Henry Briggs

Most everything about Henry Briggs is unsolved. There are lots of little bits and pieces that have been uncovered, but the records are still insufficent to draw any definative conclusions. The following is conjecture based on info gathered thus far: Henry Briggs was probably born in Rhode Island in 1745, although a birth record does not exist. As a young man sometime before 1761 he moved to Albany Co., NY, probably within the portion that now belongs to Columbiana Co. (Columbiana Co. was formed from Albany Co. in 1785). Two militia enlistments are found there: 1. Henry Briggs, enlisted May 10, 1761 by Lieut Ten Eyck, age 17, b. Rhode Island, stature 5'3", Dark Complexion, Grey Eyes, Black/Brown hair. [County of Albany for Capt. Christopher Yates Company May 19, 1761, New York Provincial Troops, NY Hist. Soc. Muster Rolls]. Clue: The only other enlistment on that day was Henry Neal, age 19, b. Ireland, laborer. Possible friend. 2. Henry Briggs, enlisted March 28, 1762, age 17, b. New England, Laborer, stature 5'6", blue eyes, light brown hair. [A Muster Roll of the Men Raised and Passed Muster in the City and County of Albany for Capt John De Garemos Company", N.Y. Provincial Troops, 1762]. Clue: On this same day, the only other enlistment was David Butterfield, age 19, b. New England, laborer. Very likely that they were close friends, perhaps with similar origins. These might be two different Henry Briggs, or it might be a single person, this is currently unresolved (the physical descriptions differ substantially). If anything, I suspect #1 is our guy. Henry Briggs may have lived in the area that is now Columbiana Co., or possibly he moved to Washington Twp., Dutchess Co., NY, where a Henry Briggs is found adjacent to a Stephen Barber in the 1790 census. Despite previous claims, I do not believe he ever lived as far south as Westchester or Orange Counties, and the individuals found there and appearing in rev war records are *not* him. ------------------------- Below are previous notes: ----- Parentage is unknown. He was *not* the Henry Briggs born on 16 Jan 1748 in Dighton, Mass, son of Matthew and Mary (Pitts) Briggs, and who enlisted at Dighton in Bristol City, Mass. and fought in the Mass Line. This one's pension papers (S44677) state that he applied 27 Apr 1818 from Franklin City, New York, aged 68 a resident of Constable New York, and died in Dec 1828 leaving a widow (unnamed). [NEHGR 125:273] Lillian (Briggs) Gosman reported that family tradition holds that he and some brothers emigrated to Nova Scotia and later returned to the United States. Some brothers may have located in Maine or Massachusetts. Two located in Westchester County, Croton-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. Later one brother went west via New Jersey and Pennsylvania and settled in Ohio. Henry Briggs settled on "Hessian Hill", Croton-on-the-Hudson, Westchester Co., N.Y. Among the tombstones at the Bethel Church Methodist Churchyard at Croton-on-the-Hudson is John Briggs, d. 1840 age 84, and Elizabeth, wife of John Briggs, d. 1850 age 77. [John may be a brother of Henry, and Elizabeth a dau-in-law of John]. A Henry Briggs served in Cooper's Regiment B of the New York Militia, Orange Co., N.Y. His pension record [cited in Lillian Briggs Gosman's 1956 letter to cousin Adele] at the National Archives is #16846-3/6, sworn by Col. Gilbert Cooper February 23, 1786. He was under the command of Capt. Jacob Onderdonk. [New York in the Revolution as Colony & State, by James A. Roberts, 2nd ed., Albany N.Y., Brandow Printing, 1898, pg. 158] shows as enlisted men of the Orange County Militia, Second Regiment, under Col. Ann Hawk Hay: "Henry Briggs, Jasper Briggs, John Briggs, Lawrence Briggs, and Matthias Briggs". Note: Pension Record W25288 for Matthias Briggs: "NY Line, sol appl 29 Nov 1832 Rockland Cty NY aged 69 a res of Orange NY, sol was b 13 Jan 1763 at Orange NY, wid appl 30 Jan 1852 Rockland Cty NY aged 84. m 4 May 1792 at Hampstead (now Ramapo) NY & so d 14 May 1838, children were: Ann b 12 Jun 1794, John b 13 Sep 1797, Eliza Sophia b 17 Feb 1807, also shown were: Sarah Eliza Briggs b 20 Sep 1825 & Sarah Ann Kent m 15 Jan 1829 the relationship of the last 2 to sol or wid not stated. [Abstracts of Rev War Pension Files, pg 384] A letter of Lillian (Briggs) Gosman, dated 9/1/61, states that her ancestor, Henry Briggs, lived and passed away in Newburg, NY, and that he and his wife Hannah are buried in Bethel Cem. ---------------------------------------- Research notes: There is a Briggs family cemetery plot on what used to be a farm in Crugers, N.Y., a few miles north of Croton on Hudson. In it are the following people: George Briggs, b. 1722, d. 1/21/1796 Catherine Briggs, d. 3/21/1810 at age 89 [b. 1720/1721] Sarah Van Galor, d. 3/10/1799 at 73 years, 5 months, 21 days. [b. 17 Sep 1725] This plot is located 400 rods south of Crugers Railroad Station, 300 ft. from the highway. The source giving this was written in 1920, supplied by an LDS library person in Croton-on-Hudson, communicated to me by Dick Diem. There is mention of this George and Catherine Briggs in N.Y. Gen.& Bio. Record Vol. 100, July 1969, p. 163-5. In that it states that their daughter, Eleanor Briggs of Yorktown, was born 25 Sep 1763, died 11 May 1827, and married in 1789 or early 1790 to Jared (Gerard) Strang. It also mentions the 1804 will of Catherine Briggs and cites [Rec. 58:147]. It goes a biography of Jared and lists their children. Census (1800): Possibly one of: 1. Henry Briggs, p. 215B:2, Columbia Co.; or 2. Henry Briggs, p. 375, Orange Co., N.Y. Although it is hard to disambiguate the Henry Briggs, it appears likely that he does not show up on the 1810 census of N.Y.