Rossville Pioneer Dies
David Biggs, one of the pioneers of Linton township, died at his home in Rossville, March 25th, aged more than 82 years. He was born at Wellsville, Ohio, emigrated to Iowa in 1853, locating at Volney, Allamakee County. He leaves a widow and eight children, and a large circle of friends to mourn for him. He was a splendid citizen and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church.
Waukon Standard
Thursday 2 April 1914
Page 1 Column 1
Vol XLVII No 9
From the biography of his son William D. Biggs-
[William] is a son of David and Elizabeth (Fitch) Biggs, the former born in Holmes county, Ohio, November 4, 1831, and the latter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1840. In early life the father went of Ohio, and from that state in January, 1853, came to Iowa, settling in Volney, where he operated a sawmill for a number of years. He formed a partnership with his father and a brother and they conducted this enterprise together with excellent results. About the years 1860 he went overland to the Rocky mountains and remained for two months in the vicinity of Pike’s Peak. Upon the expiration of that time he returned to Iowa and in Linton township purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he continued to improve and develop until 1908, becoming during that time a prosperous and successful farmer. In that year he retired from active life and moved into Rossville, where he and his wife now reside. The paternal branch of this family has been in America since Revolutionary times, William D. Biggs’ great-grandfather having come to the colonies as a soldier in the English army to fight in the Revolutionary war. After his arrival, however, he and his brother joined General Washington, allying their interests with the Continental cause and serving with ability and credit throughout the war. The great-grandfather later married and had eight children, all sons, each of whom he named after some officers in Washington’s army. The father of the subject of this review is well known among the old Iowa pioneers, who delight in telling a story of his connection with the naming of Big Foot school-house and of the entire section known as Big Foot. In early times, while he was on a hunting trip, he noticed in the deep snow which lay over everything tracks made apparently by a man with enormously large feet. There was at that time a famous Indian chief called Old Big Foot, who frequently came to the vicinity and invariably committed some depredation here, being much dreaded by the early settlers. Mr. Biggs’ father followed the trail for a short distance and then came upon a hunter who in order to keep out the cold had wrapped his feet in rags, this accounting for the large tracks made in the snow. The incident proved a much appreciated joke in the community and resulted in the naming of the district Big foot, a title under which it is known today.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
David Biggs, one of the pioneers of Linton township, died at his home in Rossville, March 25th, aged more than 82 years. He was born at Wellsville, Ohio, emigrated to Iowa in 1853, locating at Volney, Allamakee County. He leaves a widow and eight children, and a large circle of friends to mourn for him. He was a splendid citizen and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church.
Waukon Standard
Thursday 2 April 1914
Page 1 Column 1
Vol XLVII No 9
From the biography of his son William D. Biggs-
[William] is a son of David and Elizabeth (Fitch) Biggs, the former born in Holmes county, Ohio, November 4, 1831, and the latter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1840. In early life the father went of Ohio, and from that state in January, 1853, came to Iowa, settling in Volney, where he operated a sawmill for a number of years. He formed a partnership with his father and a brother and they conducted this enterprise together with excellent results. About the years 1860 he went overland to the Rocky mountains and remained for two months in the vicinity of Pike’s Peak. Upon the expiration of that time he returned to Iowa and in Linton township purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he continued to improve and develop until 1908, becoming during that time a prosperous and successful farmer. In that year he retired from active life and moved into Rossville, where he and his wife now reside. The paternal branch of this family has been in America since Revolutionary times, William D. Biggs’ great-grandfather having come to the colonies as a soldier in the English army to fight in the Revolutionary war. After his arrival, however, he and his brother joined General Washington, allying their interests with the Continental cause and serving with ability and credit throughout the war. The great-grandfather later married and had eight children, all sons, each of whom he named after some officers in Washington’s army. The father of the subject of this review is well known among the old Iowa pioneers, who delight in telling a story of his connection with the naming of Big Foot school-house and of the entire section known as Big Foot. In early times, while he was on a hunting trip, he noticed in the deep snow which lay over everything tracks made apparently by a man with enormously large feet. There was at that time a famous Indian chief called Old Big Foot, who frequently came to the vicinity and invariably committed some depredation here, being much dreaded by the early settlers. Mr. Biggs’ father followed the trail for a short distance and then came upon a hunter who in order to keep out the cold had wrapped his feet in rags, this accounting for the large tracks made in the snow. The incident proved a much appreciated joke in the community and resulted in the naming of the district Big foot, a title under which it is known today.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Rossville Pioneer Dies
David Biggs, one of the pioneers of Linton township, died at his home in Rossville, March 25th, aged more than 82 years. He was born at Wellsville, Ohio, emigrated to Iowa in 1853, locating at Volney, Allamakee County. He leaves a widow and eight children, and a large circle of friends to mourn for him. He was a splendid citizen and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church.
