BRIGGS, James Wilson

Notes:

James appears to have been named after his uncle James Thompson who married his aunt Eleanor.
In the early 1840s, he migrated with his parents to the state of Indiana, and grew up near the city of Wabash.
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He married Catherine in 1854.
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The 1860 census:
Noble Township, Wabash Co., Indiana (Roll 304 Book 1, Page 231, 7/16/1860)
James Briggs, 28, M, Farmer, $50 Real Estate/$200 Personal, b. PA
Catherine ", 24, F, House Work, b. PA (about 6 mo. pregnant with John)
Alfred W. ", 4, M, b. IN
Clinton L. ", 3, M, b. IN
Loren E. ", 1, M, b. IN
(Next door was James' father Benjamin, age 76, and mother Sarah, age 63)
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In 1869, after 7 of their eventual 12 children were born, James & family moved across the state line, near Hoopeston, VermilionCo., Illinois. He bought a quarter section of land there for $300, eventually he purchased 200 acres.
The last 5 of their children were born in Hoopeston.
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The 1870 census of Grant Township, Vermilion Co., Illinois shows:
(Roll 285 Book 1, Page 245b)
Briggs, James, 39, male, white, farmer, $3150 real estate, $2350 personal wealth, b. PA
- , Catherine, 34, female, white, keeping house, b. PA
- , Alfred, 14, male, white, b. IN, in school
- , Clinton, 12, male, white, b. IN, in school
- , Lorrain, 11, male, white, b. IN, in school
- , John, 10, male, white, b. IN, in school
_ , Charles, 8, male, white, b. IN, in school
- , Bell, 3, female, white, b. IN
- , Effie, 1, female, white, b. IN
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In the 1880's James & family moved near the town of Ainsworth, Brown Co., Nebraska and "Homesteaded" 3 quarter sections of land.
James was elected to County Commissioner and made responsible for maintaining the roadways in the district.
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At 50 James moved to Ainsworth & rented out his farm land.
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1885 Nebraska State Census
ED: 44
Loc: Ainsworth Precinct, Brown Co., Nebraska
Date: 08 Jun 1885
Enumerator: F. M. Whittecar
Name: James T. Briggs Race: W Age: 54 Birth Place: Pennsylvania
Name: Cathrine Briggs Race: W Age: 48 Birth Place: Pennsylvania
Name: Minnie Briggs Race: W Age: 17 Birth Place: Indiana
Name: Effie Briggs Race: W Age: 15 Birth Place: Indiana
Name: James Briggs Race: W Age: 13 Birth Place: Illinois
Name: Moses Briggs Race: W Age: 11 Birth Place: Illinois
Name: Jessie Briggs Race: W Age: 9 Birth Place: Illinois
Name: Jizza Briggs Race: W Age: 8 Birth Place: Illinois
Name: Ora Jane Briggs Race: W Age: 6 Birth Place: Illinois
Name: John L. Briggs Race: W Age: 24 Birth Place: Indiana
Name: Charles Brigs Race: W Age: 23 Birth Place: Indiana
Name: Clinton Brigs Race: W Age: 27 Birth Place: Indiana
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James was an active member of the Methodist-Episcopal Church.
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1900 census:
(Ainsworth Precinct, Brown Co., Nebraska)
Briggs, James T., Head, M, W, b. Oct. 1829, age 70, Married for 44 yrs., b. PA, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA, Retired Farmer
Briggs, Katherine E., Wife, W, F, Mar. 1836, age 64, Married for 44 yrs., 12 of 12 children surviving in 1900, b. PA, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA,
Briggs, Ova, Dau., W, F, Mar. 1880, age 20, Single, b. IL, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA, Seamstress
Potter, Elizabeth, Dau., W, F, Sep. 1870, age 29, Married, 0 children, b. IL, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA
Potter, Marion, son-in-law, W, M, Apr. 1875, age 25, Married 2 yrs., b. IL, fa. b. ?, mo. b. ?, Barber
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1910 census:
(Ainsworth Precinct, Brown Co., Nebraska)
Briggs, James T., Head, M, W, 80, Married for 54 yrs., b. PA, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA,
Briggs, Katherine E., Wife, F, W, 74, Married for 54 yrs., 11 of 12 children surviving in 1910, b. PA, fa. b. PA, mo. b. PA,
This census indicated the couple was living on Oak or Elm St.

James married THRUSH, Katherine Elizabeth 16 Aug 1854, Wabash, Indiana. Katherine (daughter of THRUSH, Joseph L. and HOCH, Susannah) was born 15 Mar 1836, Shippensburg, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania; died 27 Mar 1922, Ainsworth, Brown County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Catherine was born in the Cumberland Valley, near Shippensburg, Pa.
Catherine and James settled in Hoopeston, Vermillion Co., Illinois in1862.
They were back on the trail in a covered wagon in 1883 and settled in Ainsworth, Brown Co., Nebraska.
Catherine became a member of the Methodist Church at 15. She and James helped establish the Methodist Church in Ainsworth.

