The prevailing conditions of hardship for the laboring men in Germany have sent many of the sturdy sons of that land to seek their fortunes in the resourceful territory of this land of the free. Among this number is the worthy young gentleman of whom we now have the privilege of speaking. He is a man of industry, thrift and energy, and has labored in such a way that he has gained a goodly competence since locating here. His farm of one hundred and sixty acres is located three miles southeast from Gifford and was taken by him under the homestead right in 1896. He has bestowed his labor here since and it has produced such fine improvements, as house, barn, fences, orchard, and so forth, and the products of the soil have made Mr. Riggers a prosperous and well to do farmer. He raises cattle and hogs and feeds most of his grain to them. He raises flax for the market.
Henry Riggers was born in Germany in 1872, being the son of Henry and Mary Riggers, natives also of the fatherland. The father as born in 1829 and came to America in 1892. The mother was born in 1841. Henry was educated in his native land and came in his early manhood alone to Washington County, Kansas, where he labored until 1892, when he migrated to the vicinity of Genesee. There he wrought on the farms until the reservation opened and then he took the land as mentioned above.
On January 10, 1899, in Nez Perces County, Mr. Riggers married Miss Mary Kothe, who was born in Germany in October, 1879, and came to the United States when she was four years of age. Two children have been born to this union, Henry and Herman. Mr. Riggers has two brothers, William and Dietrich, both in this County.
Mr. and Mrs. Riggers are members of the German Lutheran Church in political matters Mr. Riggers votes for a Republican president but as to others, he selects according to the man. He and his faithful wife are respected and worthy people and are among the most substantial citizens of our County.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903