THE MARRIAGE OF
Several years ago I was doing research in
The
following information is taken from the minutes of the Canteen Creek Baptist
Church:
4th Saturday in May 1821 - A letter of dismission was granted to Betsey Stewart
4th Saturday in November 1823 - The church appoints
Brother Stephen Rowe and Brother David Sample to cite Sister Betsy Stewart to
attend our next Church meeting. Signed by order of the Church - David Luthrell
4th Saturday in December 1823 - The brethern
that was appointed to cite Sister Stewart to attend this meeting made report
and the Church lays that case over till next Church meeting and appoints
Brother David Sample and Brother Stephen Rowe to cite her to attend our next
Church meeting.
Signed by order of the Church - Samuel Wood
4th Saturday in January 1824 - The
brethren that was appointed to cite Sister Betsy Stewart to attend made report
and the Sister being present. The church takes up her case and
excludes her for the sin of adultery in that she is married to another man and
her former husband still living.
Signed by order of the Church - Samuel Wood
4th
Saturday in May 1828 - We the United Baptist Church
of Jesus Christ at Canteen received Sister Elizabeth Stewart that we onst excluded by her requesting to live in the Church with
us if she could without hurting the Bretherings
feelings.
Signed by order of the Church - John F. Mills, Church Clk.
GEORGENIA:
On one roll Betsey Stewart's name has been crossed out and there is also
an indication that she has been excommunicated. Under the crossed out name of
Betsey Stewart is written Betsey Stewart (then some spaces) and the word Restord. I believe this is an indication that her
membership had been restored.
Others had felt this was a married name.
In any case her membership at some time was restored as she applies for
a letter of dismission in 1836.
4th Saturday of October 1836 -
Elizabeth Stewart aplys for letter of dismission which was granted.
Signed by order of the Church - Abraham V. Hoozer, Clk.
GEORGENIA: After I had a chance to
analyze this I called Joyce Lindstrom, who has done extensive research on the
Van Hooser's and Stewart’s. I asked her if it
were possible that our ggg grandmother Elizabeth Van Hoozer was the same Betsy Stewart spoken of in these
minutes. Was it possible that she had married again? From her information Joyce said that she did
not feel that this was our ancestor so I did not proceed with any further research.
A few years later I was sent a copy of the 1824 divorce petition of William
and Elizabeth Stewart. It was
signed by 52 men most of whom lived in Overton Co.,
The following is the petition for divorcement of William Stewart and Elizabeth
Stewart:
September 13, 1824,
To the Hournable venerable assemble of the State of
We your humble petitioner do petition to you honorable boddys
that your boddys do grant your petitonor
a bill of divorcement for a William Stewart and make it appear to your boddys in affidavit that Elizabeth Stewart the wife of Mr.
William Stewart was caught in notoriorez (the act of
adultery), and that I want your boddys to Grant me a
Bill of divorcement, affi?? Separation from her as we
have lived apart about seven yearz and that the
letter which will come to hand will prove to your boddy
that she haz made her calculation other ways and if I
wishd so to do that I may be prepared with the laws
and legally of my country.
Your humble petitioner - William Stewart
GEORGENIA: About a month ago, Eleanor
Halstead, a descendant of William and Elizabeth Stewart sent me this letter
from the
March
24, 1824
Dear William:
It is with some degree of concern of mine that I now embrace the opportunity of
writing to you to let you know that we are all well at present. Thanks be to God for his mercies. Hoping these few lines may find
you well. I received your letter of the 14 January, day before yesterday,
which gave much satisfaction to hear of your health and welfare and also to
hear of the health of the rest of my relations. You seem to express some
surprise because you have not got a letter from any of us and state that you
have wrote often. If this is the fact has not came to hand their has not been but one letter received from you to my
knowledge for years past. I do not know how many, which said letter came hand
last fall I believe. I felt some degree of dellicasy
in which an answer to you under the then
circumstances which any person must have were he placed under similar
situations. I shall endeavor to ??? thing of the grounds of ???????when
Betsy first came here and since she ??? been here from
first to last. She strove as her ??? a long arm to support herself and children ???credit as any person could have done. She not only
strove to but has supported them in credit. And as to her self I believe she
has been as well respected as any woman in the ???? While ????? but ????? tune ??????????? of course must be
the consequence with her as well as her friends if things remain as they
are. She was courted by a young man by the name of Riggin
who was hired at her fathers and married him but they did not live together
long before he left her. She thinks in consequence of the dread of the
law which is certainly very big? And which I expect ????in
force against them if they had remained ??together.
