Solomon Dwiggins
B. 1816-1817 (based on census records) in NC or IN
D. After 1870 (based on land deed)
Married: (based on census records)
1. Elizabeth between 1834 and 1836 and probably in Madison Co. IN
2. Caroline 1855-1860 and probably in Madison Co. IN

Elizabeth
B. January 1810 (based on date of death and age at death)
D. 16 Mar 1855 in Madison Co. IN at the age of 45y 2m
Burial – Mar 1855 in Sigler Cemetery, Pipe Creek Twp., Madison Co. IN

At this time, nothing further is known about Elizabeth and Solomon also remains a puzzle. Researching him has been difficult, only three censuses where he is named have been found and they are of poor quality and difficult to read. It is easy to confuse other Solomon Dwiggins with "ours" and little other documentation has surfaced. A Madison County, IN, courthouse fire on 10 Oct 1880 destroyed many records. The Recorder's office was located in another building so deed records were not affected.
Comment: There is more information on Solomon's parents, John and Margaret Ring Dwiggins, than there is on him.

Solomon's Birth
By census records (an iffy proposition) Solomon was born circa 1815-1818. Other researchers have given dates from 1813 to 1820. His parents were John and Margaret Ring Dwiggins and they had six sons before Solomon. Benjamin is listed as being born in 1917 and Joseph, is listed as being born in 1815 and another, Bernard, is listed as being born in 1813, so unless he was a twin these years may be incorrect for Solomon's birth. In an 1850 census, a 14-year-old child named Mary is listed with Solomon and his wife, Elizabeth. Solomon was 33 in this census. If Solomon were born in 1820, he would have only been 14 when Mary was born and this is unlikely. So, assuming he is the father of Mary, and assuming he was about 19 or 20 at the time of her birth, his date of birth would be around 1816 or 1817.

When Did the Family Move?
The place of Solomon's birth depends on the year that he was born, as the family was in the process of moving from North Carolina to Indiana during that time period.

Other researchers comment:
Thelma (Mrs. Paul) Dwiggins writes, "I only have guesses on this one. It could have been as early as 1816 to 1820. Indiana became a state in 1816. Union County was a stopping place until they could get the land grants and so forth."
Richard Cochrane writes, "Sometime before 1814, the families of John, Daniel (brother) and a brother-in-law (Elijah Ring, Sr.) moved west in covered wagons, answering Elijah Ring Jr.'s good news of the Northwest Territory. They moved to Union County, Indiana where they settled for a time."
Lois Wilson writes, "It appears John Jr. had sold most of his N.C. land by the end of 1817, and this may have been when the family headed to Indiana. (Documentation about the land indicated that John was living in Stokes County, N.C. at the time he had purchased the land.)"

Siblings
Solomon was the seventh son in a family of twelve or thirteen. His oldest brother, Daniel was born in 1801 in North Carolina, then came Elijah, John, Elvin, Bernard Joseph and Benjamin. The other children were Martha, Jane, Polly, Sally and Lydia.

1833-1834
When Solomon was about seventeen or nineteen he probably moved over eighty miles northwest, from Union County to Madison, County with his family. This is known because in 1834 Solomon's father, John, registered land at the Fort Wayne land office under the Homestead Act. It is known that Solomon's brothers, John Jr., Daniel, Elijah and the Ring family also moved to this area at the same time and they also owned land.
Richard writes, "John bought 120 acres between Elwood and Frankton (now) for $440.00, or $3.67 an acre for wooded land. On 7 Nov 1835, John bought 89.04 acres directly north of Frankton for $800, nine dollars an acre. By cost, this was already cleared land. The area was named Pipe Township, after Chief Pipe a Delaware of the Wolf tribe. The land was near the trace, the only route halfway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne until 1836."

Marriages
Solomon had at least two wives. Elizabeth, his first wife, was the mother of my line. Sigler Cemetery Records lists, "Elizabeth Dwiggins, wife of Solomon, died 3-16-1855 at the age of 45 yrs. 2 mos." Elizabeth would have been born in 1810, at least five or so years before Solomon. An 1850 census lists her with Solomon and she was thirty-six at that time, three years older than Solomon.
By the1860 census, Solomon is listed with Caroline. Solomon is still listed with Caroline in the 1870 census.

Death
From a census, it is known that "our" Solomon was alive in 1870, at the age of 55, but there the trail ends.

Children
It is known that Solomon was the father to Cyrus and Addison.
(Comment: Addison was the middle name that Cyrus gave to his son, William Addison Dwiggins b. 1888.)
Other siblings are yet to be confirmed. Based on the census records, it appears that he may have had an older sister, Mary, and a younger brother, Randolphe who died young. However at this point this is purely conjecture.

