Mother’s Day began back in 1908, when a daughter wanted to celebrate and recognize her late mother. What a concept!
Today’s message is simple – I would like to celebrate all the mothers that came before me – one of the main reasons why I’m here today.
Jeannette Gobin
Irene Matthew
Mary Irving
Effie Press
Marguerite Ricard
Stella Hartford
Cynthia Lasher
Elizabeth Barnard
Marie Kervinio
Emma Matthew
Elizabeth J. Dixon
Elizabeth Beevor
Marie Carrière
Martha Tuck
Sarah Mann
Eliza Lord/Loyd
Marie Dacquay
Anne Thomas
Hannah Sharp
Elizabeth Howard
Judith Gauthier
Jane Treloar
Mary Rae
Elizabeth Barker
Adeline Jacques
Sarah Thompson
Susan Copple
Mary Ann Elvin
Marie-Ann Le Roux
Drucilla Bradley
Catherine Messick
Sophia Banham
Marie Philippe
Margaret Hill
Beta Van Alen
Elizabeth Bradfield
Marie-Madel Morin
Sarah Eddy
Elizabeth Constable
Anne Riches
Angélique Girard
Charity Williams
Anna Deterick
Jemima Mear
Marie Emery
Jennifer Martin
Alida Van Alen
Susanna Youngman
Ursule Letourneau
Dorothy Burk
Annatje VanDeusen
Esther Cross
Mathurin Kerhalgand
Sara Byrne
Rebeckah Hotchkiss
Sarah Bullen
Anne Le Dilhuit
Martha Bolter
Elizabeth Dixon
Sarah Archer
Marguerite Hemon
Deborah Tripp
Charity Mallory
Lydia Porter
Yvonne Peuron
Anna Wilheim
Mary Rayson
Elizabeth Pfautz
Mary Waymire
All these women are mothers, and span over five generations in my family tree that have brought me to where I am today. Many of these women lived under very rough conditions, lost children and husbands, and left us way too young. However, without these women before me, I would not be here today.
There are many mothers in my life through extended family and great friends. They are a true support to all mothers around them and especially to me. There are countless women in my family and friends that do not have children. They are equally a very strong support in my life and many others. Whether they are related or not, mothers help mothers – it’s the way of women!
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers in my life today and in the past that have brought me to where I am today. Thank you to all these strong women for continuing to support myself and other women around them.
Whenever I think of sisters, I am reminded of the song, Sisters, from one of my favourite Christmas movies, White Christmas. The first couple of lines of the song reminds me of sisters, Naomi and Manuella Briggs.
“Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.”
Naomi Spencer Briggs, born July 25, 1886, and Manuella Octavia Briggs, born April 6, 1891. They were two of nine children (six boys and three girls) born to Thomas Lasher Briggs and Mary Irving.
Naomi Spencer Briggs, 18861 and Manuella Octavia Briggs, 18932
You ask, what is so interesting about these two sisters? Well, you can say they’re interesting in one aspect (they led a very quiet traditional life of the times), but in other aspects, they were almost like twins!
Here are many similarities:
both born and raised in the family home, Irving House, 302 Royal Avenue, New Westminster
both lived in the family home until it was sold to the City of New Westminster in 1950
both moved and lived together in their next home at 702 – 6th Avenue, New Westminster
both moved and lived together in their next home at 206 St. Patrick Street, New Westminster
both never married or had children
It is not really known what Naomi did with her time, but I have heard from some sources that she was a music teacher; Manuella was a piano teacher until she passed away – both had the musical gene!
both passed away at the age of 86 – Naomi February 12, 1973, Manuella December 19, 1977
both are buried at Fraser Cemetery
Here are a couple of the differences:
Naomi passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital; Manuella at Royal Columbia Hospital
Manuella was the second May Queen of New Westminster in 1904
Looking back through records, it seems they were pretty much together from the day they were born until Naomi passed, and Manuella was on her own until she passed. Talking with other family members that were more in touch with Naomi and Manuella in their later years, one of their nephews, Kingston Jr, had lived with them off and on throughout the years.
