Pane-Joyce Genealogy
Family of Thomas Barker Briggs (21121) & Lucy Otis (33027)

31386. Thomas Briggs. Born on 20 Jun 1785 in Scituate, MA.116 Thomas died on 29 Aug 1861; he was 76.7 unmarried.

Thomas never married. During the War of 1812 he ws taken prisoner on a privateer by the British, and carried to Halifax, Nova Scotia.7

31387. Cushing Otis Briggs. Born on 25 Feb 1787 in Scituate, MA.116 Cushing Otis died in Braintree, MA, on 10 Mar 1861; he was 74.7 Occupation: shipbuilder.

Cushing Otis was apprenticed to Elisha Briggs, a cousin, at the Brick Kiln Yard at Pembroke. He boarded while in Pembroke in the home of Elisha Briggs. While there he shared a room with Luthor Briggs, a son of Elisha, and those two began a lifelong friendship. After coming of age he continued to apply his art in Pembroke for several years. He began building vessels on his own account at first at the Brick Kiln Yard, but probably making his home in Sicituate where his first child was born. In 1815 he built at the Brick Kiln Yard the brig Perseverance, 184 tons, two decks, two masts, 78 feet long, 23 wide, 11 deep, which he sold to Elijah Loring, Joshus Ellis, and Robert Thompson of Boston, with Capt. Thomas Snow master. The followin year, 1816, he built the Brig Ann, 204 tons. Soon after selling the brig Ann, Cushoing entered into a partnership with his brother Henry, two years his junior, who had served his apprenticeship with the Fosters at the Wanton Shipyard, South Scituate. When they formed their partnership, they took possession of the family yard at Hobart’s Landing where they built until 1830. The first vessel that they built together was in 1817, the schooner Catherine, 61 tons, for Capt. Moses Rich of Scituate. All of the sons of Cushing served first in the family yard.7

On 19 Dec 1812 when Cushing Otis was 25, he married Mercy Little Thomas (36748) , daughter of Capt. Ichabod Thomas (33294) (23 Sep 1761-11 Nov 1839) & Polly Thomas (33102) (ca 1759-10 Apr 1840), in Pembroke, MA.116 Born on 25 Sep 1791 in Pembroke, MA.7 Mercy Little died in Aug 1862 in Braintree, MA.7

Marcy and Cushing married in her father’s house in Pembroke.7

Their children include:
36070 i. Charles Cushing Briggs (8 Oct 1813-4 Apr 1843)
36071 ii. Rev. William Thomas Briggs (1 Dec 1815-24 Sep 1898)
36072 iii. Hannah Barker Briggs (8 Jun 1819-)
36073 iv. James Edwin Briggs (8 May 1821-24 Jun 1880)
36074 v. Harrison Otis Briggs (30 Jan 1824-6 Dec 1881)
36075 vi. Mary Thomas Briggs (11 Apr 1828-1909)
36076 vii. Lloyd Briggs (8 Apr 1830-12 Mar 1911)
36077 viii. Franklin Briggs (Died unmarried) (7 Jan 1833-23 Oct 1892)

31388. Henry Briggs. Born on 11 Mar 1789 in Scituate, MA. Henry died in Scituate, MA, on 4 Dec 1837; he was 48.116 Buried in South Parish Cem., Norwell. Occupation: shipbuilder.7

Henry “followed the art of shipbuilding, at first with his father and brothers at Hobart’s Landing, and completed his apprenticeship with the Fosters at the Wanton Ship Yard, where he was working in 1810 when he reached his majority. In the War of 1812 he was enrolled in Capt. Luther Tilden’s Company of Militia, which was in service at Scituate. In 1813 he began building vessels with his brother, Cushing O. Briggs, at Hobart’s Landing.
    “The brothers dissolved partnership about 1830, and built separately at Hobart’s Landing. Henry Briggs built in 1831 the bark Avon, 299 tons, of Boston, for Nathaniel Emmons, Thomas B. Wales, and others; in 1833 he was master carpenter of the brig Oak, 208 tons, for the same owners; and in 1836 the bark Verona, 238 tons, also for Emmons and Wales. The last vessel built by Henry Briggs was the brig Star in 1837, which was begun by him but was not completed when he died in December of that year. It was launched in the spring of 1838 by his son, George Henry Briggs, and his son-in-law, Elijah Barstow, who, although he was building a vessel at his Hanover yard at the same time, went ot the Briggs yard nearly every day and supervised her completion, as he had promised his father-in-law, on his death bed, that he would do.
    “When Henry Briggs married in 1813 he built his residence on the main road, upon a part of the Briggs property that was set off to him by the division deed between Henry and his brother, Cushing O. It appears to have been built on that piece of land known as the ‘Neal Orchard,’ and it is yet standing a little west of Neal Gate Road, on the north side of the highway. It was sold a few years after Henry Briggs’ death to Francis Dana, or his father Henry Dana, who had purchased the Walnut Tree Hill estate of Judge William Cushing. ...”7

