He received his primary education in the public schools of Yonkers and was graduated from the high school in 1891. He was graduated in the electrical engineering course at Cornell University in 1895, and in law from the New York Law School in 1897. Thus equipped educationally, and endowed with first-class talents intellectually, he entered upon the practice of his profession in Yonkers, determined that his career at the bar should be a successful one, and he is amply meeting the expectations of his most enthusiastic well-wishers.
He early took an interest in political affairs and views national questions from a Republican point of view. He is financial secretary of the Republican Club of Yonkers, was secretary of the assembly convention of 1898, and has been a delegate to county, judicial and various other conventions. He has ably filled the office of justice of the peace since November, 1896.
Mr. Rigby is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and other college fraternities, and of the Cornell University Club, of New York.
He was married April 6, 1897, to Miss Maude Lawrence, of Yonkers, daughter of William Fred and Mary (Weddle) Lawrence.
Franklin H. Rigby, Mr. Rigby's father, is a prominent resident of Yonkers, and is connected with the Prudential Life Insurance Company in New York city. He married Mary Mockridge, daughter of George N. and Marinda (Lyon) Mockridge. Her father was a wholesale hardware merchant in Newark, New Jersey, and her mother was a descendent of " Robert Bond, the planter, " of Elizabethport, and also of Henry Lyon, a founder of Lyon's Farms, New Jersey, and a representative of another distinguished old family of New Jersey. Franklin Rigby's mother was, before her marriage. Miss Mary E. Adams, who descended in the Virginia line of Adamses. Elihu Bond, one of the ancestors of Mrs. Franklin Rigby, was captain in the patriot army during the Revolutionary war, and performed gallant service for the cause of independence. Mr. Rigby has one brother, Frank Rigby, Jr., and three sisters, named in the order of their birth, Norma, Pansy and Florence.
George N. Mockridge, after whom George N. Rigby was named, was a son of Elihu Mockridge, who was one of Newark's wealthiest land-owners during the early part of this century. The old homestead, which is still standing on Franklin street, has been used by the family for over one hundred years, and is still entailed, somewhat after the manner of English estates.
Elihu Mockridge was the son of William Mockridge, who came over from Wales as a boy some time before the Revolution. He married Jonnah Baldwin, who was a descendant of Joseph Baldwin and wife, née Sarah Cooley, who were among the first settlers of New Jersey.
HART, HICKSON F., M. D.
The subject of this sketch is one of the leading young physicians of Yorktown, New York, and belongs to a family which has long been identified with Westchester county. Hickson Field Hart, his grandfather, was one of the first settlers of the county. He married Mary Ann Knowlton, a native of the county, and their son Stephen L. was the father of our subject. Stephen L. Hart and his wife, whose maiden name was Jane Drake Morgan, are the parents of five children, namely: Hickson F., whose name heads this sketch; Alonzo K., of Peekskill, New York; Stephen B., engaged in business in Brooklyn, New York; Joseph Waldo and Georgianna. The father has long been a man of prominence in the county, affiliating with the Democratic party and taking an active interest in its cause. Several terms he has served as sheriff of the county. He is now engaged in farming.
Hickson Field Hart entered the Peekskill Military Academy when a boy and is a graduate of that institution, with the class of 1882. Then he took up the study of medicine, pursuing his studies under the tuition of Dr. A. O. Snowdon, of Peekskill, New York, and in due time engaged in the practice of this profession. For six years he has been located at Yorktown, and has been successful in gaining a large and lucrative practice here. The Doctor is a member of the Westchester County Medical Society, of which he has served as vice-president, and is also a prominent member of the New York State Medical Society, at Albany.
Dr. Hart was married, June 25, 1891, to Miss Mona Ward, a native of Albany, New York, and a daughter of Thomas Ward and Maria (Van Buren) Ward, his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Ward had six children, of whom four are living, two sons and two daughters, — Julia Robinson, Mona, Thomas Ward, Jr., and Albert. Dr. and Mrs. Hart have two sons, — Ward Van Buren, born October 2, 1893, and Morgan Drake, born January 8, 1899. Mrs. Hart was educated in Albany, New York, and is a woman of culture and refinement. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, while the Doctor is a Methodist, of which church his parents are members. Socially he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his political views are those set forth by the Democratic party.
HICKS, HENRY R.
The ancestral history of the Hicks family is one of close identification with the colony of Massachusetts. The Mayflower, which brought the little band of Pilgrims to the shores of the New World, was followed the next year by the stanch little barque Fortune, which, sailing from London, arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, on the nth of November, 1621. Among its passengers was Robert Hicks, the founder of the family in America. He was a leather-dresser from Bermondesey street, Southwark, London. His father, James Hicks, was lineally descended from Sir Ellis Hicks, who was knighted by Edward, the Black Prince, on the battle-field of Poinctiers, September 9, 1356, for bravery in capturing a set of colors from the French. Margaret, the wife of Robert Hicks, with her children, came to America in the ship Ann, which arrived at Plymouth in the latter part of June, 1622. The family settled in Duxbury, Massachusetts, but two of the sons, John and Stephen, about 1642, removed to Long Island. In October, 1645, Governor Kieft granted a patent to Thomas Farrington, John Hicks and others for ,the township of Flushing, Long Island. John Hicks seems to have taken a leading part in the affairs of the settlement, and was appointed at various times to fill the most important offices. His name and that of his son Thomas appear in connection with almost every public measure for many years.
Robert Hicks was twice married. He first wedded Elizabeth Morgan and had four children, — Elizabeth, Thomas, John and Stephen. Before leaving England he married Margaret Winslow, and their four children were named Samuel, Ephraim, Lydia and Phebe. John Hicks, the second of the family, married Rachel Starr, and of their children — Thomas, Hannah and Elizabeth — the eldest was the second in the line of descent to him whose name heads this sketch. Thomas Hicks wedded Mary Washburn, and their children were Thomas and Jacob. The mother died and he later married Mary Doughty, by whom he had ten children, namely: Isaac, William, Stephen, John, Charles, Benjamin, Phebe, Charity, Mary and Elizabeth. Of this family Isaac Hicks married a lady whose first name was Elizabeth, but whose surname is not known. Their children were Charles, Benjamin, Isaac, Gilbert, James, Thomas, Henry, John, Edward, Margaret, Mary. Isaac Hicks, the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Hicks, married Charity Esmond, and their union was blessed with five children, Edward, Charles, Amy, Sarah and Margaret. The second son, Charles, was the great-grandfather of our subject. He married Mary Hicks, and their children were Rodman, Oliver, Charles, Sarah, Philetta and Lindley.
Oliver Hicks, the grandfather of our subject, was born on Long Island and there spent the greater part of his life. He married Susan Vermillyea, whose father was a resident of Horseneck, Westchester county. By occupation he was a farmer and at the time of the Revolutionary war he loyally served his country as a colonel in the American army. Unto Oliver and Susan Hicks were born two sons and three daughters: Charles, Eliza, Scott, Susan A. and Jane.
Charles Hicks, the father of our subject, was born on Long Island, near Hicksville, and was a relative of the celebrated Elias Hicks, the founder of the Hicksite branch of Friends, one of the early branches of that society. Mr. Hicks became a member of the firm of Schenck, Downing & Company, dealers in paints and glass at Nos. 106 and 108 Fulton street. New York city, and thus continued for many years, having formerly been engaged in merchandising. For about ten years before his death he lived retired from business cares, enjoying a well-earned competence, which supplied him with all the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. In politics he was