I don’t know about you, but if you’ve ever seen the movie, White Christmas, and are familiar with the song, Sister, I can just see them performing that song together – it really speaks to me for some unknown reason – it would’ve been a sight to see!78
Both Naomi and Manuella were very involved in the community, donating a lot of their time, and hosting many events at their homes as indicated in several newspaper articles. This was carried on after their mother, Mary Briggs moved back down to Portland, Oregon.
I would have given anything to having gotten the chance to get to know Naomi and Manuella. They seem like great aunties that would have doted on their nieces and nephews. Plus, I have a little bit of the music bug having taken piano lessons when I was younger.
If you’ve never seen White Christmas, here’s a link to my inspiration for this blog post:
I hope you have enjoyed a little glimpse into my thoughts about Naomi and Manuella Briggs – they seem to be two of a kind – sisters!
October is upon us, Fall is in the air and Summer is behind us, although the weather does not indicate it as it is still unseasonably warm. Well, we’ll just have to make do – who could say no to a little bit more sun in our lives, of course!
In the meantime, let’s begin by congratulating those family members with birthdays this month. We’ll start with my mother, Jeannette and my son, Jeremy. Also celebrating are Amanda, Lauren, Shia, Elodie and Moiya. Special birthday wishes to my dearly departed cousin, Donna.
Let’s see who shares your birthday! Last October, we featured my great grandfather, Thomas Albert Briggs. There is so much more to his story than what we have seen so far and I’m still working on it. In the meantime, let’s highlight another family member – Stanley Kingston Briggs.
Stanley Kingston Briggs, born October 25, 1888, in New Westminster, BC, to Thomas Lasher Briggs & Mary Irving. Stanley is a younger brother of my great grandfather, Thomas Albert Briggs, which makes him my great granduncle.
ca 1888
Stanley is listed in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 Canada Census as a son in the home of Thomas Lasher Briggs located at 302 Royal Avenue, New Westminster. In the 1911 Canada Census specifically, his occupation is listed as “salesman” at a “grocer” earning $900 per year (at the age of 23.
In a newspaper article (Oregon Daily Journal) dated June 11, 1908, it indicates Stanley Kingston Briggs graduated from Hill Military Academy (Newspapers.com). This was not a surprise to me as several of the children of Capt William and Elizabeth Irving (parents of Mary Irving, Stanley’s mother) did go to Washington, Oregon and California schools for their education. It seems the Briggs family carried on that tradition.
Stanley enlisted in WWI – another interesting item as noted in his Attestation papers, is that he had been in the military for the prior three years in the 6th D. C.O.R. I have yet to figure out what it means – another mystery to delve into! He enlisted November 13, 1914, and discharged January 23, 1919. I do have copies of his military records which I’m still transcribing – another story for another time.
This following picture is of Stanley Kingston Briggs (lower left), along with his brothers, Errol, Thomas (standing), and John. Not sure when the picture was taken but can be assumed it was late 1918 or early 1919 as that is when they had all returned from overseas and it was in a newspaper article in The Province, April 30, 1919 (Newspapers.com):
Upon returning to Canada, it is unsure as to where he lived. I’m sure he stayed with his parents for a period of time.
On June 1, 1920, Stanley married Laura Victoria Towns in Vernon, British Columbia. There is a lot of information in the Marriage Certificate the most interesting that the marriage took place in Vernon, and his occupation is listed as “Engineer”:
Laura was from Edmonton, Alberta and it seems they may have returned there as their first son, Stanley Kingston Jr. was born May 1921 in Edmonton. They had a daughter, Mary Louise, born in 1924 in New Westminster, BC – It seems they had returned to his Stanley’s hometown. Their next and last child, Thomas Irving was born in 1926 in Woodfibre, BC (located northwest of Squamish).
