Pioneer Of Region Victim Of Cancer

Mrs. Agnes Riggs Came to Lewiston 44 years Ago and Resided in Waha Section for Many years.

Mrs. Agnes Riggs, for 44 years a resident of the Lewiston region, died from cancer at St. Joseph's hospital yesterday morning at 2:25 o'clock.

A native of Derbyshire, England, she came to the United States when but a girl of 16 with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wheatcroft, and immediately came west, locating near Waha. On October 1, 1887, her marriage to George D. Riggs, one of the most prominent farmers of that section, took place, and from this union twelve children were born, nine of whom survive. Mr. Riggs died here March 16, 1920.

When first coming to Lewiston the city was but a struggling small town and the region where her parents resided was sparsely settled, but Mrs. Riggs lived to see the Tammany and Waha regions ones of many productive farms and fine homes, and Lewiston developed into a bustling city. In all affairs transpiring for the advancement of schools and churches in the rural section where she spent so many years, Mrs. Riggs played an important part, and much of the social life of the community centered about her home., Despite her continued sickness, Mrs. Riggs bore up bravely and to the end maintained the same fortitude that had marked her life in years past.

Mrs. Riggs was a devout member of the Catholic church, a member of the Altar society of St. Stanislaus parish and the Catholic Daughters of America.

She leaves six sons and three daughters, Sylvester Riggs, Thomas Riggs, George Riggs, Joseph Riggs, Albert Riggs, Willis Riggs and Annabelle Riggs, all of Lewiston; Mrs. Wayne Chandler of New York City, who recently visited her mother, and Mrs. Margaret Bursell of Spokane, who is here; four brothers, Thomas W. Wheatcroft, residing in Montana; Samuel Wheatcroft and Joseph Wheatcroft, both of this city, and John Wheatcroft, of Stites; one sister, Mrs. H. A. Canter, of Lewiston Orchards, and six grandchildren.

This afternoon at 4 o'clock a rosary service will be conducted at the Vassar chapel, where the body lies, by the Catholic Daughters of America and the Altar society.

Funeral services will be conducted by the Rev. Father Bruckert at St. Stanislaus church tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, interment to be in the Normal Hill cemetery.

Lewiston Morning Tribune
Saturday, March 2, 1929