Philip Briggs (1791 - 1852)

Born 18 Dec 1791 in Rowan, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Fry) Briggs — married 1812 in NC

Husband of Elizabeth (unknown) Briggs — married 8 Jan 1847 in Andrew, Missouri, United States

Descendants

Died 5 May 1852 at age 60 in Buckhorn, Brown, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nalani Briggs [send private message]

Biography

Philip Briggs was born in North Carolina and grew up in what was then Rowan County. His father, James Briggs, was granted 200 acres on both sides of Flat Swamp Creek and Four Mile Branch on 7 Jul 1794.^[1] Four Mile Branch breaks off from Flat Swamp Creek about 5 miles up from High Rock Lake.

Philip's 1st wife was Mary Fry, daughter of Henry Fry Sr., also of Rowan County. Henry Fry Sr. was granted 200 acres on the west side of Abbotts Creek on 10 Oct 1783.^[2] This area is near the current town of Southmont and Henry Sr.'s land encompassed what is now High Rock Marina & Campground. This would've been about 5 miles northwest of James Briggs's land, just on the other side of Abbotts Creek.

Philip's brother Richard married Mary's sister Prudence. Philip, Richard and their sister's husband, Nathan Riley, can be found in 1821, while still in Rowan County, as guardians for the children of their brother-in-law, Henry Fry Jr., during his father-in-law's probate.^[3] By this point, Henry Fry was married to their cousin Elendes Briggs as his 2nd wife.

From the book Some Surratt/Sarratt families in the United States, 1715-1980:

From its earliest beginnings, Rowan County, North Carolina, had been composed of relatively small farms worked by family members. Slaves were not common; if a family had slaves, they usually had only one or two and they often lived in the same house with their owners.

Small grain was the main crop, and at first the crops were good, but by the 1820's the land began to wear out and the crops became poor. Even when they had good crops they had no navigable rivers on which to take their produce to market. Roads were poor or non-existent, so the farmer turned their grain into whiskey and shipped it out in barrels which, it was reported, were rolled and pulled by horses to Virginia.

It became impossible to support a large family on a small farm, especially when the young men became of marriageable age and started a growing family of their own. Many families simply pulled up stakes and emigrated further south or the Midwest. If a man hoped for a large plantation worked by slaves he went to Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, or Texas. If he preferred the simpler free life among people who felt the way he did, he went to the Midwest.

By the 1830's records indicate that churches lost membership, farms were abandoned, and cart, wagons, people on horseback, and others walking streamed through Asheville, North Carolina, traveling the Wilderness Road.^[4]

What was the allure of Brown County, Illinois, for the people who were being starved out of Davidson County and other areas of North Carolina? Land was the answer. Brown County, Illinois, was part of the Military Bounty tract which was surveyed in 1815-1816. This tract was set aside by Congress in May 1812 as land to be granted as payment to soldiers who served in the War of 1812 and for some who served in the Black Hawk War. Many soldiers did not claim their bounty and many sold their claims without ever seeing them. At any rate the plats had been laid out and the U.S. government land offices had been setup. Brown County was in the Quincy Land District, but the earliest settlers filed for land at an office in Edwardsville which was closer to home.

No doubt these families communicated to friends and relatives back home in Davidson County, North Carolina, about the large amounts of land available from the government for $1.25 per acre, of heavily wooded creek, and the abundance of deer, turkey, and other game. They probably neglected to tell about the abundance of rattle snakes although many stories exist today about the large dens in rocky outcroppings and the drives held by the early settlers to get rid of them.^[5]

Although they all had a lot of work to do to remove the timber before good corn crops were raised, no doubt these old friends and relatives got together for corn huskings, house raisings, and quiltings. Brown County residents were also reported to be fond of dancing, wrestling, foot races, and shooting matches, and it was not uncommon to see liquor being served at these social events. Whiskey played a part in all pioneer life to break the tedium, as well as smoking and chewing tobacco.^[6]

According to the Combined history of Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, "In 1831, Richard and Philip Briggs, natives of Kentucky [actually North Carolina], arrived in Versailles. They had come to the state the year previous and raised a crop in Morgan county. They both located in section 18. Richard lived here until his death, October 8, 1876. Philip moved from here to the state of Missouri, where he remained a short time and then returned, locating in Buckhorn township where he died several years ago."^[7]

The Wilderness Road that was taken to get from North Carolina to Illinois at the time went through Kentucky.^[8][9] Maybe this is why the locals, when the Combined history was written in 1882, thought that Philip & Richard were from Kentucky.