Notes:

Benjamin joined westward migration in 1836. They briefly lived in Miami Co., Ohio, then moved on to Grant Co., Indiana, and on March 3, 1838 they bought 136.88 acres with John Moore.
On October 24, 1844 he sold his portion and moved to Wabash Co., Indiana.
Benjamin lived his last years with his son Watson.
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A granddaughter later wrote "Papa's mother was a Jeffers." Jeffries genealogy states Sarah Jeffries married Benjamin Briggs. Her brother named his son Benjamin Briggs Jeffries. On March 28, 1808 Benjamin was shown as promising to pay $1.00 yearly to support the pastor of Shade Gap Church, first organized as the "Little Augwick Congregation" organized after 1776. He lived in Tell Twp until 1836. Benjamin deeded his Huntingdon Co Tell Twp land to William Clayton on March 29, 1836, land previously warranted to Benjamin Briggs and Jaconias Rose in 1790 and adjoining Jacob Crow's heirs, John Briggs and William Waters. (Huntingdon Co Pennsylvania Order book Y-1-668.)
He lived in Miami Co, Ohio briefly before settling in Grant, then Wabash Co. Indiana. He had a claim against his half-brother Jonathan in Huntingdon Co PA, according to probate records in Wabash County IN. Benjamin's son Watson collected on this claim.
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Huntingdon Co Pennsylvania 1820 census:
1 m. 26-45,
1 m. under 10;
1 f. 16-26,
2 f. under 10.
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Huntingdon Co Pennsylvania 1830:
1 m. 40-50,
1 m. 15-20,
1 m. 5-10,
1 m. under 5;
1 f. 30-40,
2 f. 10-15,
2 f. 5-10,
2 f. under 5.
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Grant Co IN 1840:
1 m. 50-60,
1 m. 15-20,
2 m. 5-10,
1 f. 40-50,
1 f. 20-30,
2 f. 15-20,
2 f. 10-15
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The 1850 Wabash Co., Indiana census shows a 66 year old Benjamin from Pennsylvania with his wife Sarah age 56 who was also born in Pennsylvania. The census states he was a farmer with property valued at $1000.00 and that Sarah could not read or write. James T. Briggs (our ancestor) age 19 was still living at home and attending school at the time.
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1860 census:
(Noble Township, Wabash Co., Indiana)
Benjamin Briggs, 76, M, Farmer, $1600 RE/ $200 Personal, b. PA
Sarah Briggs, 63, F, House Work, b. PA
Wilkin Briggs, 13 M, b. IN
(next door was son James and his young family)
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A family legend carried by descendants of this Benjamin stated they were related to Abraham Lincoln to some degree. Extensive research resulted in locating a Briggs connection to Abraham Lincoln's wife. Work family genealogy states Samuel Briggs (Benjamin's uncle) was the father of Jean Briggs who m. Richard Todd and became the mother of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. However, the mother of Mary Todd Lincoln, according to Todd genealogy was Jane Briggs (1761-1800) (the d/o Samuel and Sarah (Logan) Briggs and Levi Todd). Jane's father, Samuel Briggs, b. ca 1730 moved from Pennsylvania to KY and d. ca 1792. If Samuel Briggs, the father of Jane, is connected to this Briggs family, it would be in a prior generation than stated in Work genealogy. Samuel's will mentioned wife Mary, son Benjamin, daughter Jane Todd, children Margaret Drake, Joseph, Elizabeth, Hannah and Rachel Briggs, with Benjamin as executor. (DAR #4540)

Benjamin married JEFFRIES, Sarah Bef 1816, Probably Pennsylvania. Sarah (daughter of JEFFRIES, Richard and DAVIS, Nancy Anna) was born 27 Mar 1795, Tell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania; died 16 Sep 1862, Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

It is said that Sarah was a distant cousin to President Abraham Lincoln.
She was buried next to her husband in Matlock Cemetery in Wabash, Indiana.
The 1850 Noble Township, Wabash Co., Indiana stated that Sarah, age 56, could not read or write.

