The Rigby Family
Isaac Rigby was born in 1765 in England and came to North America as the private secretary of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (later to be the father of Queen Victoria.) Isaac married Rachel Rudolf/Rudolph (May 22, 1773- January 3, 186) in 1791 and they had 11 children
- Samuel Rigby, b. 1793
- John Rigby, b. 1795
- Isaac Rigby, b. 1798
- Christina Elizabeth (Christiann) Rigby, b. May 1801, at 1 1/2 years.
- George Thomas Rigby, b 1803, died 1803
- Edward Rigby, b. 1805
- Charles Henry Rigby, b. 1807
- George Rigby, b. 1809
- Prevost Frederick Rigby, b. 1811
- Douglas Gordon Rigby, b. 1813
- Thomas Rigby, our direct ancestor, was born February 16, 1815 in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Thomas had children:
George was born in 1854 and in 1878 married
Rebecca Josephine Michael, of English background.
Their children were:
- Saida Estelle born August 25, 1879, married Dr. Ira S. Wile. Their children were:
- Alan Wile
- Mildred Wile
- Ira (Bill) Wile
- Rigby Wile
- Erminie Louise, September 14, 1885 married Fred Martin
- Jean Rigby Martin married Edward Sheffield Smith. Their children were:
- Jean Patricia Smith
- Cynthia Ann Smith
- Doris Martin married Bethuel Moore. Their child was
- George 1887
- Bess Edith (some sources say "Elizabeth") 1885 married Samuel Spalding Fontaine. Their children were
- Spalding Rigby Fontaine 7/5/1910 married Marjorie Whitcomb Gow.
- Barbara Gow Fontaine 12/6/1931 married Ramon Salornou. Their children are:
- Ramon Solernou
- Miguel Solernou
- Barbara Solernou
- Susana Solernou
- Susanne Rigby Fontaine maried Robert Keenan. Their children are:
- Jeffrey Keenan
- Scott Keenan
- Lancaster Rigby Fontaine 3/6/1913 married Mary Brooke McChesney 2/5/1918
- Michelle Marie Fontaine 9/1/1953
- Geoffrey Lancaster Fontaine 11/16/1955
- Joel Carroll Fontaine 9/21/1957
- Elizabeth Rigby Fontaine 3/10/1918 married William Sebastian Lydle 6/15/1940
- Elizabeth Fontaine Lydle (Betsy) 11/21/1941 married Peter Elton Smith. Their children are:
- Sarah Elizabeth Smith, born August 22, 1973
- Katherine Elton (Kate) Smith, born Jan 6, 1979
- Christopher Lydle 2/18/1944 married Thelma Louise Esworthy. Their children are
- Sean Patrick Lydle 11/21/1965, married Rhonda Storms 6/1/1996
- Christopher Wall Lydle 11/17/1969
- Susan Fontaine Lydle 9/11/1947
- Douglas Rigby, born June 11th 1896, married Elizabeth Hamburger. They had no children
The younger George Rigby was killed in a big train wreck as he was heading to Chicago to take a job at Marshall Fields right after World War I
Douglas Rigby, brother of Bess Edith Rigby, was the uncle of Elizabeth Rigby Fontaine - my mother. This painting was done in 1982 by Ernesto Zepeda for the "Faces of Sedona" show at the Sedona Arts Center.
A wedding announcement:
Mr. and Mrs. George Rigby
have the honor of announcing to
the marriage of their daughter
Bess Edith
to
Mr. Samuel Spalding Fontaine
on Wednesday, the fourteenth of February
One thousand, nine hundred and six
in the City of New York
Of this union was born my mother, Elizabeth Rigby Fontaine
In 1979 these Rigby family members gathered. Elizabeth Rigby Fontaine Lydle Garin, Jean Smith, Doris Moore, back row: Allen Wile, Bill Wile, Doug Rigby, Lancaster Rigby Fontaine.
This is not intended as a complete genealogical chart. The author is working on a Rigby Family History and welcomes correspondence.
I am particularly curious about the children of Alexander Rigby and "Aunt Lou" - Winifred, Adele and Ione.
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