Noting the birth places of Stanley and Laura’s three children, it seems they did move around to different areas between Alberta and BC – could be because of work – not sure. I have been unable to locate any of Stanley, Laura or Stanley Jr in the 1921 Canada Census so not sure if they were still in Alberta or not. I would assume that they were as the Census was taken as of June 1, 1921, which would have been shortly after Stanley Jr. was born.
The is another document I have found dated 1949 which shows Stanley’s occupation as “Storekeeper” and still living in Woodfibre (#49 & 50). It also shows a Thomas (#72) living and working in Woodfibre (millhand), which could be his son but unable to verify:
Another document I found shows Stanley and Laura living in North Vancouver. The document is rather large so I will not show it here. It is from the 1954 BC City Directories for Vancouver, BC.
Sadly, just a little over a year after retiring as a grocery store manager, Stanley passed away November 10, 1954:
I’m not sure who the brother, Earl (Portland) is but I’m going to hazard a guess that it may be “Beryl”, who is a sister of Stanley’s, living in Portland, Oregon at that time with her husband, Walter Edmonds. It is common to see these kinds of errors in newspaper reporting so we can’t always assume that the information is correct. The information is the same in the funeral home record. I have been told by other genealogists that some of the information in the funeral home record is taken from the newspaper obituary.
Another interesting item to note, my grandfather, S.L. Briggs (Stanley Leonard) is shown as one of the pallbearers. S. Briggs could be Stanley Kingston Jr.
This is just a little peak into Stanley Kingston Briggs’ life as there is a lot of information still to be found, including what is contained in the military records. In the meantime, it seems he was quite the photogenic young man as evidenced in these pictures – enjoy!
(All pictures are between 1891 & 1894 – the young girl is his sister, Manuella)
I’m back and hopefully will be for a long time to come. Yes, I have been away for awhile taking care of some medical issues and all is good now! This seemed like a good time to make my return to the We Are Family Briggs blog.
This time last week Sunday, the Briggs family reunited on the lawns of Irving House in New Westminster, BC, to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of my parents, Grant & Jeannette Briggs. Some family members were not able to make it which we certainly missed (my youngest brother and his family, some cousins and a couple of my mother’s brothers).
Grant & Jeannette married on June 30, 1962, at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Maillardville. They started their life together in New Westminster moving to Port Coquitlam in 1971. They lived there until the early 80’s moving to Langley. In 2004, they made the big move to the little town of 100 Mile House and live there today.
They have three children, Veronica (me, born in 1962), Ronald (1964; wife Kim) and Shawn (1969; wife Michelle). As well, my father has a daughter, Cris (1959; husband Gary).
They have also been blessed with 9 grandchildren (Justin, Nichelle (Braydon), Amanda (Jack), Taylor, Jeremy, Cole, Dale, Maielle & Shia) and 4 great-grandchildren (Elijah, Levi, Elodie & Blake). Sadly, two great-grandchildren, Elliott & Ezra have passed.
In New Westminster, the Briggs family has a family home, Irving House. This home is now a heritage site, and is part of New Westminster’s and our history. We decided to have a picnic on the lawns of the home as our ancestors may have done in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. I won’t go on about the history of Irving House – that’s for another post!
The New West Record (local newspaper) was invited to join us and put together a wonderful article and video which I invite you all to view – they did a wonderful job and we are very thankful.
Also attending was New West City Councillor Jaimie McEvoy who made a presentation on behalf of the City to Mom & Dad for their 60th – a job well done!
A good time was had by all! I have to say a special thank you to the Heritage Program of New Westminster in helping me to set all this up, to the volunteers and staff at Irving House for their time and patience, and most of all to all the family who attended and made my parents’ celebration all that more special! They were very happy to see everyone.
Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad with many more to come!
It’s December!! While it may be the month where Christmas is celebrated, it is also a month where we have some birthdays to celebrate.
So, to begin with, “Happy Birthday” to Tyler – the one and only birthday in December (that I can find so far)!
