RIGDON

John (1809)
Marthenia (1811)
Margaret (1816)
Enoch Miles (1821)

The 1830 Georgia census lists Berry in Appling County. There were 2 males <10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 40-50, 2 females < 5, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 40-50. There may have been 2 others from the census records of 1830. After Sarah's death, he married Mary Taylor (1805) about 1823. She was the daughter of John and Mary Taylor. They had the following children, born in Appling County, GA:

Thomas Sylvester (1824)
William Dixon (1825)
Sarah Ann Jane (1827)
Elijah (1831)
Berry George (1838)
Jordan (1840)
Sytha (Sitha??) (1842)
Martha A. P. (1843)
Lucinda (Linda??) (1847)

The census shows him in Appling County in 1830, 1840, and 1850. The 1850 census shows he was a farmer who owned 100 acres of land. During the 1850's however he moved with his wife and some of their children to Irwin County where they located in the portion now Tift County, near the present village of Chula. He died there about 1865.

Thomas Sylvester Rigdon (1824 - Jul. 22, 1862)

Thomas was the son of Berry S. (1787) and Mary Taylor (1805) Rigdon. He was born in Appling County, GA. He married Rebecca Webb (Aug. 14, 1828), Dec. 18, 1845 in Camden County, GA. They had eight children:

William (1847),
Eliza A. (1850),
Mary A. (1851),
Berry S. (Apr. 12, 1852),
Lydia Ann (Aug. 30, 1851),
Martha Ann (Feb. 15, 1855),
John A. (Feb. 15, 1858),
Sarah A. (1860).

The first four children were born in Appling County, GA. Lydia and Martha were born in Tift County, GA. John and Sarah were born in Irwin County, GA.

The 1850 Georgia Census lists Thomas, his wife Rebecca Webb 24, and 1 daughter, Eliza A , age 1. He is also listed in the 1860 Irwin County, Georgia census.

The 1850 census shows that Thomas had a 50 acre farm in Appling County, GA. Thomas moved from Appling County to Irwin County about 1855 and settled in the present Chula district, a section of Irwin cut into Tift County in 1905. He was a member of the Irwin County Grand Jury in the April term 1858. He bought a farm and lived there until shortly before his death. The 1860 Irwin County, GA census shows the family there. He enlisted in Co. "F", 49th Georgia Volunteer Regiment, Confederate Army, and died of disease while in the service. (Ref. RCSG 5:250) Thomas died in Lynchburg, VA of dehydration caused by an extended bout with diarrhea. His widow reared the children to maturity and lived on the home place until her death May 1, 1899. She is buried at Zion Hope Church, Tift County.

Zion Hope Church was founded in 1859, thirteen years before Tifton was settled. The first services were held in a log building on land given by Thomas. Today, Zion Hope Baptist Church is a thriving Southern Baptist Church on a beautiful site overlooking two lakes. Ed Rigdon owns 250 acres of the old homesite northeast of the church property. While preparing this book, I met up with Ed one Saturday morning. He was in his back yard fishing in a little 8 acre pond and must have caught 20 little bream during the hour or so while we chatted. Ed has some domestic ducks (a nuisance) who call the pond home, and there were also a pair of wild geese, a pair of mallards, and a pair of wild wood ducks competing for the fish. The farm today is primarily part of the Georgia Agricultural Experimental Station just north of Tifton and there is a large billboard type sign near the Agrirama which says, "Rigdon Farm - State of GA Experimental Station. The state has recreated an old 1800's style homestead and visitors can see just what if was like for Thomas and Rebecca to live and work the old homestead. The Agrirama is located right on Interstate 75 north of Tifton and the farm stretches several miles north of there.

Rebecca (Webb) Rigdon (Aug 14, 1828 - May 1, 1899)

Rebecca was the wife of Thomas Sylvester Rigdon of Irwin (now Tift) County. They were married, Dec. 18, 1845 in Camden County, GA. They had eight children:

William (1847),
Eliza A. (1850),
Mary A. (1851),
Berry S. (Apr. 12, 1852),
Lydia Ann (Aug. 30, 1851),
Martha Ann (Feb. 15, 1855),
John A. (Feb. 15, 1858),
Sarah A. (1860).

Rebecca was the daughter of Levi Webb of Ware County, GA. After Thomas died of disease while serving in the Confederate army, she reared the children to maturity and lived on the home place until her death, May 1, 1899. She is buried at Zion Hope Church, Tift County. The inscription on her gravestone reads:

Kind Angels watch her sleeping dust
Till Jesus come to raise the just
Then may she wake with sweet surprise
And in her Saviour's image rise.

Zion Hope Church was founded in 1859, thirteen years before Tifton was settled. The first services were held in a log building on land given by Thomas S. Rigdon. Also buried in the family plot there at Zion Hope are: Alice Rigdon Rimmer (8 DEC 1899)
John (15 FEB 1851)
Mary Ann Sylvania (Summers)
Infant Son (14 JUL 1926)
William (2 DEC 1886)
Mary Emma (25 JUN 1899)
Lewis (25 JUL 1902)
Berry (9 AUG 1885)

John Rigdon (1851/1858?)

