William Nelson Briggs

Notes:

In the Federal Census of 1880, the family is at Warwick, RI: William N. Briggs 36, Julia 29, Lawrence A. 7, Florence E. 11 mos, Sarah 30 (sister); all b RI.

In the Federal Census of 1900, the family is living at Warwick, RI; William N. & Julia A. Briggs are ages 56 & 48; they have 5 daughters in the household. According to census data they have been married 30 yrs; William is a blacksmith.

In 1910 they are still at Warwick, living on Apponaug Rd.: William N. Briggs 66 (2nd marriage), Julia A. 59 (1st marriage), Bertha A. 23, Armillie F. 21, Mable F. 18, Lawrence E. Armstrong 36 (son-in-law), Florence B. Armstrong 30, Walter B. Armstrong 33 (son-in-law), Julia E. Armstrong 25, Ralph B. 4, and Walter P. 10 mos, both grandsons. The two sons-in-law are brothers, sons of Charles & Anna (Brayton) Armstrong.

William married Lydia A. Sweet 21 Dec 1865, Warwick, Kent Co., RI. Lydia was born 1845. [Group Sheet]

William married Julia Ann Geraghty 27 Jan 1869, Warwick, Kent Co., RI. Julia (daughter of Peter Geraghty and Ann Duke) was born Dec 1851, RI; died 10 Feb 1936, Warwick, Kent Co., RI; was buried , Cemetery 35, Gorton-Arnold Lot, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

1. Leon William Briggs was born 1870; died 29 Dec 1873, RI.
2. Lawrence A. Briggs was born Abt 1873, RI; died 20 Mar 1881, Warwick, Kent Co., RI.
3. Mabel Frances Briggs was born 1877; died 8 Mar 1877, RI.
4. Florence Etta Briggs was born 22 Jun 1879, Warwick, Kent Co., RI.
5. Julia Emma Briggs was born Dec 1881, RI; died 28 May 1950, Coventry, Kent Co., RI.
6. William Nelson Briggs, Jr. was born 21 Jan 1884, Warwick, Kent Co., RI.
7. Bertha A. Briggs was born Jul 1886, RI.
8. Armillie Frances Briggs was born 1 Mar 1889, Warwick, Kent Co., RI.
9. Mabel Foster Briggs was born 5 Nov 1891, Warwick, Kent Co., RI.

Nelson — Hannah Frances Place. Hannah was born Abt 1825, RI. [Group Sheet]

Palmer married Amy Wilcox Abt 1812. Amy (daughter of Sylvester Wilcox and Amy Richmond) was born Abt 1791, South Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Amy (later wife of Palmer Briggs) is mentioned as daughter of Sylvester in the 1807 will of William Willcox of SK. According to the will, Sylvester is son of Robert, William's brother.

Note the surname is often spelled Willcox.

Her name is sometimes given as Almy.

In son Nelson's death record, his mother's name is given as Amy Perry Briggs. Was Perry a middle name, perhaps named after her mother? Another possibility is that Palmer married two women, both named Amy.

Sweet married Martha "Patty" Tanner Abt 1777. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sylvester is mentioned in the 1807 will of William Willcox of SK. According to the will, Sylvester is son of Robert, William's brother.

Sylvester was a Revolutionary War soldier. Here is a summary from his Revolutionary War Pension File: On 3 Sep 1832 he personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas in South Kingstown, Washington County; at that time he said he was age 73 and a resident of Exeter. He testified that he had served a little over two years in the Revolution [although not continuously]. He first joined early in Dec 1776. When the British fleet came there was an alarm and he was called up as a militiaman to guard the shore and quartered at Richard Gardiner's house. After that each half of the soldiers served during alternate months up until 1780. He was quartered part of the time at Robert Knowles' and part of the time at Silas Gardner's in Boston Neck and Benjamin Gardner's near the north ferry. He was on the island of Rhode Island [meaning Aquidneck Island] in Gen Sullivan's Expedition. After the British left he served two months on the island of Rhode Island part at Tomony Hill Fort [?] and part at Brenton's Neck. He served a total of two years and two months military service. He never had any written discharge; he has no record of his age. He was born in the town of Richmond, and has been living in South Kingstown since the war, until the spring of 1831 when he moved into Exeter where he now lives. (Rev War Pension File #S17797 Sylvester Willcox)

Sylvester Willcox is listed as a military pensioner age 84 in the Federal Census of 1840 at South Kingstown.

Sylvester married Amy Richmond Abt 1778. Amy (daughter of Adam Richmond and Amy Mary Hazard) was born Abt 1758, Exeter, Washington Co., RI; died Aft 1798, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Several online family trees at ancestry.com have her date of death as 10 Aug 1826, age 68, no source noted. These trees also have her maiden name as Sherman, no source noted and no parents given. They also say she was born 1758 in Exeter, RI.

However, the Richmond family book says she was Amy Richmond, and I am using the information from this book as it seems to be well done, with some images of original documents included for several individuals.
(Richmond family, 1594-1896 and pre-American ancestors, 1040-1594; Richmond, Joshua Bailey; Boston, 1981, p 69; at Heritage Quest accessed through my local library)