Bios: SETH RIGBY : Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
 
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  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
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    SETH RIGBY,
    
    [p. 610] a prosperous farmer of Shenango township, who is carrying on
  farming operations on his farm, situated in the suburbs of New Castle, was
  born Oct. 9, 1837. He is the third of that name in direct descent. His
  father, Seth Rigby, was born in the Shenandoah Valley and came to Lawrence
  County in 1801, when a boy, his father settling where our subject resides.
  The father of our subject was a soldier in the War of 1812, in which he
  served one year, and was a participant in the battle of Lake Erie; his death
  took place at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a carpenter and
  cabinet-maker and worked at his trade many years at New Castle. He was second
  in a family of seven sons and two daughters born to his parents; the sons all
  became skilled mechanics. He married Margaret Brady, who was born in
  Westmoreland County, a daughter of Samuel Brady, who was a native of Germany.
  Our subject's grandfather, Seth Rigby, was born near Leeds, Eng., was a
  carpenter and wagon-maker by trade, and lived to the exceptional age of
  ninety-five years; he married a Miss Clark, who was born in Virginia of Irish
  ancestry.
    
    Our subject was reared on the paternal farm on Sheep's Hill, and attended
  the district schools till he was nineteen years old; from that age till the
  outbreak of the war he lived with his father, and gave him all his time and
  earnings. He enlisted in Co. B, 14th Reg. Pa. Vol. Cav., and served two years
  and ten months, mostly in West Virginia and Shenandoah Valley. He was in many
  skirmishes, was under fire fifty-two times, and fought in the battles of
  Winchester, Haysville, Droop Mt., Rocky Gap, Opecan Creek, Cedar Creek,
  Fisher's Hill, and Kearnstown. On his return from the army he worked eighteen
  months in the quarries, was then for a time on the farm, and then at Rosena
  Furnace for two years, living in New Castle during this period. Since then he
  has been living on the farm.
    
    He was married in 1872 near New Castle to Elizabeth Carson, who was born in
  Allegheny City, and was a daughter of Alexander and Susan (Kirkpatrick)
  Carson. Alexander Carson was a carpenter by trade, and died from the effects
  of wounds received at the battle of Petersburg; he was a son of Hugh Carson.
  The following children have graced our subject's marriage: Ida May, who
  married Samuel Parks, and has one daughter, Mabel Ruth; Harvey E., who
  married Jennie Shoaf, and has a little girl, Pearl; Margaret Luella; Robert
  Perry; Hugh; Susan; and Frank, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Rigby are members of
  the Disciples Church. Mr. Rigby is a firm Republican. He is a member of the
  Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and Knights of Labor, and was
  formerly a member of the I. O. O. F. This is, in brief, the outline of Mr.
  Rigby's life. As a young man, he was industrious and persevering, not easily
  daunted by difficulties or reverses. As a soldier he was brave and patriotic,
  and served his country with, the same or even greater fidelity than he would
  have attended to his own interests at home. As a citizen he sustains all the
  qualities of his earlier manhood, and enjoys the respect and esteem of his
  friends and neighbors.