John married Mary Ann Sylvania Summers. They had the following children:

Berry Rigdon (Aug. 9, 1885 - Aug. 4, 1985)

Johnny R. Rigdon (1857 - ??)

The 1910 Tift County, GA census lists Johnny and his wife, Sylvania, age 48. They had 9 children:

Mary J. (1890)
Wesley (1893)
Johnnie, Jr. (1895)
Hansel (1896)
Henry 1898
Alice 1900
Lewis 1902
Tom S. 1886
William (1887)

Berry Rigdon (Aug. 9, 1885 - Aug. 4, 1985)

Berry was born in Tift County, GA, the son of John (Feb. 15, 1851/1858?) and Mary Ann Sylvania (Summers) Rigdon. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Tifton, GA. He married first, Louise Toney. He married second Luna Baker of Tifton. She was the daughter of Judge Joseph Jackson and Nancy (Taylor) Rigdon. They had 5 children:

Jack Berry (ca. 1915)
Frank Leonard (ca. 1917)
Fred Warren (Jan. 10, 1919)
Sarah Florence (Towson) (ca. 1921)
Nancy (White) (ca 1923)

Berry was born on a small farm in Tift County, GA. He left school at approximately the 8th grade. He initially worked at his father's cotton gin, then worked as a cotton buyer, and eventually became involved in the turpentining business and other financial affairs. He was director of the First National Bank of Tifton. At his financial peak prior to the depression, he was the owner of approximately 38 farms, totalling some 8,000 or 9,000 acres of land, was director of the bank, owned a dairy, hotel, and approximately 12 turpentine stills. Berry survived the depression by becoming a land developer and timber grower.

Berry was a member of the First Baptist Church of Tifton, GA and noted locally for his generosity to numerous relatives, and people with hard luck. He contributed liberally to many individuals education including many blacks in the community. He was also known as a friend of black and white alike and treated everyone fairly and dealt generously with his many employees throughout his entire life.

Berry died just five days short of his hundredth birthday. He is buried in Zion Hope Church Cemetery in Tifton, GA.

REF: SSDI# 260-22-3824 GA

Luna (Baker) Rigdon (18 OCT 1891 - ?? SEP 1986)

Luna was the daughter of Judge Joseph Jackson and Nancy (Taylor) Baker of Tifton, GA. She was baptised in the First Baptist Church of Tifton, GA. She married Berry Rigdon (Aug. 9, 1885). They had 5 children: Jack Berry (ca. 1915)
Frank Leonard (ca. 1917)
Fred
Warren (Jan. 10, 1919)
Sarah Florence (Towson) (ca. 1921)
Nancy (White) (ca 1923)

Luna is buried in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Tifton, GA.

LUNA's last residence was in Tifton, Tift County, GA.

REF: SSDI# 252-46-8236 GA

WESLEY RIGDON (05 May 1892 - ?? Dec 1982)

WESLEY's last residence was in Tifton, Tift County, GA.

REF: SSDI# 258-58-9897 GA

Hancel Leonard Rigdon (Mar. 30, 1895 - 1962)

Hancel was the son of John A. (1851) and Mary Ann (Summers) Rigdon (1862). He married Mary Magdalene Whiddon (1891), Dec. 25, 1916 in Tift County, GA. They had 5 children:

Hodges Kenneth (Sep. 1, 1918)
Orville Robert (Apr. 5, 1921)
Mary Kathryn (Mar. 14, 1923)
Leonard Stephens (Jul. 26, 1925)
Betty Ruth (Oct. 30, 1928).

MARY RIGDON (25 Jun 1899 - ?? Dec 1972)

MARY's last residence was in Tifton, Tift County, GA.

REF: SSDI# 253-42-7773 GA

Lewis A. Rigdon (Jul. 25, 1902 - May 30, 1959)

Lewis was the son of John (1858) and Mary Ann (Summers) (1862) Rigdon. He owned a motor lodge in Unadilla, GA in 1975. He is buried in Zion Hope Cemetery, north of Tifton, GA.

Frank Leonard Rigdon (ca. 1917 - ??)

Frank was the son of Berry and Luna (Baker) Rigdon. He married Annette Bradford in Tifton, GA.

Hodges Kenneth Rigdon (Sep. 1, 1918 - )

Hodges was the first man from Ware County to receive a Purple Heart citation in World War II. He was one of the most active citizens of the Folkston, GA area in its lodge, fraternal, and club life. He began his business career as assistant manager of North American Loan Company. He was vice president and director of the Boram Manufacturing Corporation of Folkston, GA, a boat manufacturer. He was also engaged in one of the newest business activities to develop during the middle twentieth century, the operation of motels. He moved around a great deal after the war, managing, buying, and selling restaurants and motels before settling down in Folkston.

