1834 - 1907

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• Birth	Nov 1834	Stonington, New London, Connecticut or Westerly Rhode Island
  Gender	Male
  Died	24 Jun 1907	Watertown, Coddington S.D.
  Person ID	I30801	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	09 May 2005 00:00:00
  Married	Shakopee, Minn
  Family ID	F12865	Group Sheet
  Family 2	Flora Dyer FOSTER, b. Oct 1858, Millbridge, Me
  Married	13 May 1880	Episcopal Ch, Shakopee
  Children	1. Darcy (Daisy) E BRIGGS, b. Mar 1881, Watertown, Sd   2. Stephen Foster BRIGGS, b. 4 Dec 1885, Watertown, Sd   3. George G BRIGGS, b. Mar 1890, Watertown, Sd
  Family ID	F12864	Group Sheet

• Notes

  STEPHEN A BRIGGS (1834-1907) Mary Stickles (1850-1879) FLORA DYERFOSTER (1858-??) Welcome G Briggs (1823-1894) *1879 Shakopee Argus 20 Feb 1879 "Mary E Briggs died wife of S A BRIGGSdied Saturday last age 30 April 10, 1879 Welcome Briggs and C B Wilcoxenstarted for Watertown D T." 15 Feb 1879 buried at Valley Cemetary Shakopee. Inscription " Gone to that Land which nomortal may know" *1879 Shakopee Argus 25 Sept 1879 Nelson the little son of S A BRIGGS,who has been failing for some time died last night. funeral held at Episcopal church. *1880 Shakopee Argus 13 May 1880 S A BRIGGS left for Watertown on Mondaylast. Immediately before the train arrived he was married to Miss FLORA(DYER) FOSTER at the Episcopal Church by Rev W R Powell *1880 Census STEPHEN A age 40 insurance agent, Watertown SD with 2nd wifeFLORA DYER FOSTER age 21 married *1880 Children Gertrude 12, Grace 10, Fannie 4. plus Welcome age 56(brother). Shows Welcome occupation as money loaner, Gertrude, Grace &Fanny were born in Minnesota and their mother was Mary Stickles from Wisconsin. According to "TAYTO" FLORA FOSTER camefrom Maine to visit her brother in Minnesota. She answered an ad in theMinneapolis paper for a "musical young lady" to be a companion for thethree daughters of a widower. (STEPHEN A BRIGGS) Daughters were Fanny,Gertrude and Grace two of the daughters died of dipheria and "MUZZIE"(Flora) married STEPHEN ALBRO BRIGGS who went on to be one of thefounders of Watertown which was 3 miles from the lake so the townspeoplewould have a place to go on outings. From Margeret Brown's letter statesthat Ella May, FLORA's sister moved from Millbridge to St. Paul with herhusband Frederick Sewall Brown. According to Jim Briggs she arrived fromKennebunkport although her family was from Millbridge. *1880 S A BRIGGS elected Justice of the peace. Watertown now has 1000residents from none at its founding 2 years earlier. At this time S ABRIGGS is also a merchant taylor (S A Briggs & Co) as well as insuranceagent *1881 Summer Trinity Episcopal Church is started with S A BRIGGS Vestryand Rev M Hoyt DD Dean of Dakota as rector. In June a meeting of theinsurance agents of Watertown, DT organize a local board of underwriterswith S A BRIGGS as secretary dues $1. In local newspaper following ad"Money to loan on farms to prove or otherwise---- long time low interest--- loan completedin four days if title is perfect. S.A. Briggs. *1882 From History of the Minnesota Valley by Neil 1882, repr 1975 " TheA.O.U.W. was organized in Shakopee in Dec 1878, with thirteen members andofficers S.A. BRIGGS, Financier" (Ancient Order of United Workmen) *1883 Was agent for Pheonix Assurance *1886-87 From Watertown Directory, BRIGGS,S.A. Ins., real estate, loansand collections, ss Oak St. bet Kemp & Codington Ave. res SW corCottonwood St. and Codington Av. *1888 On 4th Sept 1888 George L Washburne married S. Gertrude Briggsdaughter of S.A. BRIGGS by Rev E.E. Clough. "The bride is the daughterof Mr S.A. BRIGGS, one of Watertown's substantial and highly respectedbusinessmen, who was among the founders of the city, and identified withall its best interest" Shakopee Courier 12 Sept 1888 and Watertown DailyCourier News. On June 6 map of Watertownis signed by S.A. BRIGGS insurance agent at CodingtonHistorical Society 10 February from the Public Opinion newspaper--S.A.Briggs says he found a man roaming in his house Monday night after thefamily had retired, who was in a state of intoxication, and thought hewas at the Kampeska use looking for his room. Mr. B. assured him he was not, and gently led himto the street and pointed the way to the hostlery. *1894 Scott County Argus Welcome G Briggs died at Gary,SD, 23 Nov 1894age 71 of Bright's disease buried at Valley Cemetary, Shakopee,Minn " It will be remembered that"Governor" Briggs as he was known almost exclusively, was with hisbrother, S.A. BRIGGS, engaged in the general merchandise business herefor many years, removing to S. Dakota some 12 or 15 years ago" GaryInterstate 30 Nov *1894 " William G Briggs was born at Stonington,Conn.Feb 22,1823,and enjoyed excellent educational advantage.He was one of theearliest settlers of Shakopee, Minn. where he engaged in mercantile business with marked success. He remained single until his 40th yearwhen he was married but within a year his wife died leaving him a babewhich died before attaining its first year. The loss of his wife andchild wrought a radical changes in his characteristics. From alight-hearted but energetic man of business he in a day as it were became old and reclusive abjuring allsociety; he for years lived in the woods occupying himself with huntingand fishing. After ten or twelve years of this life he began to in somedegree mingle in society and but 16 years ago came to Gary. He has sincemade his home in this locality, chiefly with his brothers family in Watertown, though businessaffairs in Gary and Clear Lake have kept him much in Deuel County. MrBriggs was a man of simple tastes and was best beloved by those who knew him best and nearest. He was a reader of menand books and gave an original and thoughtful interpretation to thesubjects which attracted his attention, a fact not generally known evento long time acquaintances, was of poetical temperment and was mostsusceptible to pathetic and rhythmical influences. *1897 Watertown paper Public Opinion Aug 27th. S.A. Briggs-- I see thatan effort is being made to get electric lights once more in our town. That strikes me very favorably.For one I am heartly in favor of getting electric lights to runningagain. I understand that the parties having the matter in charge would bewilling to start up a new plant if they could get an order or contractfrom the city for running only five or six, if that is all that the city council would feeljustified in taking, and I am sure that we would all feel much better ifsuch lights were again illuminating our streets these dark nights. Thenew company proposes to give an all night service, I understand, exceptwhen the moon shines brightly, and I also understand that it will furnishthe lights to private parties for a cent an hour per each sixteen candlepower. I believe that the public and the tax-payers especially would bewilling to have the city pay for a half a dozen lights. The expensewouldnÙt be much, but the benefits would be great. *1900 Census STEPHEN A age 60 real estate agent with wife FLORA age 42.Children Daisy E 19, STEPHEN F14, George G10. All living in Watertown,Coddington Cty, and on Cottonwood Street. *1901 Pictorial Sovenir Book shows home at 203 S Cottonwood and ismanager of the Opera House. (Actually bar and possible brothel) *1903 Watertown City Directory lists S A BRIGGS as Mgr of The OperHouse. SFB as an electrican, Daisy B student. All residing at 203 S. Cottonwood St. Sources: GaryInterstate South Dakota Hist Collecton and Report by State Hist Soc Vol24,1949.