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Hi Harold,
I believe you are the fella that Rick Costner spoke to be about last year at the Costner reunion. He gave me some of these same details and asked me to see If I caould find a man named John Costner who was in the family that married Lucy Riggins. He also supplied me with a Death Certifiecate of L. H. Costner whiched listed his mother as Lucy Riggins.
At any rate aresearched the Census again and some of my other data but could not make a connection. Being located in a different state makes it hard to research since you're limited on data from those states. The State/county you live in has plenty for its area. I typically, work with others from other states/counties and we trade rersearch when needed from each area. I'm in NC and you're in AL and I'd love to get some help on some of the COSTNERS. Let me know on this if interested.
What I was able to find was the following 1920/1930 Census records on John Riggins:
1930 CENSUS ; Washington Co.; Chipley TS; ED 67-9; Sht 10A;
House 200/204; Rents House worth 1,400;8 Apr 1930;
RIGGINS, John Head 66 AL/AL/AL Md@23 Carpenter-Home
Lucy Wife 66 AL/TN/AL Md@23 NONE
COSTNER, Luther StepSon 48 AL/AL/AL Wd Md@21 NONE
1920 CENSUS ; Washington Co.; Chipley Town; ED 143; Sht 15B;
Bowen St. : House 310/330; Owms Free;17/19 Jan 1920;
RIGGINS, John Head 54 GA/GA/GA Md House Carpenter
Lucy Wife 52 NC/NC/NC Md None
1920 CENSUS ; Washington Co.; Pct #10 Alma; ED 166;
Sht 8A; House 132/134; 16 Jan 1920;
Costmer, Leather H Head 38 AL/AL/GA
Mattie Wife 37 AL/AL/AL
Ethel M. Dau 12 AL/AL/AL
Ernest Son 8 AL/AL/AL
Earney Son 8 AL/AL/AL
These Census show me that Luther H. Costner is a Stepson of John Riggins and must be the one that you refer to. The 1930 Census shows him as Wd in 1930. Therefore, his wife Mattie died between 1920-1930. Could not find the Costner boys and girl in then 1930 census however. It is interesting to see that all the children of Luther H. Costner were born in AL and he must have not came to FL until after 1912 at the earliest. We have found this Luther in 1900 Census in AL living with a family (Can't find this Census right now) and was 18 yrs of age. Must be the same Luther and he was not living with Levi Jr if this was his son.
Also differences in the Birthplaces for John and Lucy Riggins.
Continuing the search, I find the following Deaths in the FL death Index:
Florida Death Index, 1952
Name: Lucy Riggins
Place: Washington
Gender: F
Race: W
Volume: 1521
Certificate: 8625
Death Date: 1952
Florida Death Index 1877-1998
Name: L. H. Costner
Place: Holmes
Gender: M
Race: W
Volume: 1103
Certificate: 13715
Death Date: 1944
SSDI:
EARNEST COSTNER
SSN 251-18-9953 Residence: 35957 Boaz, Marshall, AL
Born 23 Jul 1911 Last Benefit:
Died 3 Mar 1989 Issued: SC (Before 1951)
I could not find any death for a John Riggins/Reggins in the FL Death Index. HOW GOOD IS THE SOURCE INFO YOU HAVE FOR JOHN RIGGINS DEATH IN 1958? LET ME KNOW THE FACTS ON THEIS INFO.
Also located what I think is a possible match for the Earnest Costner born in 1911. IF we could get an OBIT for him in Boaz, AL it may makes this tie and provides hints on his missing siblings.
Looking into marriages I find the following in Alabama:
Spouse 1: L. L. Costner
Spouse 2: L. M. Mitchell
Marriage Date: 28 Jul 1881
Marriage Place: Dekalb
Surety/Bond Date:
Performed By: JP
Surety/Perf. Name: J. C. Tyner
OSPage: 17
Comment:
I have never been able to verify which Levi this was. I had always figured it was the Levi Lowery Costner Jr., but now I am tending to believe it must be the father Levi Sr. He was a rascal and had many wives of which I think he never divorced but left. At any rate this would show that L. L. stands for Levi Lowery and L. M. stands for Lucy M. Mitchell. I believe a look at the marriage license for this couple would lists their ages and this would solve the problem of which Levi Costner it was. Anyway to obtain this marriage license?
Levi Jr marrys in 31 Mar 1882 to a Sally Upton. Tradition has it from the Levi Jr side is "that his first wife ran off with a man on horseback - whereabouts unknown and person also" . They also indicate she was named Roxan Davis.
So now we have Luther H. Costner born in 1882 the same year Levi Jr marrys Sally. A look at DIVORCES would prove this angle.
A look at the 1880 AL Censuses provides me with Levi Lowery Costners Sr family:
1880 DeKalb Co.,Ala TS#9 Range7 H92/92 ED58 Sh4 # June 1880
COSTNER, Leroy (W-Head) 75 NC/NC/NC Farmer
Mary A. Wife 52 AL/GA/AL Keeps House
Wilson B. Son 20 AL/NC/AL None
Levi L. Son 17 AL/NC/AL Farm Laborer
Sarah Dau 17 AL/NC/Al At Home
This shows that Levi Jr is not married and Levi Sr is married to a Mary A. Costner. I have Indian Roll applications that show additional info on this wife. She was name Mary Jane Elizabeth CHELER and was 7/8th Cherokee Indian. She lived until 1897 and Levi until 1895. It would not surprise me if this wife was left and he divorced and married again to Lucy.
I will have to abstract this applications and send on another POSTING.
From the 1880 census, I see one connection that may be around the same age as your John Riggins and was a son of Levi Sr listed above. His name is WILSON B. COSTNER Born about 1860. We loose sight of him after this CENSUS. He and Lucy were about the same ages. It is my guess that this is the one that changed his name to JOHN RIGGINS.
The questions that I have isrom you is as follows:
(1) How much of this story is tradition or can be prooved on the Lucy marrying a COSTNER who changed his name to RIGGINS.
(2) Do you have a timeframe when this happened? Where is the sawmill that you mentioned located - near what town and county? Did this occur just prior to the 1900's or when? This should have made some headlines in the local papers that can be searched.
(3) Can you look up the following Census for me (Use Soundex if available):
(A) Luther H. Costner in 1900 & 1910 ALABAMA
(B) John Costner or Riggins in 1900 ALABAMA
(C) John Riggins in Washington Co., FL in 1900 or 1910
I think with a little more probing and info we may unravel this mystery.
Waiting to hear back from you very soon. Answer what questions you can and we muddle through the rest as we communicate. Hooing you are interested engough in genealogy to research some of these thoughts.
Keith E. Norris
Charlotte, NC
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