Notes:

Joseph was a cooper by trade and a farmer. In the spring of 1836 he moved his family from Pennsylvania to Seneca Co. Ohio, near Attica in a three-horse Conestoga wagon.
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In 1837 they moved to a place named Bellville inRichland Co., Ohio, where he purchased a small tract of land.
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In 1840 he lost his land after "the panic of 1837" and rented about 80 acres and lived on it for 18 months.
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In the fall of 1841 Joseph moved his family to Indiana in a Yankee covered wagon. From October of 1841 to July 1842 they lived in a cabin in northern Grant Co., Indiana. In July 1848 Joseph traded his new wagon, one horse and harness to a Mr. McVicker for a 28 acre tract of land near Lincolnville, Wabash Co., Indiana.
Some years later Rachel Ann Thrush, Joseph's daughter gave this account of their arrival to this farm. "There was a little log cabin on this place that we could occupy when we first came, that was some, but not much better than staying out in the open air. It would keep the rain off somewhat, and we had all the woods on the farm to get fuel from to keep a flaming fire to warm us by in the winter".
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Though Joseph and Susannah were of the Lutheran faith in Pennsylvania they became founding members of the Asbury Chapel Methodist Church in Indiana.
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Joseph is buried in Center Grove Cemetery in Wabash Co., Indiana.
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The 1850 census for Largo, Township,Wabash Co., Indiana states Joseph, born in Pennsylvania, was a farmer with land valued at $1000.00. His wife Susanna and several of his younger children were with him at the time the census was taken, including our ancestor Catherine, age 16, who was attending school.
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Joseph L. Thrush came from Richland County, Ohio. His family were himself and wife and five children, one of them being a half-grown lass, the future wife of Mr. Joseph McClintock. They made the trip in a Yankee covered wagon, drawn by three horses, having traveled the longer and more tedious journey from Pennsylvania to Richland County, Ohio, years before, when the country was far more wild and unsettled, in a three-horse Pennsylvania Conestoga wagon. Mr. Thrush settled on the Marion-Lagro Road, called the Boundary Road, because it was laid on the eastern boundary of the Big Miami Indian Reservation, which the whites, with their accustomed greediness and disregard of the rights of the weaker party, located wholly upon the Indian land. Some of them have received a sort of reward for the greediness of their predecessors in the fact that the lands on the west side of the boundary are less in extent by half the width of the road. Mr. Thrush died in 1877, at the age of eighty-one, having been born in 1796.

Joseph married HOCH, Susannah 28 Dec 1823, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Susannah (daughter of HOCH, Henry and FACKLER, Rachel) was born 5 Sep 1803, Pennsylvania; died 6 Sep 1876, Wabash County, Indiana. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

1790 Census:
Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Briggs Junr.
1, free white males 16 and older.
2, free white males under 16
5, free white females
He was living next door to his parents.
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A private in Lt. Isaac Miller's Company of the Cumberland Co. militia during the Revolutionary War, called into service March 28, 1778. They lived in Dublin (later called Tell) Township, Huntingdon Co., Penn. in the Tuscarora Valley. Benjamin served as constable of Dublin Township in 1790.
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Letters of Administration on the Estate of Benjamin Briggs of Dublin Township was granted March 11, 1801 (page 170).
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Huntingdon County Jan. Term 1808 Orphan's Court Book B, Page 118.
"Petition of John Briggs, eldest son of Benjamin Briggs, late of Dublin Twp.
Benjamin died intestate leaving widow and 12 children.
Widow:
Mary
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Sons:
John,
Benjamin - all of full age.
Samuel - under guardianship of Isiah Evans;
Abner and Jonathan - under guardianship of William and Isaac Gifford.
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Daughters:
Margaret, Eleanor, Mary, Jane - all of full age.
Rebecca - intermarried with James Hockenberry.
Sarah, Fannie - minors under guardianship of Isiah Evans.
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That he died owning land in Dublin Twp held by right of improvement which adjoined Benjamin Jr. and others, including parcel surveyed on a warrant to Benjamin Briggs and Jaconias Rose, warrant dated January 14, 1790.
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More court records: "My" Benjamin held a claim against his half-brother Jonathan's estate. The estate was opened so Benjamin's son Watson could collect the claim.

Benjamin married WELCH, Rebecca Abt 1774, Pennsylvania. Rebecca was born Abt 1755; died Bef 1790, Tell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

NOTE:
The 1790 census of Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania shows a
"Nicholas Welch"
Huntingdon County., Pa
Free White males 16 years and over
Free white males under 16 years
Free white females
All other free persons
Salves

This individual may be related to our Rebecca. However this is not proven at this writing (4-2-2005).
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Nicholas Welsh/Welch, Dublin Twp., Huntingdon Co., PA, left his estate to two children in 1810 according to his will which I recently copied at the Huntingdon Co. courthouse. The children are Essable(not familiar with this name) and Robert M. Welsh/Welch. Robert M. Welsh/Welch left his estate to four children--Ann, Mary, David and William. He died in 1824. Nicholas transferred half of his Dublin Co. property to Robert in 1798. Robert left his property to David and William in his will of 1824. David and William M. Welch then transferred the property to William Stewart, Jr., in 1841.
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1810 census:
Welch, J. PA HUNTINGDON CO. DUBLIN TWP 010
Welch, R. PA HUNTINGDON CO. DUBLIN TWP 010
Welch, William PA HUNTINGDON CO. FRANKLIN TWP 011
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Notes:

