Aged Resident of Shelby County Dead

Tuesday 14 Feb. 1922

Mrs. Rhoda Rigdon Passed Away at

Home of Daughter -- Funeral Friday

Mrs. Rhoda A. Rigdon, 85 years old, one of Shelby County's most highly esteemed aged residents, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sarah Sexton, in Moral Township, Monday evening at 9 o'clock, her death being caused from a complication of diseases resulting from advanced age. Funeral services will be held at the Morristown M. P. church Friday afternoon at 2 o'clcock and the burial will be made in the Asbury Cemetery in Hanover Township.

Mrs. Rigdon had been in declining health for more than a year and a few months ago suffered two strokes of paralysis. Since that time her condition gradually grew worse.

There was not a resident in Shelby County better known that Mrs. Rigdon, who had spent practically all of her life in Hanover Township, having been a resident of Morristown for many years. For the past few months she had made her home with Mrs. Sexton. Early in life she was united in marriage to William Buckingham who was killed while serving in the Civil War. To this union a daughter and son were born, namely, Mrs. Sadie Sexton and James Buckingham of Morristown. Mr. Buckingham is now critically ill.

She was married to Dr. George Rigdon (NOTE: I have never seen him call George, always W. W. Rigdon, even on his tombstone), who preceded her in death a number of years ago. To this union two sons were born. They are Charles and Thadius Rigdon of Morristown.

Mrs. Rigdon was a member of the Morriston M.P. church and was a woman of true christian character. Her life was an example for others and in her death the community in which she resided has indeed lost one of its most worthy citizens. Besides the children mentioned , she is survived by her brother, James Colescott, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and a number of grandchildren.

From The History of Shelby County, Indiana by Brant and Fuller:

(Excerpt that features Rhoda Rigdon)

Mrs. Rhoda A. Rigdon, a native of Shelby County, was born May 9, 1826 (MUCH different from her birth date on headstone!); she is the daughter of Henry and Sarah (Pannel) Coalscott, natives of Maryland and Indiana. The subject of this biography was married in 1855 to William J. Buckingham, who was born in Ohio, December 22, 1833. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company E, Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, in August 1862, and died at Nashville, Tenn., December 3, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham were the parents of two children: Sarah A. and James W. Mrs. Buckingham was married in 1868 to William Rigdon, who was born in Fleming County, Ky., March 11,1922 and was the son of James and Nancy (Shelly) Rigdon, natives of Scotland and Ireland. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812. (Continued in the notes for William W. Rigdon.)