In the fall of 1873, Elizabeth (Hughes) Briggs stood on the corner of Lot 25 Conc 3 Flos Twp and waved goodbye to her husband Stanley as he walked down the road to Phelpston, heaading for their former home at Sharbot Lake. Weeks stretched to months without word from her husband. Nearly a year would pass before Elizabeth had her worst fears confirmed. Stanley had died in a fire on board the steamer “Bavarian” just a few miles from Whitby. His body was never recovered. When Elizabeth died in 1881, her family respected her wish to be buried in the northwest corner of the farm, at Lot 26 Conc 3 Flos Twp, the spot where they last saw each other. With permission of the current owners, a plaque was erected by Jan Briggs-McGowan and Wayne Hughes, accompanied by Jan's daughter and also Wayne's wife. Originally the grave was surrounded by a white picket fence which fell into disrepair. New owners tilled the complete field unaware of the tragic story, and today there is no trace of the grave in the plowed cornfield.
I wanted to share this family photo of Elizabeth Briggs with the community. Location: Flos Twp, Simcoe Co., Ontario. Click here for the image details page or here for the full-sized version (678 x 673).
