RIGGS FAMILY BRANDS

 HISTORY OF RIGGS FAMILY BRANDS

"When Brannick Riggs (Father) and Miss Mary Elizabeth Robbins (Mother) were married in Bastrop County, Texas, July 10, 1856, Mother had a few milk cows and a bridle, saddle, and blanket that were later traded for three black and white spotted. cows that were named Saddle, Bridle, and Blanket. We presume that at or about this time they started the BR brand on the left hip for cattle, the ear mark was swallow fork in the right ear and underslope in the left ear, on horses BR on the left shoulder. This old brand is kept active even to the present time solely for the sentiment attached.

When Brannick and Mary Elizabeth settled in the Sulphur Springs Valley at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains the land was all open range. Pastures had not been fenced off and cattle roamed free as they grazed on the grass land. Many, many years before a method to identify who owned which cattle had been developed called branding. Each owner had a unique cattle brand with which they marked their cattle. At roundup time, brands made identifying cattle belonging to an individual herd simpler. Cowboys would cut out the animals belonging to their herd from the larger herd and keep them separate from the rest. The cattle could then be sent to market and the owner paid for his animals.

Father and Mother gave a heifer calf to each of their children to start them in the cattle business and build up home ties for the family. The BR brand was placed upon the calf of each in a different place on the animal or in a different way so as to designate the cattle that belonged to each individual. This was the beginning of the binding of the family together, the tie that has held the family in one unit. This unity of interest together with the family influence wielded by Father and Mother, which was given without stint from the very beginning, has held the family together and in union, and by cooperation the family has prospered almost from the beginning.

Following is the way the BR brand was used: 
Thomas J., BR on right hip, later given to Lucy Elizabeth.
Rhoda, BR on left shoulder. 
William M., BR on left side. 
Martha, BR on right soulder. 
Brannick B., BR on left hip. upside down. 
James J., BR lazy on left shoulder. 
Mary F., BR upside down on right shoulder. 
John C., BR upside down on left shoulder. 
Lucy, BR on right hip -- Thomas J. had ceased to use this brand.
Barney K., lazy BR on left hip. 
Edith Bessy died when she was only one year and seven days old and was never given a calf; she therefore had no brand."  (This History of Riggs Family Brands is taken directly from the publication "Our El Dorado")

COCHISE COUNTY BRAND RECORDINGS
There were no abbreviations for cattle, horses, left, right, hip or shoulder.

ARIZONA BRAND BOOK RECORDINGS
BRAND LOCATIONS:
In describing the location of the brand on the animal the following abbreviations are used:
J for jaw; N for neck; S for shoulder; R for ribs; H for hip. Prefixed by L for left or R for right to designate the side or B for both sides.
The C or H before the location designates C for cattle; H for horses. C. L-R indicates cattle left ribs. H. R-T indicates Horses right thigh.

BRAND DESCRIPTIONS:
The Arizona Brand Book Recordings does not give a description of brand marks so we have added the following:

A brand consists of letters, numbers or symbols arranged in a unique order. A hot branding iron is applied to the animal that burns the brand into the skin. There is a “language” connected to understand a brand name.

Brands are read from left to right, from the top down or from the outside to the inside.

”BAR” is a short horizontal line.
”COMBINED” are letters or symbols partially overlaid.
”CONNECTED” are letters or symbols formed together horizontally.
”CRAZY” is an upside down letter or symbol.
”CRAZY REVERSE” is an upside down reversed letter or symbol.
”FLYING” is a letter or symbol with a dash added to both sides, at the top, or wings attached to both sides.
”HALF CIRCLE” is a curve, with more arc than a quarter circle, not attached to a letter or symbol.
”HALF DIAMOND” is two slashes joined at the top.
”HANGING” are letters or symbols formed together vertically.
”LAZY” is a letter or symbol laying horizontally on its face or back.
”OVER” is a letter or symbol above another letter or symbol but not touching.
”QUARTER CIRCLE” is a curve, with less arc than a half circle, not attached to a letter or symbol.
”RAFTER” is two slashes joined at the top.
”RAIL” is a long horizontal line.
”REVERSE” is a letter or symbol made backwards from its normal position.
”ROCKING” is a letter or symbol with the bottom touching a quarter circle.
”RUNNING” are letters or symbols with a curving flare at the top and rounded angles.
”SLASH” is a short angled line, either forward or reverse.
”SWINGING” are letters or symbols formed together vertically, or a letter or symbol beneath of quarter circle.
”TUMBLING” are letters or symbols partially turned over on their face or back.
”WALKING” is a letter or symbol with legs added.

In addition to the traditional letter and figure brands, there are marks known as character or picture brands.