He is gone to the Sangamo Country. Whether he
will return or not I don't know but Betsy appears to
think that if she had a divorce from you that he would live with her
again. She has been very much distressed ever since he left her which has
been some six or eight weeks ago. I will merely state to you that if
Betsy had only a let me know that she had any notion of marrying I should have
interfered if possible. But there were none of her people knew anything
about it until within a day or two. And I knew nothing not how the least
thought of her keeping company with him til they were
married because they were both living on the same place. But it is done
and it cannot be recalled and I think the best way to remedy it would be for
you and Betsy to divorce each other. You requested me
??? letter you sent to me last fall to see to
your childrens welfare till they were sent back or
until you came after them. Which I certainly would have done
if they were not well treated. She did not then nor does not yet
intend to send ??? them
back, and as to my part I don't feel disposed to interfere in the case
because I know that it would almost distract her for them to be taken away from
her. I scarcely ever mention her situation ????????She
was very much eff ? the children that were at home. Cried very much. I asked them if they would be willing
to go be with their father but they said they would not go back. I have
not seen Riley since I received your letter. He is bound to the brick
laying trade to a man in their neighborhood. He has served something like
a year I suppose. Riley was a very rude boy but he has got a good master though
he has never corrected him yet, but he says he has been very much aggravated by
him. I think that if you were well settled and would take your boys and
bring them up to habits of industry and honesty and
give them schooling it would be a good thing. But if not you had better
leave them here where ???? will
be ???by than they ??? in
that ???without they were with some well settled
person as before observed. Betsy has sent the boys to school some and has
gave them a pretty smart start in learning. They
are now wanting a school which not doubt they will get
before long. I have made inquiry and find she has got plenty of meat ???to support upon for this season entirely of her own
industry. She has plenty for ?? makes
butter plenty for sale. She sold upwards of two hundred dollars last
season. ?? seem to reflect on Betsy for ??? the children a w?? without your
leave and say ??? She promised their ?? would not. I spoke to her on the subject. She
says she does not remember saying so and adds that if it
???fact that she did tell you so that she might ?? considered herself at liberty to ??????????????????????? or
two and bread and meat for their support and instead of doing so you never made
you appearance in Overton during the time she stayed there or even provided
anything for them. Now sir if this is the fact, I think myself that she
was not to blame for to go where she could support her children the
easiest. I must conclude for the want of room.
John Howard and Jane
To Wm Stewart
PS I wrote one letter to A. H. Matthews, stating specifically the
circumstances respecting his fathers death. I also sent one in or to his
last which contained a piece of a newspaper which had General Ashley's statement
of the battle. In it the first one contained the money
?? five dollars in a bank note the bank not
recollected. Both of the letters I suppose has been miscarried. Wm.
Williamson was the man that was by his side when he was shott.
Both were swimming in the river to get to the boat. There was 14 or 15
men were killed at the same time other ???. I
shall write to Abraham ?? shortly.
Give my respects to all those who inquire after me. I am your ?? John Howard
GEORGENIA: So basically what this letter states is that
William abandon Elizabeth and the four boys while living in Overton Co.,
GEORGENIA: I did a search on Illinois
Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 there was the
record of her Oct 25, 1823 marriage to a Right Riggin.
RIGGIN,
RIGHT
STEWARD,
BETSEY
10/25/1823
Volume/page #006/0012 License 00000454 County,
MADISON
So
who was this Right Riggin? I went to the Madison Co.,
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The following is taken from Ancestry.com
· ID: I0455
· Name: Right RIGGINS
· Sex: M
· Birth: 5 AUG 1802 in
· Death: WFT Est. 1852-1894
· Note:
Bureau of Land Management
found on the Internet:
Illinois Land Purchases
Purchaser: RIGGINS RIGHT Record ID: 4789 Date: 06/19/1835 Acres: 92.62 Price:
$1.25 Type of sale: Federal sale (FD) County: 34 Section: 18 Section Part: E2SW
Township:
Purchaser: RIGGINS RIGHT Record ID: 11039 Date: 06/13/1835 Acres: 178.17 Price:
$1.25 Type of sale: Federal sale (FD) County: 34 Section: 19 Section Part: NW
Township:
Purchaser: RIGGINS RIGHT Record ID: 19796 Date: 10/31/1835 Acres: 44.96 Price:
$1.25 Type of sale: Federal sale (FD) County: 34 Section: 19 Section Part:
Purchaser: RIGGINS RIGHT Record ID: 24208 Date: 02/03/1836 Acres: 45.39 Price:
$1.25 Type of sale: Federal sale (FD) County: 34 Section: 18 Section Part:
1840 Hamilton County, Illinois Census, pg. 203
Right Riggins, 1 male under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 1
female 5-10, 1 female 30-40
1850 Hancock County Illinois Census, pg 433
Right Riggins, 48, m, farmer, $6000, SC
Lucinda, 43, f, TN
John W., 17, m, IL
William, 16, m, IL
Alvina, 12, f, IL
Lafayette, 9, m, IL
Mary E, 7, f, IL
Emma, 5, f, IL
James M, 1, m, IL
1860 Hancock County, Illinois Census, pg. 977
Rigan, Wright, 65, m, farmer, $10,000, $300, TN ?
Lucinda, 33 ?, f, VA
Anna ?, 17, f, IL
Lafayette, 16, m, IL
1870 Hancock County Illinois Census, pg. 202
Riggins, Wright, 65, m, w, retired, $12000, $1000, KY
Lucinda, 58, f, VA
Eliza, 17, f, IL
Father: William David RIGGINS b: ABT. 1750 in
Virginia/North
Marriage 1 Betsey STEWARD b: WFT Est. 1786-1810
- Married:
25 OCT 1823 in
Marriage 2 Mary BRADSHAW b: WFT Est. 1790-1816
- Married:
ABT. 1827 in
Children
1.
Lucinda RIGGINS b: 3 OCT 1828 in
2.
John Henry RIGGINS b: 31 AUG 1832 in La Harpe,
3.
William Jefferson RIGGINS b: 15 DEC 1836 in
4.
Alivina\Alvisa RIGGINS b: ABT. 1838 in
5.
Marquis De LaFayette
RIGGINS b: ABT.
1841 in
6.
Mary Ellen RIGGINS b: 1 OCT 1842 in
Marriage 3 Lucinda SMIDDY b: ABT. 1807 in
- Married:
2 MAR 1845 in
Children
1.
James Monroe RIGGINS b: 14 JUN 1849
2.
Emma RIGGINS b: 1846 in La Harpe,
3.
Eliza RIGGINS b: 1851 in La Harpe,