From 1884-6 letters written by A.C. Wiggins regarding his genealogy to unknown Wiggins cousin, found online, transcribed and abridged, () notes added by me, Ronni Croft

Ottawa 14 April, 1886

Rev. A.C. Wiggins, Footville, Wisconsin, U.S.

Dear mr Wiggins, …My ancestor was Stephen Wiggins (1725-1782) who married Elizabeth FOWLER(1726-1783, both died Queens, NY). He had several sons and daughters (12), their names were as follows:

John 174? married Martha EAGLES, not found

Mary 174? married Jabez HUSTIS?, Hustace?, not found

Samuel 175? married Margaret LESTER – 1756-1821 died St Johns, NB Canada, loyalist

Hannah 176? married Stephen BOULTER, not found

Stephen 176? married ? BERRIAN, loyalist, moved to NB, Canada

Elizabeth 1766 married Rev. Richard BERRIAN, rector of St Marks Church, Manhattan,

Nehemiah, Benjamin, and Abigail died unmarried, graves not found

Martha 176? married Abraham VAN GUILDER, not found

Charlotte 176?, wrongly listed as married John D. KING, Mt Hope, NY, that girl b. 1811

Jacob 1762?- 1815 married Elizabeth SLOCUM , moved to NB, Canada later in life

Ch: Wm 1786-1861, Jacob F, 1797-1859; Ebeneezer 1801-1853; Samuel, 1810-1810; James G, 1815-1903. Alex Colten descends from Wm Wiggins, 1796 moved 12 miles W of Goshen, Orange Co., NY where in 1884 most of his children still live.( All are connected on findagrave)

In 1783, some of these left the United States as Loyalists and settled in Nova Scotia. Samuel died in St John, NB (???? A part of Nova Scotia) in 1821, aged 56/66? Years. Jacob, my great-grandfather died in NB also.

NOTE: A.C. Wiggins mentions writings to physician, Dr. Lewis/Louis Wiggins, found in 1880 census at 156 High St Newburgh, NY, b. 1825, married to Mary E, whose parents were from CT, they had 2 physiciain sons Charles L, 1863 and Levi O, 1866. A.C. had attempted writing to this cousin regarding genealogy, he did not answer.

A.C. mother was Fannie Smith, the daughter of Samuel Haynes Smith, Fanny Smith, died age 20, December, 1794, leaving Alexander an infant son.

Alexander Colten Wiggins June 20, 1884 letter

Jacob Wiggins is the father of William Wiggins who was the father of Alexander C. Wiggins. My grandfather (Jacob) removed from 5 miles west of Newburgh on the Hudson to the mountain 12 miles west of Goshen in 1796 with his family of 4 sons and 4 daughters upon a farm of 300 acres of land. My father, Wm Wiggins, the oldest son, myself the oldest grandson. Grandfather died in 1801, age 70 years(1731-1801), and grandmother Agnes Nichols Wiggins, age 84 yrs, died about 18 years after (1735-1819). Many of the Wiggins family are at this date (1886) residents of Orange Co., NY. My father (Wm) had 6 sons and 2 daughters. A part of the homestead …the mountain is at this date, 1884, possessed by James Wiggins, son of Stephen Wiggins….

I can go no further than I know there was a Wiggins called Samuel that as on a farm above Newburgh that I believed was a brother to my grandfather, Jacob Wiggins and the father of Mrs Richard Berrian, that lady spent 2 or 3 summers at my fathers. A first cousin I have always considered her to be, this Benjamin Wiggins who bought for 30 pounds and sold to his son Stephen for 30 pounds May 8th, 1751, old Benjamin and old Stephen Wiggins I never personally knew. Old Stephen may have been the father of Samuel Wiggins. I saw on the farm above Newburgh, I saw that Wiggins about the year 1815, remembering his name as Samuel. …Harrison King And lady are on the old homestead 3 miles north of Otisville. Harrison King is the direct Wiggins by his mother (Charlotte Wiggins King, Mamakating Cem), now dead. My sister, the mother of Harrison King and daughter of Wm Wiggins, my father…who is the son of Jacob Wiggins.

William Wiggins a son of Jacob Wiggins who died at the mountain on the Wiggins homestead a 300 acre farm, age 70 years in 1801. One son Alexander Colden Wiggins...., a daughter of Samuel HAYNES SMITH, her name Fanny SMITH and died on December, 1794, age about 20 yrs, leaving her son in an infant in the cradle.

Jacob Wiggins, 2nd son of Jacob Wiggins Senior, his wife Elsie BRUYN and they had Abraham Bruyn Wiggins and Lewis and Agnes a daughter and Thomas.

Wm Wiggins oldest sister was Nancy and then Elsie (Elcey Slawson) and then Benjamin Wiggins who has children living in Middletown, Orange Co., NY

And Wm Wiggins ??? sister married Wm Young Edger? Who was the father of Mercy Wiggins the mother of Lewis W Young of Newburgh, 2 daughters oldest Elizabeth,and Fannie the younger

Also James Seribner? Also William Young the youngest and a local minister of the M.E. Church

Note: Jacob Wiggins and Elsie Bruyn, graves not yet found had ch: Abraham B, Lewis, Agnes, Thomas.

1850 Elmira, NY A.C., Rachael and 8 children: 

James, 23; 

Wm, 21; 

Julia, 18; 

Emily, 13; 

Camlia,10;  

Alexander, 8; 

Catherine,5

Jacob 4 months

1860 Horseheads, NY, Alex C., Rachel, 4 ch:

 Cornelia, 18;

Alex Jr., 16;

Catherine, 14;

 Jacob, 10 (named for grandfather Jacob Wiggins)

1870 Center, WI Alex, Rachel, ch: 

Alex Jr, 28, 

Katherine "katie", 24 and  

Jacob, 20: 

 all born NY

1880 WI: Alex, 86; Rachael, 75; 

Jacob 30, '

Katherine "Kate", 34; 

Camelia, 40 

all kids single

Janesville Gazette Newspaper Archives October 5, 1891 Page 4

Lived under every president

Mr Wiggins born at New Windsor, NY ...cast his first vote for John Quincy Adams , although quite young he remember the universal sorrow at the death of Washington in 1799 and took pride in the fact that he lived under every presidential administration...came to town of Center 1853, purchasing a farm of 380 acres upon which he lived until his death, ...seven children survive:

James of Sioux City, IA

Wm, Evansville

Alexander of Footeville

Jacob of Footeville

Mrs BOND of NE

Cornelilla at home

Kate at home