Now, let’s see who shares a December birthday. This is an extra special one as her birthday falls on Christmas day! Let me introduce you to Mary Irving Briggs.
Mary was born December 25, 1852, to Capt William James Irving and Elizabeth Jane Dixon. At the time of her birth, the Irving family was living on the east side of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.
Mary & Elizabeth Irving, ca 1853
In 1859, the Irving family, consisting of William, Elizabeth and four children (Mary, John, Susan and Lizzie), moved to Victoria, BC. In the early 1860s, William began work on a home in New Westminster, BC, which is now known as Irving House. In early 1965, the family loaded all their possessions onto one of Capt Irving’s vessels, the Onward, and steamed from Victoria to New Westminster.
During Mary’s early years in New Westminster, she attended St. Ann’s Academy, a Catholic girls’ school, along with her sister, Susan. An interesting fact here is that even though the Irvings were staunch supporters of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, St. Ann’s was highly regarded and the only ‘private’ school in the area.
Mary & Susan, ca 1872; Mary Irving – 1865, 1867 & 1868
As soon as Mary was old enough, both her and her sister, Susan, were sent to St. Helen’s Hall in Portland for their schooling (now called the Oregon Episcopal School). Further education was done at the Home Institute in San Francisco, again with Susan and with her brother, John.
At 20 years of age, Mary’s father, William, passed away suddenly in August 1872. The Irvings continued to live in their New Westminster home while Elizabeth raised the children over the next 13 years.
And herein lies my connection to the Irving branch of the Briggs family. In 1874, Mary Irving married Thomas Lasher Briggs on December 30th, just five days after her 22nd birthday. They were married by Reverend Robert Jamieson at Old St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in New Westminster.
After their marriage, Mary and Thomas moved to Victoria, where Thomas operated a wholesale hardware store. During the next five years, the Briggs family grew with the births of their first three children: William Irving, Henry Clarendon and John Alfred.
In the early 1880s, the Briggs family of five, moved back to New Westminster, to Mary’s girlhood home (Irving House) which they had purchased at a public auction held by her brother, John, on October 3, 1884. During their residence, they called their home, “Hollymount”.
The Briggs family grew further with the births of six more children: Beryl Dixon, Thomas Albert (my great-grandfather), Naomi Spencer, Stanley Kingston, Manuella Octavia and Errol Chandler.
1896
In the book, “Irving House: A Family History”, authored by Archie Miller (previous curator of Irving House), he writes:
“Mary and Thomas Briggs were prominent figures in New Westminster society, and after Thomas’ death on November 27, 1920, Mary remained active in the community. She was a member of the Governor Seymour Chapter Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.), the Women’s Missionary Society of St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, and the Red Cross Society. She was one of the first directors on the board of the Young Women’s Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) and was also active in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Columbian Hospital and the Victorian Order of Nurses. She remained a vital force in New Westminster until her death on November 25, 1931 at the age of 78.”
As you can see, Mary was and remained very active in New Westminster society and history much so after her husband’s death. She remained in their family home until her death.
I have to say, I had a difficult time trying to put together Mary’s story. I spent over three weeks thinking about her and wondering how to put her story into words for the Blog. I had a very strong urge to open my laptop on November 25th, after a very long day at work, and the words just flowed. At that time, I did not know she had passed away on that day until I finished putting it all together in under an hour. I guess you can say, something was in the air which prompted her story.
I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Mary, my paternal great-great-grandmother. She seemed like a strong woman with a very giving soul.
It’s November! Well, I think it’s a great month, but I may be biased. So, to begin with, “Happy Birthdays” to Dennis and Cole – oh, and to me today!
A special mention to my great-nephews whom we never got a chance to meet. They hold an extra special place in my heart (and many others) as we share birthdays. You will always be remembered, Ezra and Elliot.