EARMARK DESCRIPTIONS:

BRANDS OWNED BY BRANNICK AND
MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS FAMILY

FIRST GENERATION PARENTS OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

SECOND GENERATION BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

1-4 BRANNICK RIGGS / BR BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY RECORDING:

FIRST RECORDING OF THE BR BRAND IN ARIZONA BY BRANNICK RIGGS
The first Brannick Riggs Family brand recorded in Arizona was the BR brand, recorded prior to Arizona becoming a state and was recorded in Cochise County on January 9, 1884 (Book 1, Page 84) by Brannick Riggs.

STATE OF ARIZONA RECORDING:

First Brannick Riggs family brand recorded in the State of Arizona was the BR brand, recorded by Brannick Riggs prior to the publishing of the Brand Book and Livestock Laws of the State of Arizona in 1916.

1-4A MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS / BR BRAND

STATE OF ARIZONA RECORDING:

THIRD GENERATION CHILDREN OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

1-4-1 THOMAS JEFFERSON RIGGS / TOM BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

May 4, 1885
TOM brand with earmark recorded / from May 4, 1885 in the Cochise County Brand Recordings until the first Brand Book of the State of Arizona (Territory) in 1898.

ARIZONA TERRITIORY:

STATE OF ARIZONA:

1-4-1 THOMAS JEFFERSON RIGGS / TJ BRAND

ARIZONA TERRITORY:

1-4-1 THOMAS JEFFERSON RIGGS / HE BRAND

STATE OF ARIZONA:

1-4-2 RHODA RIGGS / R BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-3 WILLIAM MONROE RIGGS / WR BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-2A IDA (BERRY) (LILLIE) RIGGS / STAR BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-4 MARTHA (RIGGS) STARK
1-4-4A THOMAS BELL STARK

1-4-5 BRANNICK BENJAMIN RIGGS / BR (backward B) BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-6 JAMES JAY RIGGS / Rocker JR BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-7 MARY FRANCES (RIGGS) STARK
1-4-7A WILLIAM ACHILLES STARK

1-4-8 JOHN CASEY RIGGS / OOO BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-8 JOHN CASEY RIGGS / CROSS SPEAR BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

1-4-9 LUCY ELIZABETH (RIGGS) MOORE
1-4-9A GUS LEE MOORE

1-4-10 BARNEY KEMP “BK” RIGGS / XXX BRAND

COCHISE COUNTY:

FOURTH GENERATION GRANDCHILDREN OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

1-4-1-2 EDWARD MURRAY RIGGS

1-4-1-3 CHARLES PINKNEY RIGGS

1-4-1-6 PAULINE AMELIA RIGGS

1-4-1-7 LILLIMAE EVELYN RIGGS

1-4-1-8 RICHARD DANA RIGGS

1-4-1-9 DONALD LEE RIGGS

1-4-3-1 WILLIAM MONROE “BILLIE” RIGGS

1-4-5-1 MARY RIGGS

1-4-5-2 BENJAMIN SMITH “BEN” RIGGS

1-4-5-3 WALTER “WALT” RIGGS

1-4-5-4 THOMAS “TOM” RIGGS

1-4-5-6 MARTHA RIGGS

1-4-5-7 RHODA RIGGS

1-4-6-1 IDA BERRY RIGGS

1-4-6-3 WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER RIGGS

1-4-7-1 HAROLD KINZIE STARK

1-4-7-2 WILLIAM FRANK STARK

1-4-7-3 EUNICE STARK

1-4-7-4 JOHN RIGGS STARK

1-4-8-1 PAUL WILLIAM RIGGS

1-4-8-2 JOHN STARK RIGGS

1-4-8-3 ELLERBE BRAUNS RIGGS

1-4-8-4 JEANETTE MARY (RIGGS) ROLL

1-4-9-1 WILLIAM RIGGS MOORE

1-4-9-2 FRANK ROBERTS MOORE

1-4-9-3 MARY ELIZABETH (MOORE) DITMARS

1-4-9-4 LILA BELLE MOORE

1-4-9-5 MARJORIE C. (MOORE) BELL

1-4-9-6 GUS LEE MOORE, JR.

1-4-10-1 MARTHA ELIZABETH (RIGGS) LANBERSON

1-4-10-2 EDWARD “ED” KAY RIGGS

1-4-10-3 JAMES MURPHEY RIGGS

1-4-10-4 HERBERT ROBBINS RIGGS

FIFTH GENERATION GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

SIXTH GENERATION GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

SEVENTH GENERATION GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN OF BRANNICK AND MARY ELIZABETH RIGGS

LIST OF BRANDS AND ASSOCIATED OWNERS WITH DATES OF OWNERSHIP

PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS

Arizona Revised Statutes - Arizona Brand Laws

Brand information in Arizona - Arizona Livestock Brand Information

Arizona Brand Registration Books - 1898 - 1899 - 1900 - 1908 - 1916 - 1920 - 1926 - 1928 - 1933 - 1935 - 1943 - 1945 - 1953 - 1963 - 1975 - 1984 - 1988 - 1991 - 2006 - 2013   -   CURRENT