THE BIGGS FAMILY

One of the notable families living here at the time (After the close 
of the border wars) was the Biggs family, in which were six sons, all 
of whom became distinguished for their brave and adventurous 
characters.  They were named respectively Benjamin, William, Joseph, 
John, Thomas and Zaccheus.  All of them were more or less known among 
the early settlers as Indian fighters and as bold and successful 
scouts.  Benjamin was commonly designated as "General" Biggs.  He had 
been a captain in the Revolutionary war, where he had won distinction 
by his courage and devotion to the cause of independence, and had 
been promoted at the age of twenty-three to the command of a company.  
After the close of the war he became prominent as an Indian fighter. 
He was in his seventy-first year at the time of his death, which 
occurred at West Liberty on the 2d day of December, 1823.  His 
remains were buried in the old cemetery of that town.  His tombstone 
bears the following inscription: 
     "He was firm and decided as a patriot
     Fearless and faithful as a friend to the public
     He loved his Country and served it as a Captain during her
     Struggle for independence, and adhered to her cause
         in the darkest hour of her struggle
           Against oppression." 

Joseph, called "Captain Biggs, was in command of Kirkwood's cabin 
when it was besieged by the Indians. This cabin was situated on the 
Ohio side of the river of that name.  He defended it successfully 
against a large number of savages, who attempted to destroy it by 
setting it on fire and driving out the inmates.

William Biggs settled in Illinois about 1787 or 1788, where he was 
taken prisoner by a party of Kickapoo Indians.  After his capture he 
was adopted into a tribe, and was treated with great kindness and 
consideration. He remained with them for three years, when he was 
ransomed along with other prisoners at Detroit.  At the time of his 
capture he was on horseback, and was journeying toward the French 
settlement of Kaskaskia.  As he was pursuing his way a shot from a 
rifle of a concealed foe struck his horse, which was followed by 
three other shots in quick succession, all of which took effect on 
his horse, causing its death.  At the moment of the attack he was 
leaning forward, and as his horse fell he was thrown with great 
force, and for a moment was dazed by his fall, but only for a moment.  
On arising he lifted his overcoat, which had been slung across his 
saddle, and put it on, over it placing his powder horn.  He then 
started to run, but finding his progress greatly impeded by the 
weight of his coat, he made futile attempts to remove it, which he 
was prevented from accomplishing by the belt of his powder horn.  
Seeing that the pursuing Indians were rapidly gaining upon him, and 
that all hopes of escape were hopeless, he resolved not to be slain 
while running;  he suddenly stopped and prepared to meet the worst, 
but his life was spared.  After his return from captivity he wrote an 
account of his experiences, which was published in pamphlet form, but 
none of the copies are now extant.

One of these experiences was given to the writer many years ago by an 
old settler, who at one time had a copy of the same, which was 
substantially as follows: A young squaw became smitten with him, and 
so pronounced were her attentions that they attracted the notice of 
some of the members of the tribe.  His captors proposed that he 
should take her to wife, but having one already, he declined the 
offer.  When he was about to be removed from the village to another, 
the dusky maiden protested against it. But his captors started with 
him at a rapid lope, followed by the squaw, who as she followed was 
provoked by the ridicule of the savages, which they continued until 
they reached their destination.  That evening he found her at the 
door of his cabin, surrounded by the Indians, who were engaged in 
taunting and teasing her with want of success.  Notwithstanding he 
was urged by the warriors to take her to wife, he persistently 
refused to do so.  She remained for several days and nights in the 
hope of overcoming his scruples and obtaining his consent to wed her, 
but in vain.  He described her as a splendid girl, about eighteen 
years of age, with fine chiseled features, a full and rotund figure, 
and a complexion almost white.

John Biggs was one of the guides and scouts who accompanied General 
Crawford in his unfortunate campaign against the Indians of the 
Northwest, and fell a victim to their savage fury at the time of that 
commander's defeat.

About the year 1832 Capt. John Biggs made his last visit to West 
Liberty.  At the time he was a resident of Monroe County, Ohio.  He 
came on a visit to his relatives and friends, and stopped at the 
house of Allen Biggs, who at the time kept an inn in the village, but 
who, on the occasion of his visit, was absent from his home business, 
having left the inn during his absence in charge of a young mamn whom 
Mrs. Biggs instructed to give to the visitant the best liquor in the 
house, and as often as he called for it, which instructions were 
faithfully followed by the young man.  After indulging in two or 
three drams Biggs walked out to the front porch of the house, and 
shrugging his shoulders (a habit common to him and which he 
unconsciously indulged in at all times when speaking), he turned to 
the young man, and pointing in the direction of Wheeling, he 
remarked:  "I have been in seventeen fights and engagements at 
different times between here and Wheeling."  He then inquired for an 
old friend of his and the direction to his house, with whom he spent 
several hours in recalling past events and reviving old memories.  He 
died in the year 1833 or 1834.

Thomas Biggs, another brother, was killed by the Indians on the 
Tuscarawas while engaged on a scout.

Zaccheus Biggs was in the employ of the government as a surveyor, and 
lived and died in Steubenville, Ohio.  He surveyed the first quarter 
section of land in the present state of Ohio.  It was made near to 
the present city of Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio.  Before 
leaving Ohio county he entered one of the finest pieces of land in 
the county, which had escaped the keen search of his generally wide-
awake neighbors, and which eventually proved to be quite a valuable 
"find."  Some of the descendants of this remarkable family are still 
living in the vicinity of West Liberty.      

From "HISTORY OF WHEELING and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens."  Edited & Compiled by Hon. Gibson Lamb 
Cranmer.  Biographical Publishing, 1902. 

(Linda Cunningham Fluharty)