Family Group Sheet
NameMr. Riggen (?)
Unmarried
PartnerElizabeth S. Smoot
Birthabt 1843, Fleming Co., Kentucky
FatherReuben Smoot (~1806-<1900)
MotherSarah A. Glover (~1810-<1880)
Children
Birthabt 1866, Fleming Co., Kentucky
3 MBannie Bascom Smoot (Tentative Link)
Birth26 Mar 1875, Fleming Co., Kentucky
Death2 Feb 1956, Fleming Co., Kentucky
SpouseVina R. Lathram
SpouseBarbara Alice Johnson
Census Notes for Elizabeth S. Smoot
1870 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 10 Aug, lists on p. 32 as family #220/217:
Smoot, Rheuben, 70, farmer; Sarah, 60; Amanda, 30; Wm H., 29; Elizabeth S., 27; Nancy B., 24; Wm H., 21; Lacey B., 17; Mason, Florence, 12; Riggen, James, 7; Geo Ann, 4. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 3 June, lists on p. 5 as family #38:
Smoot, Reuben, 80, widowed, farmer, b. Ky Va Va; Elizabeth, 34, dau, single; Solomon L., 26, son, single; James, 15, grandson; Banny D., 6, grandson. All except Reuben born Ky Ky Ky.
From his death certificate, James age 15 is the son of Elizabeth, born out of wedlock. (The death certificate and later censuses give him the middle initial R and report a birthdate in 1863.) I strongly suspect he is the same child recorded as James Riggen age 7 in 1870, because besides being in the same household with Elizabeth in both years, there is no other match for James Smoot that age in 1870, nor any match for James Riggen in later censuses. (There is a James A. Smoot son of Leander and Narcisssa Smoot, but he appears with his parents in both 1870 and 1880.)
The preceding household (#37) is headed by a widowed William H. Smoot, age 37, who would be the son of Reuben listed as age 10 in 1850, 20 in 1860 and 29 in 1870. With him is Georgeann Smoot age 14 reported as his daughter, although I suspect she is really his niece and the same child listed as Geo Ann Riggen in 1870, because if she were William’s daughter she would be unlikely to have the surname Riggen in 1870. (It is conceivable that she was born out of wedlock to a Riggen mother and raised with her father’s family, but then it would be far too much of a coincidence for James Riggen Smoot to be Elizabeth’s son but George Ann [Riggen] Smoot not to be her daughter.)
The following household is headed by a widow Mary Ann Smoot, age 44, with three daughters. From comparison with earlier censuses, Mary is the widow of Woodville “Wood” Smoot, neither of them being a child of Reuben’s, so she is unlikely to be the mother of any of his grandchildren.
So Banny is very probably Elizabeth’s son as well, although it is possible that he was born to William H. Smoot and some unknown wife.
Smoot, Rheuben, 70, farmer; Sarah, 60; Amanda, 30; Wm H., 29; Elizabeth S., 27; Nancy B., 24; Wm H., 21; Lacey B., 17; Mason, Florence, 12; Riggen, James, 7; Geo Ann, 4. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 3 June, lists on p. 5 as family #38:
Smoot, Reuben, 80, widowed, farmer, b. Ky Va Va; Elizabeth, 34, dau, single; Solomon L., 26, son, single; James, 15, grandson; Banny D., 6, grandson. All except Reuben born Ky Ky Ky.
From his death certificate, James age 15 is the son of Elizabeth, born out of wedlock. (The death certificate and later censuses give him the middle initial R and report a birthdate in 1863.) I strongly suspect he is the same child recorded as James Riggen age 7 in 1870, because besides being in the same household with Elizabeth in both years, there is no other match for James Smoot that age in 1870, nor any match for James Riggen in later censuses. (There is a James A. Smoot son of Leander and Narcisssa Smoot, but he appears with his parents in both 1870 and 1880.)
The preceding household (#37) is headed by a widowed William H. Smoot, age 37, who would be the son of Reuben listed as age 10 in 1850, 20 in 1860 and 29 in 1870. With him is Georgeann Smoot age 14 reported as his daughter, although I suspect she is really his niece and the same child listed as Geo Ann Riggen in 1870, because if she were William’s daughter she would be unlikely to have the surname Riggen in 1870. (It is conceivable that she was born out of wedlock to a Riggen mother and raised with her father’s family, but then it would be far too much of a coincidence for James Riggen Smoot to be Elizabeth’s son but George Ann [Riggen] Smoot not to be her daughter.)
The following household is headed by a widow Mary Ann Smoot, age 44, with three daughters. From comparison with earlier censuses, Mary is the widow of Woodville “Wood” Smoot, neither of them being a child of Reuben’s, so she is unlikely to be the mother of any of his grandchildren.
So Banny is very probably Elizabeth’s son as well, although it is possible that he was born to William H. Smoot and some unknown wife.
