I found this site searching for paintings by my father, William Kasso, who passed away in 2002. My parents were artists in NY from the 40's on. I remember them speaking of Lynn Riggs and this webpage shows a portrait my father did. He painted portraits of several members of the theatre community, though he liked to do abstact. I still have a portait he did of Walter Huston posing in his Macbeth costume. What a nice surprise to find a connection like this, and a work not entirely lost.
Jon KassoFriday, February 16, 2007
A subsequent email from Jon can be found HERE
I can hardly wait to go see it. My sister has lived in Claremore for 45 years and I am finally going to come and see this wonderful memorial.
Barbara McCurdySunday, July 9, 2006
Lynn Riggs Memorial curator William Leo Cundiff passed away today. Leo was always a driving force in keeping the memory of his uncle Lynn from fading. His energy, amazing memory and enthusiasm for conducting many tours of the facility will be sorely missed. There is a webpage and guestbook at The Leo Cundiff Obituary and Guestbook Page Please visit and consider signing.
Friday, July 29, 2005Lynn Riggs was a poet
sincerely
Oscar Andy Hammerstein
Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at 07:01:00
Hello Friends,
My husband's name was Lynn Riggs Markel. His mother's name was Bessie Bingham. They lived in Quapaw, Oklahoma. I have a telegram from Lynn Riggs to my husband's parents J.T. and Bessie B. Markel. He congratulated them on their new son, born November 11, 1930, and said he was happy that they named their son after him--Lynn Riggs. This telegram is a family treasure that I keep in a copy of his play, "Green Grow the Lilacs."
On the playbill in the front of the copy of the play, it tells about the opening of "Green Grow the Lilacs" on January 26, 1931, in New York City. Interestingly enough, that is the very day of my birth in Kansas City, Missouri.
Lynn Markel and I met in Kansas City in April, 1951. We were married in K.C. Kansas, July 26, 1951. Tomorrow would have been our 53rd anniversary. Lynn Riggs Markel died August 2, 2002. We were married for 51 years and one week. He had a wonderful singing voice. His sister, Jessie Bernice Markel Lee, was also born in Quapaw,OK. She died in November,2000.
We are proud of our connection to Oklahoma and Lynn Riggs. Thank you for your web site. My daughter Melinda was the first to sign your Guest Book. She and her dad never did get to travel back to visit the Lynn Riggs memorial in Claremore.
Sincerely, Katherine Matthews Markel
KthMar1@aol.com
Monday, July 26 2004 00:22:27 EDT
As an aspiring playwright, I've always wondered about the life of the person who wrote the classic tragedy, Green Grow the Lilacs, and also whether that individual, who shared my given name, was also male, as am I.
Now, thanks to your excellent website, I know.
Lin Kemp - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Lin3kemp@aol.com
Wednesday, March 31 2004 20:00:17 EST
Lynn Riggs gave us such a wonderful legacy here in Oklahoma, especially Claremore. I also am glad to see his descendants are keeping that legacy alive. I visited the Lynn Riggs Museum here in Claremore and it was well worth the visit. I have some fond memories of the movie "Oklahoma". I saw it many times as a child and it always made me proud to be an Okie.
Bryan Mayberry
bmayberry41@earthlink.net
Saturday, March 13,2004 11:05:02 CST
I'm Gary Riggs from Lansing, Michigan. I can't remember when I first learned about Lynn Riggs as the original source of the musical "Oklahoma", via his "Green Grow the Lilacs". Though a cousin has traced our family's genealogy through several generations, I learned nothing about a relation to Lynn, if any. But as far as I'm concerned, anybody with the same surname as mine, must be family!
Gary Riggs
riggsval@pilot.msu.edu
Wednesday, February 5, 2003 01:33:54 EST
My mother, Pearl Dennis, was born in Claremore and had memories of Lynn Riggs. She had a part of the Claremore Press clipped out and put back in her things. I have kept it in my personal things for my grandchildren to read. You site is wonderful. I love reading all the messages from descendants of Mr. Riggs. Thank You for keeping a part of our history alive!
Bev Scott Kendall
grandmak33@yahoo.com
Friday, January 10, 2003 07:57:49 PST
As a longtime fan of the musical "Oklahoma!", I was thrilled to learn that Lynn Riggs was Native American, as I am. I have never found a complete biography of Mr. Riggs, and copies of his plays have mostly been lost. I was, however, able to read "Green Grow the Lilacs" that my local library had to borrow from a distant library. His plays and poetry need to be reprinted and made available. His use of language is spiritual and special. I'm also glad to see his relatives are keeping his legacy alive.
