Dock Rigg

DOCK RIGG was born around 1850 in Canton, China.  He was the only Chinese man allowed to stay in Del Norte County at the time of his death in 1919.
He came to this country in 1857 an did some mining in Sacramento and southern Oregon.  He wore his hair in the traditional queue for a while.  About 1874 he went to work for Nettie Raleigh  (he called him Lollie) Scott cooking and cleaning.
In 1885 there was a man killed in Eurkea, CA about 90 miles south of here during a "tong war" or "gang war:.  The towns people called for all Chinese to get out of town.  Del Norte took up the cry and all the Chinese were driven from the area.  Lollie packed up what few belongings he had and took him to Curry County Oregon to the "Cooley/Scott Ranch", now known as the Colegrove Ranch.  It was a sheep ranch situated up on the coast on the old County Road to Carperenterivlle.  Raleigh and Nettie were always helping poor people.  When things settled down he came back to live with Raleigh, Nettie and Ann and John Riggs.  They, all together, ran the Yontockett Ranch.  Then after they sold that, John and Ann Riggs owned with is today known as the Garvin Ranch and built a beautiful big pink house that is still standing today.  They had a dairy farm there.  John died in 1875 and Ann kept the ranch running until she died in 1903. When she died Lollie and Nettie Scott inherited the Riggs Ranch.  Dock stayed and coooked for this fine family.  He is the only Chinaman who didn\'t have his bones disinterred and sent back to China  and the only Chinaman to be buried in a Del Norte County Cemetery.  He was also able to keep his queue for a long time.  He died at the age of 69.