skip navigation

The Library of Congress > Researchers > Search Finding Aids > Riggs family papers, 1763-1945

Riggs family papers, 1763-1945

Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement

Access restrictions apply.

Biographical Note

Elisha Riggs

Date	Event
1779, June 13	Born, Montgomery County, Md.
1812-1814	Served with American militia during War of 1812
1812	Married Alice Lawrason (died 1817)
1814	Helped organize Union Bank of Georgetown, D.C.
1815-1829	With George Peabody formed business firm of Riggs and Peabody, Dry Goods Merchants
1822	Married Mary Ann Karrick
1827	Moved to New York, N.Y., and entered banking business, becoming a partner in Riggs, Taylor, and Co.
1853, Aug. 3	Died, New York, N.Y.

Elisha Riggs, Jr.

Date	Event
1826, Nov. 28	Born, Philadelphia, Pa.
1844	Graduated, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
1848	Entered firm of Corcoran and Riggs as junior partner
1849	Married Mary Keene Boswell
1853	Explored Rocky Mountains with Benton-Beale Expedition
1854	Sold interest in Corcoran and Riggs
1857-1862	Lived in Europe
1862-1865	Member, banking firm of Jerome, Riggs, and Co.
1881, July 8	Died, New York, N.Y.

Elisha Francis Riggs

Date	Event
1851, Oct. 2	Born, Washington, D.C.
1876-1896	Member, Riggs and Co.
1879	Married Medora Thayer
1881-1910	Treasurer, Mount Vernon Ladies Association
1889	Donated funds for construction of the Riggs Memorial Library, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
1896	Became first vice president, National Savings and Trust Co. of Washington, D.C.
1910, July 6	Died, New London, Conn.

Elisha Francis Riggs, Jr.

Date	Event
1887, June 16	Born, Washington, D.C.
1909	Graduated, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1910	Traveled abroad
1911-1913	Served with U.S. Army, Fort Riley, Kans.
1913-1915	Stationed in Philippine Islands
1916-1918	Military attaché in Russia
1918	Served with 325th Field Artillery, U.S. Army, in France
1918-1919	American representative on Armistice Commission in Klagenfurt Basin, Austria
1919-1920	Worked in Military Intelligence Department, Washington, D.C.
1920	Resigned from regular U.S. Army
1922	Married Margaret Alwina Bohlen
1933	Appointed chief of police in Puerto Rico
1936, Feb. 23	Assassinated by members of Nationalist Party, San Juan, Puerto Rico

George W. Riggs, Jr.

Date	Event
1813, July 4	Born, Georgetown, D.C.
1829-1831	Student, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1840	Married Janet Shedden
1840	Established Corcoran and Riggs in partnership with William W. Corcoran
1848	Retired from Corcoran and Riggs
1854	Upon retirement of William W. Corcoran returned to Corcoran and Riggs, which was renamed Riggs and Co.
1881, Aug. 24	Died, Prince Georges County, Md.

Romulus Riggs

Date	Event
1782, Dec. 22	Born, Montgomery County, Md.
1810	Married Mercy Ann Lawrason
1812-1825	Engaged in banking and invested in real estate holdings in Georgetown, D.C.
1826	Moved to Philadelphia, Pa., and joined his brother Elisha Riggs in mercantile firm of R. and E. Riggs and Co.
1829	Formed partnership with Robert B. Aertsen; joined by William S. Paradise in the firm of Riggs, Son, and Paradise
1844	Upon retirement of Robert Aertsen joined by William S. Paradise in the firm of Riggs, Son, and Paradise
1846	Established banking firm Romulus and Co.
1846, Oct. 2	Died, Philadelphia, Pa.

Thomas Riggs, Jr.

Date	Event
1873, Oct. 17	Born, Howard County, Md.
1890-1893	Studied engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
1893-1896	Engaged in lumber business in Washington State
1897-1901	Mined gold on Dominion Creek and Last Chance Creek, Yukon Territory
1902	Developed gold mine in San Juan County, Utah
1903-1905	Worked with U.S. and Canada Boundary Survey
1906-1913	Worked with Alaskan Boundary Survey
1913	Married Renée Marie Coudert
1914-1917	Member, Alaskan Engineering Commission
1918-1921	Governor of Alaska
1922-1935	Consulting engineer, New York, N.Y.
1935-1945	U.S. Commissioner, International Boundary Commission
1945, Jan. 16	Died, Washington, D.C.

T. Lawrason Riggs

Date	Event
1888, June 28	Born, New London, Conn.
1910	Graduated, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1912	Graduated , Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1912-1913	Assistant instructor in English, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1916-1917	Instructor in English, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1917-1918	Served with American Expeditionary Force in France
1920-1921	Novice, St. Joseph's Seminary, Yonkers, N.Y.
1921	Transferred to St. Thomas' Seminary, Hartford, Conn.
1922	Ordained a priest at Hartford, Conn., and became chaplain of the Catholic Club of Yale
1922-1938	Served with parish church in East Haven, Conn.
1926	Appointed member of the administrative council and instructor in religion, Albertus Magnus College, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1933	Named associate fellow of Calhoun College, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1935	Made chairman of New Haven Interfaith Committee, New Haven, Conn.
1938	Became chaplain of More Club, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1943, Apr. 27	Died, New Haven, Conn.

William Henry Riggs

Date	Event
1837, Mar. 22	Born, New York, N.Y.
1852	Began a collection on Indian weapons and costumes
circa 1852-1857	Attended Bacon School, New York State); Sillig's Institute,Vevey, Switzerland; and Technische Hochschule, Dresden, Germany
1853	Accompanied his brother, Elisha Riggs, Jr., on the Benton-Beale Expedition
1856	Began acquisition of medieval armor and weapons
1857	Settled in Paris, France
1913	Presented collection of arms and armor to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y.
1924, Aug. 31	Died, Bagnères-de Luchon, France