Kevin Thompson, the Bronx, New York
Choconut66@aol.com
Saturday, October 5, 2002 18:18:44 EDT
Please include the names of Della Curran, George Curran, Michaela Curran, Jeff Curran, & Brian Curran. Thanks.
mick@cyberback.com
Wednesday, June 5, 2002 21:17:34 -0500
Greetings,
My uncle was Lynn Riggs and I was named for him. Lynn and my father Joseph Vann Riggs were half brothers.
I will enjoy perusing this site at my leisure!
Truly,
Lynn C. Riggs
Operation Lifesaver
Postal Box 147
Ironwood, Michigan 49938
My name is Joe Riggs, Jr. I live in Homer, Alaska having moved up here from Ironwood, Michigan 5 yrs ago. My dad, Joe Sr, was Lynn's brother. My brother, Lynn, was born in October, 1955 not long after the death of our uncle, Lynn.
Our entire family has been involved in theatre ever since I can remember. Maybe I moved up here just to get away from doing 'one more play'. Just kidding!
Glad to see the website. Look forward to many more observations. Perhaps we'll all write a book someday...a chapter apiece.
Joe and Jane Riggs
jamjar@alaska.net
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 19:26:27 -0900
Very nice.
Rogene Mahaffey
FredandRogene@aol.com
Sunday, February 10, 2002 at 20:38:55 (EST)
My 46-year-old brother's name is Lynn Riggs. He was named after my dad's half brother, Lynn Riggs! My dad (Joe Riggs) moved from Claremore, met and married my mom (Edrye), and settled down in Ironwood, Michigan. They were founding members of a successful community theater. It's still running strong! Theater is in our family's blood. My mom (now 79 years old) is currently directing a play up there. Nice to see this site! My brother (Lynn Riggs) is a railroad engineer with a poet's soul!
Amy Riggs Sperry
amyrs693@qwest.net
Minneapolis, MN USA - Sunday, January 27, 2002 at 14:32:33 (PDT)
just looking for words to pre-statehood oklahoma folk songs. particularly "The Untrue Lover".
chuck smith
redbearchuck@home.com
sarasota, fl USA - Monday, August 13, 2001 at 06:07:36 (PDT)
cool site
emily
higirl567@hotmail.com
hilands, virgina USA - Thursday, May 10, 2001 at 14:39:43 (PDT)
All my life I've been told that Lynn Riggs was related to my family, on my mother's side, in some way. I'm just now trying to make the connection. My mother's side of the family were all born in Claremore, including me. My last name is Casey, my mother's maiden name was Peterson, my grandmother's maiden name was Buster and my great grandmother's maiden name was Ferguson. If anyone can shed some light, I'd be most grateful. Someone in my family has a glass cane (like a walking cane, about 2, 2-1/2 feet long)which was supposedly made (yes, made) by Lynn Riggs. My mother kept it hanging on the wall of her bedroom all her life.
Nell Casey
caseynell@cs.com
Nell Casey
caseynell@cs.com
Santa Maria, CA USA - Saturday, April 14, 2001 at 11:42:05 (PDT)
I am preparing a production of Oklahoma! at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau, MO. My students and I have been regularly searching the internet for information on the musical, the author and Green Grow the Lilacs. I was pleased to discover this site. Nothing that I had read up till now had identified Lynn Riggs as a Native American. Thank you for providing the many students who will do Oklahoma! throughout the world a chance to know the originator of the story.
Cynthia R. King
ndking@hotmail.com
Cape Girardeau, MO USA - Thursday, January 25, 2001 at 14:48:39 (PDT)
This is my mother's cousin. My grandmother was Hannah Riggs. My middle name came from this man. My mother was very fond of Lynn's niece, Bernice. Her son stayed with us for a short time while we were in school. I have been tracing my family history and was very excited to find this page.
Joyce Lynn Baxter
baxterj@sumner.org
, USA - Monday, December 11, 2000 at 14:38:25 (PDT)
I really enjoyed browsing your site. I have a sister,Kathy, that is married to a Cundiff,(Gary).
joyce cornejo <jledora@hotmail.com>
wellington, ks USA - Wednesday, November 29, 2000 at 14:24:56 (PST)
Thank you so much for your web site! My father is Lynn Riggs' second or third cousin and was named after him. It was so fun to find your web site and learn more about one of my ancestors! I hope that someday my dad and I can actually visit the memorial! Thanks again, it was very informative!
Melinda Iaeger <MindiRu@aol.com>
El Paso, TX USA - Monday, July 24, 2000 at 19:50:25 (PDT)
Thank you for visiting. Please sign the guestbook and we'll keep you updated on changes to the site and news about The Lynn Riggs Memorial.
Gary Cundiff <gscundiff@cox.net>
Tulsa, OK USA - Saturday, March 04, 2000 at 04:36:22 (PST)