Joseph Riggs

Joseph — Leah Cosad. Leah was born 08 Jul 1743; died 27 Feb 1827. [Group Sheet]

Elizabeth — Enoch Hankins. Enoch was born 1783. [Group Sheet]

Edward married Mary Higbee 1785, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. Mary (daughter of Obadiah Higby and Anna Brower) was born 1764; died 1853. [Group Sheet]

John — Sophia Van Wickle. [Group Sheet]

Lewis — Ida Bergen. Ida died 05 Aug 1847. [Group Sheet]

Hannah married Elijah Davis 1802. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 30 Sep 1804, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

Helena married Anthony Appelget 20 Jan 1825, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. Anthony (son of Thomas Appleget and Sarah Baird) was born 26 Jan 1802, New Jersey, USA; died 06 Mar 1890, Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA; was buried 10 Mar 1890, Brainerd Cemetery, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. [Group Sheet]

Marie married John Chamberlin 1829. [Group Sheet]

Elias — Rachel Baird. Rachel (daughter of David Baird and Mary Edwards) was born 07 Sep 1812. [Group Sheet]

Catherine married John Duncan 1834. [Group Sheet]

George — Lydia Hampton. [Group Sheet]

George — Sarah Perrine. [Group Sheet]

William — Cornelia Ann Mount. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B1
• Baptism: 04 Jun 1826, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

Cornelia — ? ?. [Group Sheet]

Cornelia — Stephen Thomas Box. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B2
• Baptism: 13 Jul 1828, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B3

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B4

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B5
• Baptism: 13 Jan 1833, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

Notes:

Hon. Thomas Appelget

Thomas Appelget was born 22 November 1832 in New Jersey, most likely in Monroe Township, Middlesex County. His father was Anthony Applegate, born in 1802 and his mother was Anthony’s first wife, Helena Riggs.

We have little knowledge of his early life. One biographical write up from his later days in Nebraska, states he went to the Williston Seminary in Massachusetts at the age of 18 (about 1841) and that he read law under Judge Van Dyke. I have been unable to confirm these claims.

He married Helen Voorhees on 1 March 1855 in Windsor, New Jersey.

In 1856, he was commissioned as a justice of the peace for Middlesex County, New Jersey. I have his commission with the date and the state seal on it.

His first child, Anthony M Appelget, was born on 15 Jun 1857, in Princeton, New Jersey. This birthplace may be incorrect; it seems more likely Anthony was born in either Mercer or Middlesex counties where the Applegates had farmed for more than a century. This is consistent with Thomas being a justice of the peace for Middlesex County.

On 27 August 1862, Thomas volunteered for the Civil War and joined the 28th New Jersey Volunteers. He enlisted for nine months; received a warrant as adjutant; and, at the very end, a commission as second lieutenant. He was honorably discharged on 6 July, 1863--although he had actually been back in New Jersey since 19 June 1863. As adjutant, he spent several days writing out the discharges for the rest of the regiment. According to his diary/day book, he was allowed to do this at home rather than at regimental headquarters in Freehold, New Jersey.

Thomas’s day book shows he worked on his father’s farm for the rest of of August 1863. He harvested and shipped peaches and cut oats. The entries stop after August and resume at the end of November 1863. In December 1863, Thomas began recording transactions that seem related to selling cider and whiskey. Finally, the entry on 28 December 1863, shows the cost of a trip to New York.

Thomas had more than a passing interest in cider. On 20 November 1866, he received a patent for an “Improvement in Cider Mills”. The improvement was the replacement of various canvas belts and rollers with metal plates and chains to prevent slippage.

He was admitted to practice law in New Jersey on 24 February, 1870. I also have this document with the dated and the state seal on it.

Shortly after this (before October 4, 1870, when his sister Helen wrote him a letter), Thomas left New Jersey for Tecumseh, Nebraska. On 29 July 1870, his son Anthony was living in the home of Thomas’s father Anthony in Monroe Township, Middlesex County, as shown by Anthony’s census entry. By references in the letter, it is clear son Anthony had joined his mother and father in Nebraska by the beginning of October, 1870.