Richard was the youngest of Robert's 13 children. He too was twice married, fathering 29 children, 21 of whom survived to adulthood. Richard and his first wife Jane moved to Tell Township, Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania in1785. He lost Jane, his first wife, the same year.
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Richard Jeffries, enlisted and served in the ranks of Washington's army.
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In 1786 he married his second wife Nancy Davis. Richard was buried in a graveyard on the home farm on the banks of the Tuscarora.
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Richard was enumerated on the 1790 census in Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania.
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Richard Jeffreis died at his home in Tell Township on March 27th, 1817 aged 87 years.

Richard married DAVIS, Nancy Anna 1786, Tell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Nancy (daughter of DAVIS, James and MILLER, Patience) was born 5 May 1765, Of East Bradford, Chester County, Pennsylvania; died 1841, Piqua, Miami County, Ohio; was buried , Graveyard 2 Miles North of Piqua, Ohio. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The name Amor was used by James Davis and his wife Mary Miller Bishop in about 1756 near Chester Co., Pennsylvania.

This name was passed on by Richard Jeffries and his wife Nancy Anna Davis as the first name of their son.

Nancy's birthdate may indicate Amor Davis could have been her brother, and James and Mary, her parents.

Though I have included James and Mary in my data, it should not be interpreted as a documented relationship.

NOTE:
There was a John Davis and Arthur Davis in Piqua, Miami Co., OH in 1830.

Notes:

Leonard Thrush, son of Leonard and grandson of Jacob, was born in Hopewell Township, now Newton Township, Cumb. Co. about 1760. His name first appears in the records as a freeman in 1782 and continues as a freeman through the years 1782 and 1783. (S. III, Vol. XX).
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On December 14, 1787, he was granted a warrant for 200 acres of land (S III, Vol. XXIV - P. 773.)
His homestead of 300 or more acres was considered to be one of the best in the Cumberland Valley.
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Leonard Thrush served in the Cumberland County Militia as a private, 8th class in Captain Alexander Peeble's Company in the years 1780 and 1781 and on March 14, 1781, he was called to do a tour of duty on the frontier. (S. V, Vol. VI, P. 396-406).
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His name appears as the head of a family in the U. S. Census 1790, and also in the Military Roll of the 6th Battalion, Cumberland County Militia in 1793. (S VI-Vol. V - P. 217).
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January 23, 1799, Leonard Thrush was elected an ensign in Company 1, Fifth Regiment, Cumb. Co. Militia, commanded by Captain Robert Peebles. (S. VI, Vol. IV, P. 716).
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Leonard Thrush lived and died in Newton Township, Cumberland Co. Letters on his estate were granted to Daniel Eckert, administrator, on December 7, 1842. Deeds on record show his wife was named Catherine. His wife Catherine died later, letters on her estate having been granted to Jacob Thrush on July 13, 1844.
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A release given by the heirs of Leonard Thrush recorded December 19, 1846, show his heirs to be as below: Jacob Thrush
Joseph Thrush
Catherine Thrush, married Jacob Thrush XI
Leonard Thrush, B. 1799, D. 1833, XII
Mary Thrush, married Daniel Stine
Catherine Thrush, B. 1801 and D. 1901.
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Leonard married STINE, Catherine Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Catherine was born 1764; died 13 Jul 1844, Newton Township, Cumberland County Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

(Taken from the book "Briggs Heritage" by Clara Jean Whan, 1985)
Henry Hoch Jr. was born about the time that Thomas Jefferson and his committee were drafting the Declaration of Independence. Henry and his wife Rachel followed the westward migration moving to a farm between Newville and Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
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The couple had 13 children on the farm known as "the old Hoch farm". Henry followed the same trade as his father, farming his land and weaving in the off-season.
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Henry and Rachel where buried adjacent to the Reform church in Shippensburg but later had to be moved to the Spring Hill Cemetery because of Church expansion. Their graves are marked with stone markers.

Henry married FACKLER, Rachel Bef 1799, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Rachel (daughter of FACKLER, Hans George and Susanna) was born 25 Feb 1779, Aboard A .. Ship Bound For Colonies; died 4 Sep 1865, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Rachel is said to have been born enroute to the colonies. this statement has come under some scutiny as some researchers believe the family had been in North America for some time prior to her birth. Thier hunch is that she may have been born abord ship while the family was traveling between Europe & the British Colonies, not a the time of the familys original immigration.
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She was the sponsor for Rachel Beck, the daughter of her sister Barbara (Fackler) Beck and John Beck, 1797.