Hodges was born in Tift County, GA, the son of Hancel Leonard Rigdon (1895), and Mary Magdeline (Whiddon) Rigdon (1891), both of Tift County. He graduated from Wacona High School at Waycross and from South Georgia College with the class of 1938. Hodges served with the United States Army Air Force in the Philippine and South Pacific campaigns of World War II.

He was director of the Charlton Development Corporation, a democrat and president of the States Rights Council, and Parent-Teacher Association. He was a member of the Men's Better Business Club, American Legion, Woodmen of the World, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Waycross GA Lodge No. 369, the Lions Club of Folkston, the Masonic Lodge, vice president of the Satilla Shrine Club, representative to the Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for the Alee Temple in Savannah, a member of Royal Arch Masons, Camden Chapter No. 121, the R. J. Nunn Consistory in Savannah, a member of Free and Accepted Masons, Folkston Lodge No. 196 of Eastern Star, and a 32nd Degree Mason, Scottish Rite. On top of all of that he was a methodist.

Hodges married Sarah Louise Watson (Apr. 5, 1948) on Sep. 19, 1948 at the Hebardville Methodist Church in Waycross, GA. She was born Apr. 5, 1928, the daughter of Jesse Hall Watson and Berta Lucretia (Tomlinson) Watson. They had six children: Pamela Louise Rigdon (Sep. 21, 1950) at Reynolds, GA, Mary Kathleen "Kay" Rigdon (Dec. 21, 1952) at Waycross, GA, Russell Kenneth Rigdon (Nov. 4, 1954) at Waycross, GA, Leonard "Hall" Rigdon (Mar. 12, 1957) at Waycross, GA, Sara-Ann Rigdon (Nov. 4, 1963) at Ashburn, GA and Richard Hodges Rigdon (Oct. 14, 1965) at Ashburn, GA.

REF: Georgia's Coastal Plain

Fred Warren Rigdon, Sr. (Jan. 10, 1919)
Fred was the son of Berry and Luna (Baker) Rigdon. He was born in Tifton, GA. I have 3 "Berry's" who lived in south GA during this time and I don't know at this time which one was Fred's father. He married Martha Jeanette Williams (Sep. 1, 1922) in Cordele GA. She is the daughter of Dr. Loron Earl and Eddie Eilene (Sheppard) Williams of Cordele, Crisp County, GA. They have two children: Fred W., Jr. (May 29, 1948) and Steven W. (Jan. 28, 1952). Both of the children were born in Tifton, GA.
Fred graduated from Tift County High Shool and graduated from the University of GA with a degree in Agriculture. He served in the United States Naval Air Corps in the south Pacific in WW II. He was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a Naval Air Rescue Pilot, and by the time he was returned from the service, he had rescued more downed pilots than any other pilot in the Naval Air Corps. After the war he was involved in agriculture, timber growing, and as a sales executive for International Mineral and Chemical Corp. He is a member of the First Baptist Church.

Orville Robert Rigdon (Apr. 5, 1921 - )

Orville is the son of Hancel Leonard (1895) and Mary Magdelene (Whiddon) Rigdon (1898). He was born in Tift County, GA. Sarah Florence (Rigdon) Towson (ca. 1921 - ??)

Sarah was the daughter of Berry (Aug. 9, 1885) and Luna Baker Rigdon. She married Spec Towson in Tifton, GA. She died in Gainesville, GA.

Nancy (Rigdon) White (ca. 1923)

Nancy was the daughter of Berry (09 AUG 1885) and Luna Baker Rigdon. She was born in Tifton, GA. She married James White.

Fred Warren Rigdon, Jr. (May 29, 1948)

Fred is the son of Fred Warren (Jan. 10, 1919) and Martha (Williams). Rigdon. He was born in Tifton, GA. He married Lydia Haman. They have one daughter, Abigail Mallory.

Fred attended Tift County High School and graduated from Berry College. He practiced as an attorney in private practice in Tifton, GA and is now Juvenile Court Judge of Tift. County. He is noted for his work with young people of the city through coaching, church activities, etc. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Tifton, GA.

Steven Williams Rigdon, MD (Jan. 28, 1952)

Steven is the son of Fred Warren, Jr. (May 29, 1948) and Martha Jeannette (Williams) Rigdon. He was born in Tifton, GA and married Jeannie Dee Godley of Clemson, SC on Dec. 1, 1979. She is the daughter of Dr. W. Cecil and Alice (Hogarth) Godley of Clemson, SC. They have two children: Alice Williams (Jun. 29, 1981) and David Godley (Dec. 15, 1983).

Steven attended Tift County High School and graduated from Emory College and Emory Medical School. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Society. Steven completed internal medicine residence in Charlotte, NC. He is president of the Tifton, GA Medical Clinic, member of St. Anne's Episcopal Church, past member of the vestry, founding president of Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence and founding president of Tifton Heritage Foundation. He is actively involved in practicing internal medicine in Tifton, GA.