Nicholas Riott immigrated to the United States from Bavaria, Germany in 1825 at age 10, settling in Herman, Pennsylvania. He married Margaret Greilech in 1841 and they had nine children. Nicholas and Margaret were farmers. Their grandson Henry Riott had a daughter, Annie Riott, in 1888 in Pennsylvania. Annie married Eugene Geibel in 1912 and had nine children, including the author's grandmother. The family has resided in Pennsylvania for generations, with descendants serving in World Wars I and II.