Now, let’s find out who shares your birthday – let me introduce you to Capt John Irving. John was born November 24, 1854, to Capt William James Irving and Elizabeth Jane Dixon. He was born at sea on board the ship Robert D. Carter, under charter to his father, shortly before it arrived in Portland, Oregon. He is the only son of William and Elizabeth, and the brother of my 2nd great-grandmother, Mary Irving Briggs.
His father, William, passed away when John was only 17 years of age. A very enterprising young man, John took over the “family business” with the help of his mother, Elizabeth and an uncle (unknown).
1880
I guess having been born on a ship, John really did have the sea in his blood. As noted in Dictionary of Canadian Biography:
He developed a name for being a skilled, aggressive captain and businessman. In competition with other owners, he frequently outmanoeuvred them by expert piloting, shrewd business strategies, or both; on other occasions he purchased their operations, adding to his reputation for boldness. Historians Norman Rupert Hacking and William Kaye Lamb describe him as having a “naturally reckless disposition.” According to Hacking, the captain was also colourful. “Well over 6 feet in height, handsome John Irving was a great social favourite, a mighty drinker, and the soul of generosity.
Later in 1883, with other investors, John formed Canadian Pacific Navigation Company (CPNC). Well, let’s just say, this was just the continuation of his determination with all his shipping and ship building endeavours!
Between 1884 and 1888, John and Jane had three children, daughter Elizabeth (Beth) born December 10, 1884, son William born September 17, 1886, and daughter Genevieve born July 6, 1888, all born in Victoria, BC.
In July 1894, John was elected as a Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of BC, and again in July 1898 for Cassiar, losing to his seat in 1900.
Beginning in 1901, John’s business endeavours began to waver. With the sale of CPNC, his fortune declined despite his investments in mining and other ventures.
Even though John had a passion for shipping, he did tackle the real estate world as an agent. However, he lost or gave away much of his wealth. According to historian, Norman Hacking, who knew John later in life, he remembered him as “poor in everything but friends.”
With the death of his son, William, killed in action during World War I, John was never the same after. John passed away at his home (1047 Eveleigh Street, Vancouver, BC) August 10, 1936.
There is much more that I could share with respect to John’s career but the majority of that can be found in the two links I shared.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know another of our ancestors. I look forward to seeing your comments – take care!
It’s Halloween and you know what that means – spooky ghosts! Some believe and some don’t. Regardless of what you believe, there are ghost stories out there and I have found some.
Irving House was built in 1865 by Captain William James Irving, and possibly the oldest home in the Lower Mainland. William and his wife, Elizabeth lived in the home with their young family. He died in 1872. The house stayed in the family, housing two generations. Thomas Lasher Briggs and Mary Irving (William and Elizabeth’s daughter) raised their family in the home calling it Hollymount. Later, Naomi and Manuella Briggs, daughters of Thomas and Mary, stayed in the family home until 1950. At that time, they sold the home to the City of New Westminster. I have shared this picture before but will do so again so you can get a “picture” in your mind.
Here’s where the stories begin. I found a book, “At Home with History, The Untold Secrets of Greater Vancouver’s Heritage Homes” by Eve Lazarus. Interesting read – if anyone would like to read it, you’re more than welcome to borrow for a small fee of a visit and a cup of tea!
One particular story caught my eye, and I would love to share it with you. In 1980, Jim Wolf started researching the history of Irving House and spent a lot of time in the home. An excerpt from the book tells the story:
‘Wolf says that another time when he was in the house, a patient came over from nearby St. Mary’s hospital and asked him if children lived there. “I asked her why, and she said she was looking out of her window at the hospital the night before, and there were three little girls dancing on the lawn in their white nightgowns.”’
Well, I’d like to think those three little girls were Naomi, Manuella and Beryl Briggs, the only daughters of Thomas and Mary. They were the last females that lived in the home as little girls. Beryl was the first to pass in 1917, while Naomi and Manuella lived the longest of all the children of Thomas and Mary.
Naomi, Manuella & Beryl Briggs:
There are more stories like this in the book. It would be great if I can find Jim Wolf and have a chat with him about his experiences.
