Matthew Biggins Biography


	This biography appears on page 1846 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	MATTHEW BIGGINS is a native of the Emerald Isle, having been born 
in County Cavan, on the 17th of September, 1835, and being a son of 
representatives of stanch old Irish stock. The mother died in Ireland, 
and her husband afterward came with his children to the United States, 
locating in the city of Philadelphia. In that city our subject 
completed his educational discipline while in his boyhood he also 
learned the trade of shoemaking. In 1861 Mr. Biggins gave evidence of 
his intrinsic loyalty to the Union by enlisting for service in the war 
of the Rebellion. Mr. Biggins remained in active service for a period 
of four years, within which time he participated in many important 
battles. After the close of the war he returned to Pennsylvania, where 
he followed his trade, having in the meanwhile become a member of a 
Pennsylvania regiment of old soldiers, known as the Veteran Reserves, 
which enlisted as a portion of the regular army. It was sent to the 
territory of Dakota, and here Mr. Biggins continued in the army service 
for several years. He took up a homestead claim near Wheeler, Charles 
Mix county, having ever since retained possession of this property, to 
which he acquired title, as did many other soldiers who secured land in 
this locality, through a special act of congress, the land being 
originally known as the Fort Randall military reservation. For some 
time Mr. Biggins had charge of the mess house of the Crow Creek Indian 
reservation, since which time he has given his attention to the 
management of his fine farm. In politics he is a Republican, and he is 
a communicant of the Catholic church, as are also the members of his 
family.

	Mr. Biggins was united in marriage to Miss Deborah McGrath, who 
was likewise born in Ireland, and they became the parents of eleven 
children.