This is the beginning of an ongoing saga about the life, times, and escapades of Grandpa Rafe and his descendants. Please contribute your "Rafe Stories" to be included by sending email to the webmaster.
Rafe was J. Ralph Pigott. It is believed that this Ralph was the son of the Elijah S. Pigott who shows up in the 1850 Federal Census for Swansboro, Onslow County, NC. This would tend to be born out by his age as listed in this census and his birth date recorded on his tombstone. Tombstone shows Oct 1829 and census taken in Sep 1850 show age to be 20. This census also lists his occupation as "sailor" and it is a well established fact that Rafe followed the sea. His grandson, John Elwood Pigott, has always maintained that Rafe came from Swansboro, and on his father's death certificate in 1945, Elwood listed Ralph's birthplace as Swansboro. He may have been born elsewhere and the family had moved to Swansboro by 1850. One of those things that needs to be clarified.
Rafe was born 02 Oct 1829. He was the son of Elijah Shepard Pigott and Charlotte "Charity" Bell..
Rafe was a gambling man. But evidently not a very good one. One day/night in January 1899 he lost his home and all the property he owned in a poker game with Joseph M. Fulford. However, Joe, being an honorable man, did not wish to see Emeline homeless and without sustenance. So he sold all the property back to Grandpa Rafe's sons within two weeks for $325.00, the same value originally placed on the property by Grandpa Rafe.
To view the deed from Rafe to Joe, click here. To view the deed from Joe to Rafe's sons, click here.
Many tales are told about Rafe's escapades. Some are probably true. Some are probably not. His grandson, John Elwood Pigott, remembers he and his brother being warned by his Aunts Shan and Maggie not to bother him because he might hurt them. But he also remembers the same old man "having a tear in his eye" when Grandma Emeline passed away.
Rafe was a mariner. He was away at sea a lot.
Rafe designed a dual centerboard rig for sailing skiffs. He was able to obtain a patent for this idea.
In the latter part of the 1800s and on into the early 1900s, quite a number of Carteret County folks made their way down to the Gulf Coast of Florida to a little fishing settlement that came to be known as Cortez. It still exists and is doing everything within its power to maintain its unique character. Rafe is supposed to have joined these folks (for a while, at any rate) and and is said to have owned property there.
In the early 1900s, Rafe was living at the old homestead in Gloucester, Carteret County, NC. His grandson, Elwood, remembers him being there when Elwood's family lived there between 1910 and 1918.
Rafe died 23 Apr 1917, at the age of 87, and is buried in the Pigott Family Cemetery, Gloucester, NC.