Earl Flowers Riggs was born on August 30, 1891 in Wenona, Illinois. He moved to California in 1914 and lived in Upland and Ontario.

His grandfather, Charles, enlisted as a private with Co. H, 3rd Ohio Calvary on January 12, 1864. He mustered out of August 4, 1865.

Earl, was a member of the Alois Podrasnik Camp No. 15, Ontario. He was the California and Pacific Department Commander in 1948.  At the 1950 National Encampment he was elected Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief. He was elected Camp Commander for 1954. He was appointed National Patriotic Instructor in 1957. Earl became a life member on December 21, 1957 and was assigned number nine.

At the 1958 National Encampment, Brother Riggs and Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Louis T. Story, both with the Department California and Pacific, ran for Commander-in-Chief. Their Department split the vote with 6 for Story and 2 for Riggs, but Riggs was elected 63 ½ to 39 ½. Brother Story made a motion to make the election unanimous, it was seconded, and passed.

Earl was a life-long farmer and once in California became a citrus farmer.

He married Ethel O. Boyer and they had two daughters and two sons. After Ethel's death in 1945, he later married Beatrice Downing. She was elected National President of the Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in 1959.

Brother Riggs died on April 20, 1965, after being involved in a car crash, in Oxnard, California. He is buried at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario. The California and Pacific Department Encampment was recessed to permit Brothers to attend his funeral.