BIGGS-L Archives

From: Joan Spiker <>
Subject: Asa and Kader Biggs
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 20:50:10 -0400

In his "recollections", my great-grandfather Francis Sexton BIGGS wrote of
his "Uncle" Kader BIGGS's family in Norfolk during and after the Civil War.
Frank's father, Joseph John BIGGS, was a business associate of Kader's
during the time of the Civil War. He wrote:

"About 1853 or '54 he (Joeseph John BIGGS) moved to Norfolk Va. and
entered into Partnership with his cousin "Col." Kader BIGGS in a general
commission business firm named "Kader Biggs & Company". "Uncle" Kader owned
a large warehouse and wharf known as Biggs's Wharf and he lived in a large
double brick house on West Freemason St. corner of Duke (?) Street. "Uncle"
Kader's house was in a large block of land and I remember well the little
lake or pool in front with a large weeping willow tree whose branches
reached out over the water. "Aunt" Lucy was his second wife. He had a
daughter - "Coz Mollie" Biggs by his first wife and a son, Walter Biggs by
his second wife. Judge Asa Biggs was brother of Kader Biggs. He was U.S.
District Judge in Raleigh until the Civil War. In 1868 or '69 "Uncle" Asa
Biggs was practicing law in Eastern North Carolina - some political
difficulty arose between Chief Justice Richmond Pearson (whom we knew of as
one of the "carpet bagger" judges) and a number of lawyers in the Eastern
part of the state including Judge Asa Biggs - and Chief Justice Pearson had
them all disbarred from practicing law in North Carolina and uncle Asa Biggs
moved with his family to Norfolk Va. to live. Just at that time the
partnership agreement between Col. Kader Biggs and my Father had terminated,
so instead of renewing the agreement with Father, Uncle Kader entered into a
new partnership with his own brother.'

On a half sheet of paper he also wrote - "Judge Asa Biggs and his Bro. Kader
Biggs
"my "uncle" Kader and my father (Joseph Biggs) were partners in Norfolk
1854-1869. "uncle" Asa Biggs was U.S. Senator from North Carolina before he
was appointed Federal Judge. He resigned his judgeship in 1861 when North
Carolina joined the Confederacy. In 1869 he moved to Norfolk and died there.
He had (blank) sons that I remember. William (who married Lizzie Cooper of
Oxford N.C.) and Asa Jr. who married Lucy Massenberg. W. Asa (son of Asa Jr)
is now (1929) living in Baltimore an editor of the Sun. Judge Biggs also had
4 daughters Coz Cottie (Mrs Laurence) of Martin Co. N.C. I think.
Coz Della (Mrs. G. Adolphus Cotton)
Coz Fannie (Mrs Kellinger)
Coz Anna (Mrs Van Cleve of near Plainfield N. Jersey)
"Anne" their old mammy called them Cotton, Delsey darling, Fanny honey, and
Anna love.
Col. Kader Biggs married twice - Janie Cotton from near Windsor N.C. and
Lucy Myrick. By his first wife he had a daughter Mary (Mollie) who married
Col. - Wood She had children, 2 sons and 2 daughters - Lula (Mrs Oscar F.
Williams Scrasdale N. York), Walton, Janie (Mrs Dennis Col), Earlie. Uncle
Kader by his second wife he had a son Walter who married Lucy (I can't read,
something like Marsenberg) His son Walter is getting celebrated for magazine
illustrations in N.Y.

I hope this can help some Biggs researchers. I'd love to hear from anyone
related to this part of the Biggs family.
Joan

This thread:

• Asa and Kader Biggs by Joan Spiker <>