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)
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