Artie Leon RIGDON was born 13 March 1890 in Osage City, Osage County, Kansas, USA. He married Lillian Fay AULT 18 October 1957 in Marion, Marion County, Kansas, USA. He died 03 September 1971 in Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, USA. Lillian Fay AULT. She died 01 February 1962.

Other Marriages/Unions for Artie Leon RIGDON:
See Artie Leon RIGDON & Sadie Louise KNIBBS


Notes for Artie Leon RIGDON:

We first see Artie in 1895, living at Osage City, Kansas:
J T Rigdon Head Mar 43 Maryland
Laura Rigdon Wife Mar 32 Ohio
Verna Rigdon Daur 8 Kansas
Artie Rigdon 5 Son Kansas
Janie Rigdon 2 Daur Kansas
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We next see Artie in 1900 living with his parents at ED 123 Osage city Ward 1, 4, Osage, Kansas:
James T Rigdon Head Mar 48 Gardening Maryland
Laura M Rigdon Wife Mar 37 Ohio
Verna E Rigdon Daur 12 Kansas
Artie L Rigdon Son 10 Kansas
Jennie V Rigdon Daur 7 Kansas
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See Artie's Draft Registration Card from 1917.

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We can see Artie and Sadie living at Lyon County, Kansas in the 1920 census:
Artie L Rigdon, Lyon, Kansas abt 1890
Sadie Rigdon, Lyon, Kansas abt 1892
Roy L Rigdon , Lyon, Kansas abt 1916
Laura E Rigdon , Lyon, Kansas abt 1918
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In 1930, they were living at Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas:
Artie L Rigdon Head M 40 Kansas
Sadie L Rigdon Wife M 37 Kansas
Roy L Rigdon Son 14 Kansas
Laura E Rigdon Daur 11 Kansas
Virginia Jen Rigdon Daur 7 Kansas
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In 1940, we see Artie, Sadie and Virginia living at Ward 1, Emporia, Emporia City, Lyon, Kansas:
Arthur L Rigdon Head Mar 50 Railroad Engineer Kansas
Sadie Rigdon Wife Mar 48 Kansas
Roy Rigdon Son UnM 25 New Worker Kansas
Jean Rigdon Daur UnM 17 Kansas
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From the Emporia Gazette Archives, 8 September, 1960:
Engineer Retires After Half Century on the Job
Artie Leon Rigdon 70 of 621 East Kansas a Santa Fe engineer for 43 years has retired effective Aug 31st. Mr Rigdon had been an employee of the Santa Fe here for more than 51 years since Jan 3rd 1909.
A native of Osage City he previously worked on the Santa Fe as a section hand for three months in 1906. Mr Rigdon started his Santa Fe work in Emporia as a roundhouse employe and he became a coal shoveling locomotive fireman in 1910. He first had runs on the Eastern Division but had been on the Middle Division since 1913. He was promoted to engineer in 1917
For the last 15 years Mr Rigdon had been passenger train service and his last runs, since Trains No 5 and 6 were discontinued last May, were on the Streamliners 11 and 12 between Emporia and Arkansas City Mr Rigdon has been a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for 42 years He is a member of the Eagles Lodge and a charter member of the American War Dads He is credited with being a member of an Emporia group which spurred Congressional action to get Armistice Day redesignated as All Veterans Day.
Mr Rigdon is the father of fhree children They are Roy Rigdon of Manitou Mrs Danny Deen of Los Angeles and Mrs Leo Duhamel, Watertown Mass There are three grandchildren.

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Funeral notice for ARTIE L. RIGDON

Services by Blair Colonial Mortuary, Emporia, Kansas

Artie L. Rigdon
Born - March 13, 1890, Osage City, Kansas
Passed Away - September 3, 1971, Emporia, Kansas
Services - 2:00 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 7, 1971
Officiant - Rev. J. Joyce Wilson, Grace United Methodist Chur
Organist - Mrs. John W. Atherton
Casket Bearers - Robert Philli
John Grav
J. R. Ki
Vernon T. Kel
Thomas Sutt
Thomas Tholen
Interment - Memorial Lawn Cemetery
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From the Emporia Gazette September 4, 1971:
Artie Rigdon Dies
Artie L. Rigdon, 621 East Kansas Avenue, and employee of the Santa Fe railroad for 52 years, died Friday in St. Mary's Hospital. Mr. Rigdon retired as an engineer in 1960.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Blair Colonial Mortuary. They will be conducted by the Rev. J. Joyce Wilson, pastor of the Grace United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Memorial Lawn cemetery.
Mr. Rigdon was born March 13th, 1890, in Osage City the son of James T. and Laura M. Rutherford Rigdon. He was married on Jul7 20th, 1914 in Leavenworth to Sadie Louise Knibbs who died April 27th, 1957, and he was married on October 18th 1957 in Marian to Lilian Fay Ault, who died February 1st, 1962. Mr. Rigdon was a member of the Order of the Fraternal Eagles, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and local chapters of the American War Dads and the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees. He is preceded in death by his first and second wives and one daughter, Virginia Jean Duhamal, who died November 18th, 1966. He is survived by one son Roy L. of Manitou Springs Colo, one daughter Miss Danny (Laura) Deem, Los Angeles, Calif.; two sisters, Jennie Hughes, Redlands, Calif., and Verna E. Rigdon, Seal Beach, Calif., and four grandchildren.

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From the Emporia Gazette September 8, 1971:
Funeral services for Artie L Rigdon 621 East Kansas Ave who died Friday in St Marys Hospital were held Tuesday afternoon in the Blair Colonial Chapel. They were conducted by the Rev J Joyce Wilson pastor of the Grace United Methodist Church. The organist was Mrs John Atherton and the pallbearers were Robert Phillips, J R King, Thomas Sut, John Graves, Vernon T Kelly and Thomas Tholen.
Mem bers of Company B of the Grand International Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and of the Retired Veteran Railway Employes Association attended in groups.
Burial was in Memorial Lawn Cernetery. Out of town relatives who attended were Mr and Mrs Roy L Rigdon and James Thomas and Linda Rigdon, Manitou Springs; Danny Deem, Los Angeles; Mr and Mrs Milton Close, Yates Center; Anna Wright,Toronto and Mr and Mrs Leo Smith. Buffalo.

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Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Artie.

Sources for Artie Leon RIGDON:

  1. Rumney Web Pages/Theodore Metcalf Book,
  2. Personal Contact with Ken Close Jr., USA, 111Personal contact with Ken Close Jr., USA gave location only 
  3. Funeral Notice,
  4. 1940 US Federal Census,
  5. Military Registration Card,

Notes for Lillian Fay AULT: