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At least the Riggs gravestones are still standing in Oxford. This is the gravestone of John Riggs, Esquire in the Congregational cemetery. The ornate nature of the stone and the fancy inscription show he was a wealthy and important man in the community.
He was active in the American Revolution, marching to the Lexington Alarm in Boston. He was captain of Oxford’s local militia. He also served in the defense of New Haven when the British attacked that city in 1779.
John Riggs was also active in the community, and served as moderator of the first town meeting held in Oxford after it was incorporated as a separate town.
However, his tombstone doesn’t mention his military service -- it just notes he was a deacon in the Congregational church. Apparently, at the time of his death, local people hadn’t realized the significance of the war they had lived through, and never thought to include mention he was a soldier of the War of the Revolution.
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