Wilderness Road

Philip can still be found in Brown County, Illinois, on the 1840 census.^[10] His household includes one male 40-50, one female 40-50, and 13 individuals under the age of 30. This means that Mary Fry Briggs was still living in 1840 and probably went to Missouri with the family.

Mary died at some point after 1840 and on January 8th, 1847, Philip married Elizabeth, widow of Henry Bradley, in Andrew County, Missouri.^[11] An indenture can be found in Andrew County dated 5 Feb 1848 in which Philip & Elizabeth Briggs transfer land to Benjamin Ogle.^[12] The statement by the Justice of the Peace identifies Elizabeth as a widow. Another indenture dated 3 Jun 1851 shows Philip & Elizabeth Briggs selling land that Henry Bradley received from the state of Missouri in Township 61, Range 35, Section 23 of Andrew County.^[13][14] This indenture states clearly that Philip & Elizabeth Briggs are now residents of Brown County, Illinois, and that Elizabeth is the widow of Henry Bradley. An image of this indenture has been uploaded here.

Philip & Elizabeth are found back in Brown County, Illinois, on the 1850 census.^[15] In his household are his wife Elizabeth and his two youngest sons, Philip & Jefferson. Listed just before him on the previous page are the families of several of his children. In the household listed after him is his daughter Susannah Summy.

Summy was also a North Carolina family. George Summy is found listed next to Philip & Richard on the 1830 census^[16] in Davidson County, which was formed from Rowan County in 1822. Richard Briggs's son-in-law, Michael Summy, was one of the men who first migrated to Illinois with Philip & Richard in 1831.^[17]

According to his gravestone in Buckhorn Cemetery,^[18] Philip died 5 May 1852. On 29 May 1852, Philip's will was proved in court in Brown County.^[19] I have not located a copy of the will.

Elizabeth died in 1864 and was also buried in Buckhorn Cemetery next to her husband.^[20]