1850 Madison County, Pipe Creek Twp., Indiana Census Pg. 030
Solomon, 33, is listed as a farmer in Pipe Creek Twp. with Elizabeth, 36, and family. Six others are listed. All were born in Indiana.
• Mary, 14
• Bennard (or Bernard), 12
• Ellen, 10
• Adison (sic), 7 B. 5 Aug 1842 D. 1 Sep 1914 in Frankton, Madison Co. IN
• Cyrus, 5 B. 19 Dec 1843 D. 18 Sep 1921 in Topeka, Shawnee Co. KS
• Randolphe, 4
Comment from Richard: "Two of these children are probably a nephew and niece, children of Elijah. Bennard, 12 was son of Elijah and Elizabeth. He died 6-9-1854 at 16 yrs. of age - ref.: Cemetery records. Ellen, 10, could be Cynthia E. Named in Elijah's estate settlement."
My Comment: Addison and Cyrus's ages as recorded in the census do not agree with their year of birth. Their dates of birth are confirmed.

1860 Madison County (Anderson) Indiana Census
Sol Dwiggins is listed as a 45-year-old farmer with Caroline at 25, (probably his 2nd wife). Five children are listed with them.
• Children listed: Addison, 18 (b. 1842); Cyrus, 16 (b. 1843); Elizabeth, 4; Dayton, 3; and Emma, 2
Comment: Mary; Bennard (probably d. 6-9-1854, if son of Elijah); and Ellen, 20 now, are no longer in the household. Since Randolphe is no longer listed, perhaps he also died ...he would have been 14 at the time of this census. It looks like the last three children were born to Caroline since they were born after Elizabeth's death.

1870 Madison County Indiana Census
This census is very faint and difficult to read. It does look like Solomon is listed as 52 and Caroline, 36, (born in Ohio) is still married to him. He is still a farmer in Pipe Creek. Eight children are listed, all born in IN. The last 2 are both one-year-old, probably twins. I cannot read their names.
• Ann, 17; Wm., 13; Emma, 11; Lincoln, 10; Josephine, 8; Oliver, 4; and X and X, 1
Comment from Lois: "Ann, based on the age of 17, must be Elizabeth; William, based on the age of 13, must be Dayton; Emma, age 11; Lincoln, age 10 -This is a puzzle since Lincoln was not listed in the 1860 census. Perhaps he was born just after the last census was taken. The rest were born after the last census."

Madison County Indiana Deed Books
 Book 16, pg. 529
John Davis, Comm. to Solomon Dwiggins (Elijah Dwiggins estate settlement and names heirs.)
Date of instrument: 13 Jun 1854, and Date recorded: 21 Jun 1854
 Book 19, pg. 327
Solomon Dwiggins and Caroline to John Benefield
Date of instrument: 17 Jun 1856 and, Date recorded: 14 Jul 1856
 Book 19, pg. 544
Joseph Dwiggins to Solomon Dwiggins (Elijah Dwiggins estate settlement; heirs named appear same as in Bk. 16 pg. 529.) Date of instrument: 21 Apr 1856, and Date recorded: 25 Apr 1857

Clues to Pursue:
In an Affidavit to the National Archives, dated 9-24-1921, Frank Dwiggins is named as a nephew to Cyrus. Frank was 60 at the time (making his date of birth 1861) and lived in W. Alton, MO. If more about Frank could be found, perhaps it would include something of his parentage and this in turn would lead to another sibling of Addison and Cyrus.

Comments:
Betty Dwiggins wrote that a Francis M. Dwiggins was born in 1860 in St. Charles County, Missouri. He married Julia Alice Green on Oct. 15, 1879. His line was John &Ellen McGinnnis Elijah & Elizabeth Howard John &Margaret Ring. This would have made him Cyrus's cousin, not nephew.

Joyce Dwiggins sent this census information:

 1900 MO Census, Portage De Sioux Twp., St. Charles County, lists Frank (40) as born in Feb. 1860 in MO. Father born in IN and mother born in OH. He is a farmer and has been married for 12 years to his wife Alice who was born in Feb. 1864. She and her mother were born in Illinois. It shows she was married before.
 1920 MO Census, Portage De Sioux Twp., St. Charles County, lists Frank as 54 and his wife Rose as 44, born in Ireland.
Note: Portage De Sioux is very close to West Alton, MO. Both are very small towns.

Thelma Dwiggins wrote, "I have contacted a Dan Dwiggins in Georgia and feel he may be of the Solomon line."

2020 Suggested edit: In suppport of my corrections. Addison Dwiggins death certificate gives Soloman Dwiggins and Elizabeth Howard as parents. Elizabeth Howard and Elijah Dwiggins married in 1824 in Wayne County. Bennard/Bernard's (1850 census) headstone gives Elijah and Elizabeth as his parents. An earlier child, James born 1825 d. in Spokane, WA gives Soloman as his father on this death record. I believe Soloman was also known as Elijah and that he was born before 1810. Elizabeth was only 14 when they married. My father (desc of John Howard) has three DNA cousins through Addison Dwiggins (as well as other siblings). If you are still undecided feel free to contact me.
Contributor: Khoward (47132889) • [email protected]