Jedediah Riggs was born on the day of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence (1776). His father served this fledgling nation at Long Island and White Plains and died as a captive aboard a British prison ship. His offspring helped make America what it is today. This is the story of an American family, the changes it experienced and the sacrifices it made as the American experiment unfolded over a period of 175 years. Jedediah Riggs lived through a remarkable time. He was born during the American Revolution, lived through the War of 1812 and the War Between the States. His descendants included a long list of community leaders, servants, and daredevils -- people who made America great. Even if you do not find a relative in these pages, you can learn something from one of America's first and most genuine families.