Typed by:
Theresa Carhart
BRIGGS, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Note:
Correction added on bottom.
Surnames: BRIGGS, WILLIAMS, GODFREY, ROARK, SAXON, REAMY, MORRIS, BOARD,
OLIVER, LEBRECHT, JASTER, BRASWELL, SPEARS
Benjamin
Franklin Briggs, b June 22, 1870 in Kosse, Limestone County, Texas, d November
17, 1937 at McClanahan, Falls County, Texas and buried in McClanahan Cemetery -
was a son of Lee Marshall arid Mary Ann (Williams) Briggs, who were both buried
in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas.
On July 8, 1892
in Falls County, a marriage license was issued for the marriage of Benjamin
Franklin Briggs to his first wife, Lottie Lela Godfrey, b October 13, 1874, d
January 8, 1902 and buried in Mustang Prairie Cemetery in Falls County - a
daughter of Lott Leguin Godfrey, b May 7, 1823 in Oconee County, Georgia, d
January 6, 1916 and buried in Mustang Prairie Cemetery, and his second wife,
Nancy (“Nannie” Roark) Godfrey, b December 22, 1843, d January 30, 1884 and
buried in Mustang Prairie Cemetery. Lott Leguin Godfrey had come to Texas in
1846, when he was only twenty-two years old. When the United States declared
war against Mexico, he enlisted in Captain Sutton’s Company, and participated
in a number of engagements - including the capture of Monterrey, Mexico. At the
close of the war, Lott returned to the Eutaw Community near present day Kosse,
Limestone County, Texas, where he married first to Emily Biggs - a daughter of
William J. Biggs - an early settler of Limestone County. When Emily died, Lott
married second to Nancy Roark. When he died in 1916, it was reported that he
was the “last living veteran of the U.S.-Mexican War, in the area.” Lott was a
farmer and stockraiser.
Benjamin
Franklin Briggs was a farmer and cattleman, and raised a great number of acres
of cotton, after his move from Kosse, Texas to the McClanahan Community of
Falls County. He and Lottie were the parents of four children before her death:
Infant Son
Briggs, b April 12, 1893, d April 19, 1893 and buried in Mustang Prairie
Cemetery.
Clayton
Marshall Briggs, b May 7, 1894, d October 4, 1925 - married Etta Mae Saxon, b
December 20, 1894 in Falls County, Texas, d March 30, 1976.
Douphitt
Briggs, b October 6, 1896, d April 30, 1978 - married Anna L. (maiden name
unknown), b
October 28, 1913, d November 17, 1963 - and both buried in McClanahan Cemetery.
They had Douphitt
Briggs, Jr. No further information.
Clara Briggs, b
January 15, 1899, d April 1,1926 and buried in McClanahan Cemetery - married
Charles J. Reamy. They had a daughter, Juanita Reamy, b 1920, who married Clark
Morris of Reagan. Clark and Juanita have a son, Benjamin Louis Morris, who
married Carol Board. Ben and Carol, who are divorced, had Jennifer Ann Morris.
Clark is retired as Director of the City Water Department of Marlin, where he
worked for many years and Juanita was employed at First State Bank of Marlin.
They continue to reside in Marlin. Prior to the marriage of Charles J. Reamy to
Clara Briggs, he was married to Freida Ella (maiden name unknown), b December
18, 1894, d January 27, 1919 and buried in Calvary Cemetery; and they had
children. After Clara’s death, Charles S. Reamy moved to Arkansas, married a
third time, and had other children.
After the death
in 1902 of Lottie Lela (Godfrey) Briggs, Benjamin Fanklin Briggs married second
on
November 10, 1902 in Falls County, Texas to Nancy S. Oliver, b 1883, d 1953 and
buried by her husband in McClanahan Cemetery. They were the parents of seven
children:
L. 0. “Jack”
Briggs, b June 6, 1903, d May 29, 1970 and buried in Calvary Cemetery - married
Addie Lebrecht, b June 29, 1898 in Texas, d April 8, 1969 and buried in Calvary
Cemetery - a daughter of Max Lebrecht (1867-1950) and his wife, Bertha (Jaster)
Lebrecht (1867-1951) and both buried in Calvary Cemetery. Jack and Addie had no
children.
“Little” Wiley
Briggs, b December 26, 1905, d Febmary 4, 1912 and buried in McClanahan
Cemetery.
Beatrice Briggs
- who married and moved to California; had one daughter, who moved to Alaska.
No further information.
Willie Earl
Briggs - a daughter, b October 6, 1911, d May 6, 1978 and buried in Calvary
Cemetery married July 2, 1943 in Falls County, Texas to John H. Braswell. They
were divorced when she died. No further information.
Bennie Mae
Briggs - married and moved to Houston, Texas, but died in Marlin, Falls County,
Texas, and buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Hiley Briggs -
married Virginia Spears, and resides in Bremond, Robertson County, Texas. They
had two children: Bonnie Briggs, and Hiley Briggs, Jr.
Benton Robert
Briggs, b August 26, 1918, d August 25, 1970 in the Veterans Administration
Hospital in Marlin, Falls County, Texas, and buried in Marlin in Calvary
Cemetery. He married and had one child, but was divorced when he died. He had
been a tractor driver in Freeport, Brazoria County, Texas, before he became too
ill to continue work.
CORRECTION
Submitted by:
Michal Thompson
I've found a discrepancy in the historical profile for
Benjamin Franklin Briggs. I was doing research on L. L. Godfrey, which brought
up his reference in the Briggs bio. His first wife, Lottie Lela Godfrey, born
1874, is cited as the daughter of L. L. Godfrey. However, the 1880 census lists
no such daughter in the L. L. Godfrey household living then in Falls, TX.
Instead, Lottie Godfrey, 5, is listed as the daughter of Bryan and Mary Godfrey
living in nearby Limestone.
Michal Thompson
Hillsboro, OR
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing these bio of these
Falls County Families to this Web page "Families of Falls County",
Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 48, column
1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission