Biggs Family History

Amherst, Botetourt, Giles, and Monroe Counties

Descendant Report of John Biggs, Senior

Last Updates and Corrections on 1/5/2009

Click HERE to visit the Martin Family website where you can see the original 1938 Biggs, Ballard, Broyles Reunion Program

Theories and New Information Discovered in 2008

Evidence for John Biggs, Senior

The following entries suggest that this John Biggs, Sr. could have been in Virginia as early as 1758 (he was perhaps born about 1730). My theory is that he came from Pennsylvania or New Jersey rather than west from coastal Virginia. I am basing this on their proximity to the Great Wagon Road / Blue Ridge Parkway.  If one looks at the locations, it makes sense.  Albemarle County bordered Augusta County in 1758 - in fact, Lexington (Augusta County at that time) was very close to the border of Albemarle.  Perhaps that is why John was in the Albemarle Company of Militia (#1 below) even though he appears to be living in Augusta County.  Kerr's Creek, where John was in 1763 according to the entries in #2 below, is near Lexington, VA  - a stopping point on the Wagon Road.  He must have stopped here for several years before moving on to Rodes Creek in 1774 (#3 below).  Interestingly enough, Kerr's Creek and Rodes Creek are about 35 miles or so apart from my calculations on Google Maps.

1. - Hening's Statutes at Large, VII page 203 - There is a John Biggs noted in the Albemarle Company of Militia, for the defense and protection of the frontier against the Indians, Sept, 1758. 

1763 Mr. Robert Hambleton, Dr., to John BIGGS. March, 24, to 4 days getting house logs and covering cabin; to 4 days fencing; to 3 days planting corn; to 6 lbs. tobacco @ 3d.; to 8 days work by son and daughter.

I found this passage online entitled Birth of American Frontier Culture - a source is not given on the website. It refers to an Indian attack at Kerr's Creek in Rockbridge, Co on July 17, 1763.

"In March newcomer Robert Hamilton hired John Biggs to cover a cabin, get his house logs, and plant and fence his corn. Now Hamilton shepherded some women into the unfinished house that hadn't yet been chinked or daubed with clay. An Indian fired between the logs. The ball ripped through Hamilton's chest and out near the spine. He yelled for the women to "clear out" and "himself followed them, presenting his gun on the advancing Indians" to keep them at bay until they made it to safety in some "glady lands." While he was saving these women Indians captured his daughters Mary, Marian, and his son Archibald". 

3. - Land Survey 1 (19 Apr 1774) - 36 acres of land in Amherst County on 19 April 1774 - Surveyed by William Cabell, Jr Amherst Co. This was the original survey of the land on the North branch of Rodes Creek.  This land appears to be sold on 13 Oct 1798 by son Thomas:   Sold land on the North side of Rodes Creek to James Johnson. 

Land Survey 2 (27 Apr 1782) - This was found on microfilm of the Land Entry Book 1787-1908 of Amherst County, VA #38.

"John Biggs with warrant from the Register of the Land Office on Treasury Rights for 100 acres of land joined to Edward Franklin the 27th day of April 1782 and No 11829 ??? of the same on both sides of Road's Creek and to be joined at a ??? corner of his own on the bank of said creek to join his own lines and to run such other courses as to include the quantity. Warrant withdrawn and laid in James Stephen's entry No 220 by said Biggs order February ??? 1791".

I did not find the date on this document, but was found on microfilm of the Land Entry Book 1787-1908 of Amherst County, VA #414.

"Thomas Biggs with a Land Office Treasury Warrant No 3788 ??? to Thos. Martin for 150 acres of land enters 100 acres therof on the waters of the North Fork of Rockfish River to begin at a major ??? Chas Rodes ??? to run so as to include the land that was surveyed for the heirs of John Biggs the 3rd day of April 1772 by John M Reed of 100 acres. Warrant withdrawn".  This leads me to believe that this earlier Thomas may have been a son of John Biggs, Senior.

Evidence for John Biggs, Junior

1. - One entry in Pictorial and Genealogical Record of Greene County, Missouri Together with Biographies of Prominent Men of Other Portions of the State, Both Living and Dead is a biography of George J Biggs, a son of Moses Biggs and grandson of John Biggs. It FINALLY gives a solid answer to John's birthplace.  Written of Moses Allen Biggs (son of John):  "He was one of seven children born to John Biggs, who was a Virginian by birth, in which State he spent his entire life, his death occurring at the patriarchal age of ninety-two years and was his first and last sickness, which then lasted only three or four days. He was a worthy tiller of the soil, was a soldier in the Revolution and was under Gen. Washington. His father was also a Virginian, but of Scotch blood".  One discrepancy is that the age doesn't match with what John stated (age 70) in his 1821 pension statement.

