The following biographical sketch is adapted from
the The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith by Lyndon W. Cook,
page 155.
Burr Riggs was born 17 April 1811 at New Haven, New
Haven County, Connecticut. He was the son of Gideon Riggs and Susan Pitcher
and the brother of Harpin Riggs, who
also became a General Authority.
Burr was baptized and ordained elder before June
1831, then ordained high priest 25 October 1831. He was appointed by revelation
to preach the gospel with Major Ashley in the "south country" 25 January 1832.
On February 13, 1833 "a council of High Priests assembled to investigate the proceedings of Brother Burr Riggs, who was accused of failing to magnify his calling as High Priest, and had been guilty of neglect of duty, of abusing the Elders, and of treating their admonitions with contempt. After the council had considered the case, Brother Riggs agreed to make satisfaction, but did not show much humility."
Two weeks later, on February 26, "a conference of High Priests was again called in Kirtland, concerning Brother Burr Riggs, who was accused of neglecting to make satisfaction to the Church as he had agreed, and disgracing the High Priesthood by neglect of duty, and saying he did not care how soon he was cut off from the Church. He was cut off by a unanimous vote of the council."
Expressing repentance, he
was rebaptized by 1834 for in that year he volunteered to accompany the
Prophet Joseph Smith as a member of
Zion's Camp the expedition to provide relief to the saints who were suffering persecution in Missouri.
Returning to Kirtland, Burr married Lovina
Susan Williams (daughter of Frederick G.
Williams) 19 November 1834. He fathered three known children: George
Washington, Adeline, and Lucy.
In 1835 Burr entered the ranks of General Authorities
as he was ordained a Seventy and called to serve in the first Quorum of the
Seventy.
Elder Riggs was a physician by profession. He moved
to Clay County, Missouri in 1836; then located in Far West, Missouri, by
1837. There he owned a city lot as well as large acreage in Caldwell County.
Riggs became disaffected from Church by 1838. He moved
to Quincy, Illinois, 1839. There he became one of the few men ever to be
excommunicated twice as he was excommunicated 17 March 1839 for apostasy.
His wife, Lovina Susan Williams, died in Quincy,
Illinois, November 1846 or 1847. By 1850 Burr was residing in Quincy. He
married Eunice Stone (born 1825 in Pennsylvania) 8 March 1851, in Adams
County, Illinois.
Burr Riggs died 8 June 1860.
