HISTORY: Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia, Chapter 7, Wiggins, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm _______________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 151-152. _______________________________________________________________ THE FAMILY OF WIGGINS. I. JOHN WIGGINS, son of James and Jean Wiggins, was born about 1680 in the north of Ireland. He came to America about 1738, locating in Paxtang. His name appears on the first assessment list of the North End of Paxtang for 1749. He died in February, 1762, his will being probated the month following. He left a wife Mary (probably a Barnett) and children as follows: i. James, b. 1706. ii. Jean, b. 1708. iii. Martha, b. 1710. iv. Margaret, b. 1712. 2. v. John, b. 1714; m. Elizabeth _____. vi. Agnes, b. 1716; m. Thomas Maguire and had a daughter Sarah. At this time it seems as if his youngest children, John and Agnes, with his wife, were the only members of his family in America, for in the disposition of his estate he directs that the other children were to have their share "if they come to this country." It is probable they came, and afterwards went with the tide of Scotch-Irish immigration southward, as the name appears in Virginia and the Carolinas. II. JOHN WIGGINS (John, James), born in Ireland, in 1714; came to America with his parents, and remained on the parental farm. He d. June 12, 1794. He m. Elizabeth _____, b. in 1716; d. June 5, 1784. they are both interred in Paxtang graveyard. Their children were: i. Thomas, b. 1746; d. August 1798. He studied medicine, and served in the war of the Revolution. Was surgeon of the New Eleventh, Pennsylvania Line, Col. Thomas Hartley, commissioned July 1, 1778. Owing to ill health, due to the previous exposure in the service, he resigned January 23, 1780. ii. John, b. 1748; d. October 21, 1830, in Northumberland county. It is said that when a young man he was attacked by a panther on his way home from Paxtang church, and killed the animal with his fists, although he bore the marks of its claws all his life. iii. Elizabeth, b. 1750. iv. James, b. 1782; d. June, 1805, unm., bequeathing his estate to his surviving brother and sisters. 152 HISTORICAL REVIEW v. Jean, b. 1754; m., in 1777, Dr. William Simonton. vi. Margaret, b. 1756; m., March 20, 1787, James Henderson. vii. Mary, b. 1758; m. John, brother of Dr. William Simonton, who had deceased prior to 1805, leaving a son Thomas. viii. Agnes, b. 1760; m. William, son of William and Isabella Brandon, of Hanover, who had deceased prior to 1805, leaving sons, Thomas and James, and daughter Ann, m. James, son of David Pettigrew, who left Hanover about 1792.