RIGGS GROVE

Riggs Grove was established in April 1854 by Samuel Riggs. It was located in section 30 of Douglas Township.   Riggs Grove is where the Pisgah to Glenwood weekly mail route crossed the Platte River.  The post office, whose official name was Platte, was the first in the township.   At that time, Platte Township comprised almost the western half of Union County.   Samuel Riggs was also the first justice of peace in the western part of Union County.   Weekly stage coach service also followed this trail.

An interesting biography of Samuel Riggs was written by C. H. Thomas in the Kent Bulletin weekly newspaper in 1908, probably the April 15 edition.   “Samuel Riggs was born in Kentucky in 1806, he removed with his parents to Chariton County, Missouri in 1817. After 25 years residence there the family moved across the line to Davis County Iowa. Samuel was elected sheriff there in 1845. Between 1840 and 1850 there were a number of disputes between Iowa and Missouri, as to the exact boundary line of the states. Among the settlers in this disputed strip of land, were cousins Samuel and Jonathan Riggs. Samuel, the sheriff of Davis County, Iowa, and Jonathan, the sheriff of Schuyler County, Missouri. Jonathan arrested Samuel for infringing on the laws of Missouri and thereupon Samuel arrested Jonathan for holding office in Missouri while living in Iowa. Samuel was so angry that he confined his cousin to jail for two months. Samuel came to Iowa in 1853.”