Staggs Family History

My ancestors in the United States

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    Philip Beard Staggs (1810-1850)

    BIRTH: 1810, Fleming, Kentucky, USA
    DEATH: 19 Jun 1850, Parkville, Missouri, USA
    FATHER: James Staggs (1774-1850)
    MOTHER: Sarah Beard (1779-1855)
    SPOUSE: Vianna C. Randolph (1819-1895)

    When Philip Beard Staggs was born in 1810 in Fleming, Kentucky, his father, James, was 36 and his mother, Sarah (Beard), was 31. He married Rebecca Markwell, and they had four children together. He then married Vianna C. Randolph, and they had three children together. He died on June 19, 1850, in Parkville, Missouri, at the age of 40.

    His story

    The following is an excerpt from Staggs Genealogy – Harold Wareham Staggs – His Book

    Our next direct ancestor is Phillip Beard Staggs, James eighth child. Grandfather Phillip was born in 1811. That was the year of the Battle of Tippecanoe where one thousand Shawnees attacked the camp of William Harrison who would later become our president.

    Phillip and his five brothers were all well-to-do farmers. Grandfather Phillip was also a cabinet maker and, later in his life, a preacher. He became a very successful landowner and farmer while quite young and married his first wife, Rebecca Randolph, when he was twenty-five.

    Rebecca was a daughter of Reuben Randolph who came from Virginia (the Virginia Randolph’s played a major part in the building of our country) and bought land in Bath County not far from one of Phillip’s farms. He, too, was a farmer, cabinet maker and preacher, and he took his family to Missouri the same year that our Phillip did. It’s possible that Reuben played an important part in Phillip’s life.

    Load the wagons, we’re on our way.

    During the time Phillip was growing up, a slight rift developed between him and his father. Grandfather Phillips was an anti-secessionist, feelings were strong for secession in the Cumberlands. Because of this, Phillip” took ‘his three children and pregnant wife to Plattsburg, Clinton County, Missouri. Then in 1844 he bought a larger farm in Platte County. And like it was with his ancestors, that started the Staggs moving again!

    The 1850 census of Missouri lists the following Staggs in Platte County.

    • Phillip Beard Staggs, son of James, Platte County near latan.
    • Samuel Staggs, son of James (Phillip’s brother) Platte County, near Weston..
    • Elizabeth Staggs Jones, daughter of James (Phillip’s sister), Platte County, near Weston.
    • Armsted Hurst, son of Nancy Staggs Hurst, (Phillip’s sister), Platte County, later in Buchanan County.
    • Phillip B. Staggs, son of David Staggs II, Platte County, later Buchanan County, Phillip Beard Staggs’ cousin.
    • Enoch Staggs, son of Samuel (Phillip’s brother), Platte County.
    • Lucinda Staggs Tolle, daughter of Samuel 1, (Phillip’s cousin), Platte County.
    • Harriett E. Staggs Sisson, daughter of Samuel I, (Phillip’s cousin), Platte County.

    It is interesting to note that not all the Staggs who came to Missouri were against slavery. Uncle Samuel brought a number of his slaves with him. The Platte County Court records show that two of his slaves, Fanny and Emily, were sold after his death for $1. 076.

    The year before Phillip moved to Platte County, his wife, Rebecca, gave birth to their fourth child and died the following year. In Platte County, Phillip Beard once again was near his father-in-law, Reuben, and the next year he married Rebecca’s sister, Vianna Randolph. They had three children, James A., Hudson Randolph (my grandfather) and Samuel E.

    Early in 1850 Grandfather Phillip sickened. Family lore tells us that Phillip’s illness came about as follows. Phillip went, as a preacher, to visit a mentally ill neighbor and during a prayer the neighbor struck him on the head with a stick of firewood causing a serious injury which led to his death. It seems that the blow may have caused a paralytic condition because we find that on August 15, 1850, his sister, Lucinda Staggs Tolle filed a testament in the Platte County Courthouse that she had signed Phillip’s will at his request because he was unable to do so.

    Phillip must have known that his death was near because he immediately took steps to provide for his family. He filed his will on June 4, 1850 and later that month placed his four children by his first wife under the guardianship of his nephew, Armsted Hurst, then placed two of them, (the girl’s), under the care of Vianna. She was also to take care of the three boys she had born.