On 4 Apr 1813 when Henry was 24, he first married Betsey Ruggles (31778) , daughter of Thomas Ruggles (21768) (22 Mar 1757-12 Sep 1830) & Eunice Oakman (31870) (say 1762-), in Scituate, MA.116 Born on 9 May 1794 in Scituate, MA.116 At the age of <1, Betsey was baptized in the Second Church of Scituate, on 5 Oct 1794.421,193 Betsey died in Scituate, MA, on 20 Dec 1833; she was 39.116 Buried in South Parish Cem., Norwell.

Their children include:
36078 i. Caroline Otis Briggs (23 Aug 1813-29 Dec 1888)
36079 ii. George Henry Briggs (10 Sep 1815-1 Mar 1881)
36080 iii. Mary Briggs (Died unmarried) (25 Oct 1817-30 May 1880)
36081 iv. Elizabeth Ruggles Briggs (Died unmarried) (25 Apr 1820-11 Mar 1863)
36082 v. Deborah Clapp Briggs (6 Apr 1823-12 Feb 1900)
36083 vi. Thomas Wales Briggs (Died unmarried) (23 Mar 1825-20 Mar 1891)
36084 vii. John Ruggles Briggs (14 Oct 1827-17 Sep 1888)
36085 viii. Lucy Turner Briggs (23 Jan 1830-14 Apr 1862)
36086 ix. Sarah Briggs (5 Jan 1832-23 Apr 1863)

On 14 Jul 1836 when Henry was 47, he second married Rachel Clap (36463) , daughter of Perkins Clap (35799) (3 Oct 1779-21 Dec 1811) & Rachel Kent (32077), in Scituate, MA.116 Born on 17 Feb 1807.7 Rachel died in Scituate, MA, on 8 Jul 1870; she was 63.7

31389. Charles Briggs. Born on 12 Oct 1791 in Scituate, MA.116 Charles died in South Scituate (Norwell), MA, on 13 Feb 1853; he was 61.

Charles “was a ship carpenter, and learned his trade in his father’s yard at Hobart’s Landing, working there with his father and brothers as long as they built vessels. Later he worked in Medford shipyards, and in 1842, with his son, Charles Otis Briggs, in South Boston. As a young man he went to sea on fishing or coasting vessels, and in the War of 1812 was upon the ocean in a privateer. In 1813 his mother, Lucy Otis Briggs, worte to her son Thomas, then in Halifax prison, having been captured on board the privateer Julian Smith by the British fleet: ‘Charles is here, waiting for more favorable times for the Sailor; he has been taken, and carried into St. Christopher, came home in a vessel from Ne London.’”7

Charles and Rhoda lived in the Dr. James Otis house on Main Street, Norwell.7

On 4 Apr 1821 when Charles was 29, he married Rhoda Reed, daughter of Zadoc Reed (ca 1750-) & Lucy Garnet, in Scituate, MA.116 Born on 12 Feb 1801 in Hanson, MA.7 Rhoda died in Danvers, MA, on 3 Jun 1881; she was 80.7

Their children include:
36087 i. Mary Jane Briggs (11 Jul 1821-)
36088 ii. Charles Otis Briggs (20 Mar 1823-)
36089 iii. Horace Cushing Briggs (Died young) (29 Dec 1824-bef 1830)
36090 iv. Lucy Ann Briggs (7 Aug 1827-)
36091 v. Emeline Briggs (7 Sep 1828-)
36092 vi. Horace Cushing Briggs (23 Jul 1830-)
36093 vii. Charlotte Briggs (10 May 1832-)
36094 viii. Alfred Briggs (Died soon) (15 May 1834-19 Sep 1836)
36095 ix. Almira Briggs (10 Aug 1836-)
36096 x. Alfred Briggs (18 Jul 1838-)
36097 xi. Henry Thomas Briggs (26 Oct 1840-)

31390. Deborah Clapp Briggs. Born on 16 Nov 1801 in Scituate, MA.116 At the age of <1, Deborah Clapp was baptized in the Second Church of Scituate, on 13 Dec 1801.193 Deborah Clapp died on 26 Dec 1875; she was 74. unmarried.

Deborah never married. She taught in the district school which stood near her house of her uncle, Dr. Cushing Otis, and was living with her uncle’s family.7

Previous · Next
Contents · Index · Surnames · Contact

D. Pane-Joyce
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/gen/report/
Created Mar 2008 with the reluctant help of Reunion,
from Leister Productions, Inc.