The following information is excerpted from my book, The Rigdon Family Album, Hillbillies Down Home In America
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 was 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)