JAMES B. KIGER, Company "D"

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JAMES B. KIGER - Son of LEWIS KIGER, per first marriage record. At age 28, enlisted in Company "D" 12th West Virginia Infantry Aug. 22, 1862 at Wheeling; mustered in Sept. 9/10, 1862 at Buckhannon, WV; mustered out June 16, 1865 at Richmond, Va. He was captured at Winchester June 15, 1863 and was confined at Richmond, Va.; paroled July 8, 1863. Farmer, born Belmont Co., Ohio. Obtained pension certificate in 1879. Widow, Maggie V., also got a pension but Melvina (Shillings) Kiger is listed in a pension file as the "contested widow." She claimed to have married Kiger Nov 6, 1880 in West Alexander, Pa., and had a son, Samuel, born July 30, 1881; her claim was not accepted because she could not prove valid marriage, which she said was her third. First husband was John Walker Vanneman; two daughters, Julia Bennington & Josephine Wallace. Second husband was John Taplin Hanson, whom she claimed was a drunk & had a bad disease; one son, George Hanson. No divorce; ergo no valid marriage to James B. Kiger, even though they did have a marriage ceremony in West Alexander, Pa., Nov 6, 1880. The first wife of James B. Kiger was Mary Ann Davis, whom he married Jan 15, 1857 in Marshall County, (W) Va. She died during the birth of a child; one surviving son, George. Indiana Hamilton of Triadelphia was Kiger's second wife and they had about 5 children, three of whom were living in Feb 1900: Maggie, Katie, Lewis. Indiana died July 20, 1879 and was buried at Stone Church Cemetery, Wheeling. Children found in the 1880 census, Ohio County, W. Va., with James, a coal miner, were Katie, 10, and Lewis, 6. James B. Kiger is in Pultney Twp., Belmont County, Ohio, 1890 Census of Veterans. He died Dec 19, 1895 in St. Clairsville, Belmont County. [Pension file obtained by Linda Fluharty.]