    Phillip died in June of that year, Armsted Hurst (administrator of the estate) sold Phillip’s Missouri holdings while Thomas F. Staggs, (Phillip’s brother) sold Phillip’s Kentucky property then went to Missouri to help settle the estate. When Thomas returned to Kentucky he took the two girls, Sarah and Elizabeth, to live with him until they married. He also took the boy William Phillip Staggs, back home to live with another of Phillip’s brothers, William R. The 1850 census shows that William was caring for not only Phillip’s son, but two of David Stagg’s children as well as his own seven children. We Staggs take care of our own.

    Phillip was only 39 years old when he died. He was a fine man who loved and took good care of his family. What more can you ask of a person? He is buried in Old Cemetery, Parkville, Missouri.

    Below is a list of his children.

    • First Wife, Rebecca Markwell
      • Henry J., b. 1837, Fleming Co., Ky. It is believed that Henry preceded his father in death or died soon thereafter.
      • William Phillip, b. 1839, Clinton, Platte County, Missouri.
      • Sarah Frances, b. 1841, Platte Co., Mo., m. 1878, Fleming Co., Kent., Daniel’ L. Scott.
      • Elizabeth Rebecca, b. 1843, Platte Co., Mo., m. 1862, Fleming Co., Ky., Washington W. Shockley.
    • Second wife, Vianna C. Randolph
      • James A., 1846, Platte Co., Mo. Killed in Civil War.
      • Hudson Randolph, b. 22 Oct. 1848, near Waldron, Platte County, Mo., d. 19 Feb. 1916 (age 69), Roseburg, Oregon, m. (1st) 28 Jan. 1875, Pomeroy, Kansas, d. 23 Jan. 1879, (age 23), Parkville, Platte Co., Mo., buried Old Cemetery, Parkville, Mo., died after birth of 3rd child. m. (2nd) 5 Aug. 1880, Waldron, Platte Co., Mo., Ida Antha Stone, b. 23 Apr. 1861, Van Port, Beaver County, Penn., d. 5 Oct. 1930 (age 69), Roseburg, Oregon. Both Hudson R. and Ida Staggs buried City Cemetery, Roseburg, Oregon.
      • Samuel E., b. 1850, Platte Co., Mo., m. 29 May 1873, Platte Co., Mo., Adie Dooley, b. 1855, Platte Co., Mo.

    Will of Phillip Beard Staggs

    WILLS & ADMINISTRATIONS – Staggs. Sec., William H. Bell. 5 Mar. 1849. (Bond B-256).

    STAGGS, PHILIP B., – will dated 4 June 1850. Wife, Vienna C. Staggs, to have her full dower. My children: Henry J., William P., Sarah F., Elizabeth R., James A., Hudson R., and Samuel E. Staggs. Sons, Henry J. and William P. shall live with and be under control of their cousin Armsterd Hurst. Appoint Armsterd Hurst guardian of two daughters Sarah F. and Elizabeth R. Staggs. The rest of the children to be under care and control of their mother, my wife, Vienna. Exr.: Armsterd. Hurst. Wit: George W. Tolle, William F. Jones, Ambrose D. Jones, Lucinda Tolle. Recorded 16 July. 1850. (Will B-29). Sec., W. P. Wallingford and William F. Jones. 16 July 1850. (Bond A-144 & 145)

    Legacy of Philip Beard Staggs

    Parents

    Father: James Staggs (1774-1850)

    Mother: Sarah Beard (1779-1855)

    Married

    1st: Rebecca Markwell (1812-1842).

    2nd: Vianna C. Randolph (1819-1895). Married 1845, Parkville, Missouri.

    Children

    With wife Rebecca Markwell:

    • Henry J Staggs (1837-?)
    • William Phillip Staggs (1839-1919)
    • Sarah Frances Staggs (1841-?)
    • Elizabeth Rebecca Staggs (1842-1909)

    With wife Vianna C. Randolph:

    • James A. Staggs (1847-1862) served as a Union soldier during the American Civil War and died at the young age of 15. His service and sacrifice are recorded in Missouri’s Civil War military archives.
    • Hudson Randolph Staggs (1848-1916) married Ida Antha Stone (1861-1930)
    • Samuel Elihu Staggs (1850-1935) married Adie Dooley (1854-1924)

    Documents

    Relation of Philip Beard Staggs to Steven Barry Staggs: 2nd great-grandfather

    Last updated November 30, 2025

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