Waukon Standard
Thursday 2 April 1914
Page 1 Column 1
Vol XLVII No 9
From the biography of his son William D. Biggs-
[William] is a son of David and Elizabeth (Fitch) Biggs, the former born in Holmes county, Ohio, November 4, 1831, and the latter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1840. In early life the father went of Ohio, and from that state in January, 1853, came to Iowa, settling in Volney, where he operated a sawmill for a number of years. He formed a partnership with his father and a brother and they conducted this enterprise together with excellent results. About the years 1860 he went overland to the Rocky mountains and remained for two months in the vicinity of Pike’s Peak. Upon the expiration of that time he returned to Iowa and in Linton township purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he continued to improve and develop until 1908, becoming during that time a prosperous and successful farmer. In that year he retired from active life and moved into Rossville, where he and his wife now reside. The paternal branch of this family has been in America since Revolutionary times, William D. Biggs’ great-grandfather having come to the colonies as a soldier in the English army to fight in the Revolutionary war. After his arrival, however, he and his brother joined General Washington, allying their interests with the Continental cause and serving with ability and credit throughout the war. The great-grandfather later married and had eight children, all sons, each of whom he named after some officers in Washington’s army. The father of the subject of this review is well known among the old Iowa pioneers, who delight in telling a story of his connection with the naming of Big Foot school-house and of the entire section known as Big Foot. In early times, while he was on a hunting trip, he noticed in the deep snow which lay over everything tracks made apparently by a man with enormously large feet. There was at that time a famous Indian chief called Old Big Foot, who frequently came to the vicinity and invariably committed some depredation here, being much dreaded by the early settlers. Mr. Biggs’ father followed the trail for a short distance and then came upon a hunter who in order to keep out the cold had wrapped his feet in rags, this accounting for the large tracks made in the snow. The incident proved a much appreciated joke in the community and resulted in the naming of the district Big foot, a title under which it is known today.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
David Biggs, one of the pioneers of Linton township, died at his home in Rossville, March 25th, aged more than 82 years. He was born at Wellsville, Ohio, emigrated to Iowa in 1853, locating at Volney, Allamakee County. He leaves a widow and eight children, and a large circle of friends to mourn for him. He was a splendid citizen and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church.
Waukon Standard
Thursday 2 April 1914
Page 1 Column 1
Vol XLVII No 9
From the biography of his son William D. Biggs-
[William] is a son of David and Elizabeth (Fitch) Biggs, the former born in Holmes county, Ohio, November 4, 1831, and the latter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1840. In early life the father went of Ohio, and from that state in January, 1853, came to Iowa, settling in Volney, where he operated a sawmill for a number of years. He formed a partnership with his father and a brother and they conducted this enterprise together with excellent results. About the years 1860 he went overland to the Rocky mountains and remained for two months in the vicinity of Pike’s Peak. Upon the expiration of that time he returned to Iowa and in Linton township purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he continued to improve and develop until 1908, becoming during that time a prosperous and successful farmer. In that year he retired from active life and moved into Rossville, where he and his wife now reside. The paternal branch of this family has been in America since Revolutionary times, William D. Biggs’ great-grandfather having come to the colonies as a soldier in the English army to fight in the Revolutionary war. After his arrival, however, he and his brother joined General Washington, allying their interests with the Continental cause and serving with ability and credit throughout the war. The great-grandfather later married and had eight children, all sons, each of whom he named after some officers in Washington’s army. The father of the subject of this review is well known among the old Iowa pioneers, who delight in telling a story of his connection with the naming of Big Foot school-house and of the entire section known as Big Foot. In early times, while he was on a hunting trip, he noticed in the deep snow which lay over everything tracks made apparently by a man with enormously large feet. There was at that time a famous Indian chief called Old Big Foot, who frequently came to the vicinity and invariably committed some depredation here, being much dreaded by the early settlers. Mr. Biggs’ father followed the trail for a short distance and then came upon a hunter who in order to keep out the cold had wrapped his feet in rags, this accounting for the large tracks made in the snow. The incident proved a much appreciated joke in the community and resulted in the naming of the district Big foot, a title under which it is known today.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Family Members
Children
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Eugenia "Jennie" Biggs Skinner
1857–1928
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Nancy May "Nannie" Biggs Canfield
1859–1942
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Thomas Stevenson Biggs
1863–1948
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William David Biggs
1865–1949
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Cora M. Biggs Foote
1868–1964
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Nellie S Biggs
1870–1873
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Ula May Biggs Deemer
1873–1954
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Carrie Biggs Pufahl
1875–1969
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Clarence Grant Biggs
1879–1935
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John Franke Biggs
unknown–1875
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