Sources

1. ↑ "North Carolina Land Grant Images and Data." State Archives of North Carolina. Web. <https://www.nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.107.3171&qid=670280&rn=1> Call# S.108.1025. Grant no. 2330 book 82 pg 382.
2. ↑ "North Carolina Land Grant Images and Data." State Archives of North Carolina. Web. <https://www.nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.107.1272&qid=670273&rn=7> Call# S.108.1018. Grant no. 636 book 51 pg 189.
3. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPGR-JXL?cc=1911121&wc=Q6WT-13N%3A184173301%2C183266201%2C192311201 : 21 May 2014), Rowan County > F > Fry, Henry (1820) > image 10 of 15; State Archives, Raleigh.
4. ↑ Sarratt, Laura, and Norman H. Sarratt. Some Surratt/sarratt Families in the United States, 1715-1980. Fresno, Calif: Pioneer Pub, 1980. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/123204/?viewer=text&height_top=0&dir_ico=%2Fthemes%2FLDS%2Fimages%2Fviewer%2Fblack%2F&css-name=include&offset=1&annotate_id=&open=%20&medianame=&q=&page=#page=107&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=> pp. 96.
5. ↑ Sarratt, Laura, and Norman H. Sarratt. Some Surratt/sarratt Families in the United States, 1715-1980. Fresno, Calif: Pioneer Pub, 1980. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/123204/?viewer=text&height_top=0&dir_ico=%2Fthemes%2FLDS%2Fimages%2Fviewer%2Fblack%2F&css-name=include&offset=1&annotate_id=&open=%20&medianame=&q=&page=#page=111&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=> pp. 100.
6. ↑ Sarratt, Laura, and Norman H. Sarratt. Some Surratt/sarratt Families in the United States, 1715-1980. Fresno, Calif: Pioneer Pub, 1980. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/123204/?viewer=text&height_top=0&dir_ico=%2Fthemes%2FLDS%2Fimages%2Fviewer%2Fblack%2F&css-name=include&offset=1&annotate_id=&open=%20&medianame=&q=&page=#page=112&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=> pp. 101.
7. ↑ Combined History of Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: With Illustrations Descriptive of Their Scenery, and Biographical Sketches of Some of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: W.R. Brink & Co, 1882. Internet Archive. <https://archive.org/details/combinedhistoryo00wrbr/page/296/mode/2up?view=theater&q=briggs> p. 297.
8. ↑ “Wilderness Road.” Wikipedia, 1 July 2021, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness_Road>
9. ↑ Sarratt, Laura, and Norman H. Sarratt. Some Surratt/sarratt Families in the United States, 1715-1980. Fresno, Calif: Pioneer Pub, 1980. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/123204/?viewer=text&height_top=0&dir_ico=%2Fthemes%2FLDS%2Fimages%2Fviewer%2Fblack%2F&css-name=include&offset=1&annotate_id=&open=%20&medianame=&q=&page=#page=111&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=> pp. 100.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBJ-7K6 : 2 March 2021), Phel Briggs, Brown, Illinois, United States; citing p. 166, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ "Missouri Marriages, 1750-1920", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2Z1-4NT : 18 January 2020), Elizabeth Bradley in entry for Philip Brigs, 1847.
12. ↑ Andrew County (Missouri) Recorder of Deeds. Deed Records, 1841-1900; Index to Deeds, 1841-1889. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLK-JSKF-N?i=528&cat=222145> Book 2, p. 474. Image 529 of 909. Philip & Elizabeth Briggs to Benjamin Ogle, 5 Feb 1848.
13. ↑ "Missouri Digital Heritage: Collections : Land Records: 1777 - 1969". Missouri Digital Heritage. Missouri Office of the Secretary of State, 2021. <https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/land/Detail.aspx?id=3598> Henry Bradley, Township 61, Range 35, Section 23.
14. ↑ Andrew County (Missouri) Recorder of Deeds. Deed Records, 1841-1900; Index to Deeds, 1841-1889. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976. FamilySearch. <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1X-M74K-X?i=108&cat=222145> Book 4, p. 193. Image 109 of 422. Philip & Elizabeth Briggs to Thomas Millery, 3 Jun 1851.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M85J-LM3 : 20 December 2020), Philip Briggs, Brown, Illinois, United States; citing dwelling 967, family 972, NARA roll 98. (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
16. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPM-WMJ : 20 February 2021), George Smmay, Davidson, North Carolina, United States; citing 191, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 120; FHL microfilm 18,086.
17. ↑ Combined History of Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: With Illustrations Descriptive of Their Scenery, and Biographical Sketches of Some of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: W.R. Brink & Co, 1882. Internet Archive. <https://archive.org/details/combinedhistoryo00wrbr/page/74/mode/2up?view=theater&q=briggs> p. 75.
18. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32185210/philip-briggs : accessed 14 July 2021), Philip “Phillip” Briggs (19 Dec 1791–5 May 1852), Memorial ID 32185210, Buckhorn Cemetery, Buckhorn, Brown County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by J.R.L. (contributor 46923108).
19. ↑ "Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-4Q1K-Z?cc=1834344&wc=SF2M-MNL%3A162586701%2C162742501 : 20 May 2014), Brown > Probate records 1849-1857 vol 1 > image 92 of 324; county courthouses, Illinois. Philip Briggs, May 1852, p. 182.
20. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11079246/elizabeth-briggs : accessed 13 July 2021), Elizabeth Briggs (1799–27 Jun 1864), Memorial ID 11079246, Buckhorn Cemetery, Buckhorn, Brown County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Jane (contributor 46787182).