Upon arriving in Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska in 1870, Thomas opened a law office and commenced to practice. At some point we was appointed county attorney.

In 1887, Thomas was appointed a judge of the District Court (First Judicial District). In 1878, we was elected to the same post, which held for several years.

In 1892, Thomas applied for a disability pension for his Civil War service. He claimed he was “unable to earn support by manual labor by reason of Hernia, or rupture, and Rhumatism. That said disabilities are not due to his vicious habits, and are to the best of his knowledge and belief of a permanent character.” He claimed that “immediately after the battle on return to camp on the morning of December 16th 1862 he discovered for the first time that he was slightly ruptured on the right side. But not deeming it serious said nothing about it for about two weeks afterward. But at the end of that time finding that it continued to grow worse, he reported the fact to Doc William S Newell at that time surgeon of the regiment who instructed him to procure a truss.” The claim was rejected on 20 June 1893, on the grounds the hernia was not sufficiently severe to prevent him from earning a living.

On 21 January 1895, Thomas made his will:

In the name of God, Amen. I, Thomas Appelget of Tecumseh, Johnson County, State of Nebraska, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say:
?First. It my wi11 and I do order that all of my, just debts and funeral expenses be first paid out of my estate, as soon as conveniently can be done after my decease.
Item- I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Thomas C. Appelget my sword belt and sash that I wore and used during the war of the rebellion.
Item- If my Grandson Thomas C. Appelget shall select and adopt the profession of law as his business, then and in that case I give and bequeath unto him my law library. But if he does not so adopt the legal profession as his calling or business, then my law library, shall be disposed of in all respects the same as my other personal property.
Item- I give and bequeath unto my Son Anthony M. Appelget One Thousand dollars.
Item- I give and bequeath unto my wife Hellen A. Appelget all of my household goods of every kind and description.
Item- I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary E. Appelget one third of all of my property both real and personal, subject however to the bequests made to Thomas C. Appelget and Hellen A. Appelget as above specified. Item-I give and bequeath unto my wife Hellen A. Appelget one third of my property, real and personal, subject however to the bequests above named as having been made to Thomas C. Appelget and Hellen A. Appelget.
Item-I give and bequeath unto my four Grandchildren Thomas C. Appelget, Harry E. Appelget, Abby M. Appelget and Frederick Appelget, in equal shares, share and share alike one third of all my property both real and personal, subject however to the bequests above named and having been made to Thomas C. Appelget and Hellen A. Appelget and all subject to the bequests above made to their Father Anthony M. Appelget. It being my intention that the said four grandchildren above named shall have one third of my estate, less the one thousand dollars bequeathed to their Father and also less the bequests made to Thomas C. Appelget and the household goods bequeath to my wife.
--Lastly.? I hereby appoint my beloved wife Hellen A. Appelget sole executrix of this my last will and testament and I do hereby order that she shall not be required to give bonds as such Executrix. My said Executrix is hereby authorized and empowered to sell any and all of my real estate and personal property at such times and in such manner as she shall deem for the best interest of my estate.
--Witness my hand this 21st day of January, 1895.
Thomas Appelget

Thomas died on 19 May 1897 in Tecumseh, Nebraska and is buried there. He was survived by his son Anthony and his daughter Mary.

Thomas married Helen A Voorhees 01 Mar 1855, Windsor, New Jersey, USA. Helen was born Sep 1830, Hightstown, Mercer County, New Jersey, USA; died 03 May 1902, Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Voress Number: 5A1C1B6
• Residence: Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA
• Residence: 1850, Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

Helena — Elijah Brown. Elijah was born 06 Aug 1815, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA; died 25 Jan 1891, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. [Group Sheet]

Helena married Henry Luther Dey 26 Feb 1856, First Presbyterian Church, Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. [Group Sheet]

Ida — Charles H Perrine. [Group Sheet]