle are very interesting. He has survived not only the members of his own family, but those of many others who were once prominent in this section, but are now only honored names.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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