2. - Two entries from Amherst County, Virginia in the Revolution: Including Extracts from the "Lost Order Book" 1773-1782 fit within the time frame of the ages of John's children, not to mention his wife Mary (however John and Mary were extremely common names): 

Sept 1781 "It Appearing to the Court that Mary Biggs and three helpless children the wife and children of John Biggs, Jr. a Soldier in the Continental Army is not of ability to support themselves it is ordered that they be furnished by one of the Commissarys of the Specie Tax of this County with four barrels of corn till the 18th day of May next it being one year and they are also allowed 50 pounds of net Port for Each person Amounting in the like to Two hundred weight". (page 455)  "Ordered that William Cabell Esq. furnish Mary Biggs and her children for the term of 18 months with four hundred weight of Beef out of the County Beef in his hands in lieu of two hundred weight of net Pork allowed the said Biggs by a former order of this present Court". (page 456)

One entry from The Cabells and Their Kin: A Memorial Volume of History, Biography, and Genealogy noted to have come from the diary of Col. William Cabell:

Oct 1781 "Delivered to John Biggs 200 lbs of drest pork in lieu of 400 lbs of beef allowed the wife and children of John Biggs, Jr., one of the 18 months drafts of the Militia of Amherst County". - I believe this means delivered to John Biggs, father of John Biggs, Jr

Amherst County 1783 - Listed in both the Tax List and Heads of Families - 1 white (male) >21, 1 cattle (Tax List);  Listed as John Bigge, Jr - 5 white souls in household (John, Mary, John III, Betsy, William - Heads of Families) 

Botetourt Co - May 1789, May 1790, May 1791, May 1792, 1793, Jun 1794, Mar 1795, May 1796 (listed as John Biggs, Sr), May 1797, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1809, 1810 (Tax List was done between March-May which explains how he could also be in the 1810 Giles County census which was most likely done in July or August) - his son, John III moved into his own household in 1796 as there are 2 John Biggs in the tax list

He appears in the VA census in 1810 in Giles County. In the 1812 and 1813 VA Tax Lists, he owned 3 horses. In 1815, he owned 4 horses, 5 cattle, and was living at Walkers Creek, Rye Hollow, Giles Co, VA. He was living with Mary in Pearisburg, Giles County in 1820.

"The Great Wagon Road" and "Wilderness Road"

John Biggs Sr, John Biggs Jr, John Biggs III, and Thomas (son of John, Jr) stayed in Virginia and West Virginia.  Moses and James (sons of John, Jr) moved onto Indiana and Missouri.

Click on the push pins and they will then bring up a "pop up" with the description of the location points.  You may also click on the links at the upper right
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and to move north, south, east, or west.

John Biggs, Junior - Life and Family

Military Service

I discovered several years ago that there is a Bacon's Bridge Road in Summerville, SC, just northwest of Charleston, SC. Bacon's Bridge was originally known as Steven's Bridge, and is located on the Ashley River north of Old Fort Dorchester, South Carolina, northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. It was made a public bridge on June 23, 1722. Michael Bacon later acquired the land on which the bridge stood, and was known after that as Bacon's Bridge. Old Fort Dorchester was a colonial town and is now part of the National Park Service. The original bridge is not in existence. The present concrete bridge has been moved upstream about 100 feet from the original site. It is said that there was an American headquarters at Bacon's Bridge, and that Patriot troops were stationed there. General Nathaniel Green wrote some correspondences from there. Bacon's Bridge Redoubt, an earthen fortification, is located near the bridge. It was built by General William Moultrie under orders from General Lincoln during the Revolutionary War. This information came from a historian from South Carolina, collected on July 31, 2000. More research will be done on this topic. This information comes from a sworn statement John gave at the Giles Co, VA courthouse, requesting a pension. He lost his discharge orders; therefore, he had to testify to and prove his service. He applied for the pension on March 18, 1821. The pension was for $8.00 a month, signed by J.C. Calhoun (pension # S37775).

Typical soldier of the 3rd Continental Line (page 180 of Loescher's Washington's Eyes - The Continental Light Dragoons

John's Pension Application Statement

John's Bounty Warrant

According to Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records, Volume 1 , a BLW was issued to John's son, Thomas Biggs, on February 19, 1828. Another reference from Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files - Volume 1: A-E states that Thomas Biggs, John's son, "applied for himself and other heirs on November 10, 1828 in Giles County, VA" for BLW #1421 for 100 acres. One interesting fact - according to the Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records, BLW #1421 was issued to an Elijha Smith. Much confusion surrounds the issue of these Bounty Land Warrants. Much more research shall be conducted to, hopefully, solve this mystery.

John's Will

Potential Connection 1 (Possible) - Another branch of the Biggs family lived in Ulster Co, NY area and arrived around 1655. I have been unable to make a connection between John and this branch. In American Families page 2561, the following is written:
"The founder of this family was John Biggs, a native of Worcester, England, who went to America as a soldier with Sir Richard Nicholls' expedition for the conquest of New Amsterdam in 1664. He is believed to have been a member of the Biggs family of Lenchwick and Norton, near Evansham, one of whom was Sir Thomas Bigg, knighted 23 July 1603".

Potential Connection 2 (Possible - Probably connected to the NY / Maryland Biggs Family) - A William Biggs died in 1806 in Monongalia Co, VA.  He is said to have come to America as a paid soldier of the British Crown and that he was one of seven brothers from County Clare, Ireland.  Researchers have been trying to connect his descendents to a Biggs branch from Frederick Co, Maryland.  For more information on this branch contact Maryland Henning.

*** It would be wonderful if we could manage to connect these different branches through the Biggs DNA Project.  Check it out if you are a Biggs researcher! *** Please follow the links on the INDEX PAGES to view text and clickable chart pedigrees.