So – ghosts or spirits/souls? Whatever you believe in, you can’t ignore the feelings some people have in certain places and times.
I would do anything to be able to stay overnight in Irving House just to see and feel what I can see and feel……
Welcome to the second installation of Who Shares Your Birthday!
September is a very busy month for birthdays in the Briggs family! I was able to navigate through the family tree and found someone important in our family line whose birthday is today – Elizabeth Jane Dixon. There is a conflict in one record noting her date of birth as September 10th, however, there’s nothing to substantiate that date. So, we’re going to go with today!
Another important September birthday is Stanley Briggs, born on September 24, 1915 – that’s another story for another day (in other words, I’m still working on putting it together!). In the meantime, let’s get to know Elizabeth, my 3rd great-grandmother through my grandfather, Stanley.
Elizabeth was born September 11, 1831, to parents James Bowman Dixon and Susan Copple. At that time, the family was living in Shelby County, Indiana, USA. She was the fourth of 12 children (six boys & six girls).
Briggs Family Tree to Capt W. Irving and Elizabeth Jane Dixon
Census records place Elizabeth in Rochester, Missouri at the age of 19, and then moving to Oregon in 1850.
From a book called Saga of a Seafarer, the Annals of Capt. William Irving, written by Mary Aline Cox (granddaughter of Elizabeth), the pictures below tell a wonderful story of Elizabeth’s journey to Oregon and meeting her husband to be:
Elizabeth married Capt William Irving September 17, 1851, in Portland, Oregon. They lived in Portland until approximately 1859, when the family moved to Victoria, BC where William began a ship building business. At the time of the move, the Irvings had four children: Mary (born Dec. 25, 1852), John (born Nov. 24, 1854), Susan (born Mar. 10, 1857) and Elizabeth (born Dec. 29, 1859). The birth of their daughter, Nellie (born Nov. 12, 1862), is recorded in Victoria, BC. Nellie is the last child William and Elizabeth had.
Elizabeth Irving with daughter Mary – circa 1853
Elizabeth Irving – circa 1860
Another excerpt from Saga of a Seafarer:
“In 1859, Capt Irving purchased a lot in New Westminster on one of the most commanding sites in the young city- to-be. With seaman’s foresight, he naturally chose for his new home a location on a high point of the area. For many years he lived in splendid isolation on his two-acre holding.
Mr. Simes, noted architect and friend of Captain Irving, designed the home.
The home was ready in 1864. The following year Captain Irving loaded his family and goods onto the Onward and one calm day steamed from Victoria to New Westminster.”
While living in Irving House, William and Elizabeth continued their life in the community as prominent citizens in the history of New Westminster. William passed away August 28, 1872, from double pneumonia.
L-R: Nellie, Susan, Mary, Elizabeth (Mrs. Irving) and Elizabeth Irving
Their daughter, Elizabeth, married Ernest Spencer January 1882. After their marriage, Ernest and Elizabeth moved down to Oregon, taking her mother, Elizabeth, along with them. The Spencers, along with the assistance of Elizabeth, helped to build the community of Irvington in Portland, Oregon.
According to Remington Rand Inc., an Oregon biographical index card notes Elizabeth’s religious preference as Presbyterian and politics as Republican. On the back of the index card, additional information was provided by Mary Aline Cox of Sacramento, California on Oct. 25, 1960:
“Mrs. Irving returned to Portland to live after the death of William Irving in 1872. She invested heavily in the Irving dock construction, built on the Irving donation land claim in 1884. The Victoria dock near the Irving dock was another Irving project. She was interested in blooded horses and Shetland ponies and had a substantial interest in the Irvington racetrack which was built in 1893 and closed in 1907.”
To this day, the community is still thriving and continues to honour the founding members of Irvington. About three years ago, I visited my sister, Cris, in Portland. We took a walking tour of notable houses in Irvington. Even found a street named Briggs! Will certainly visit again.
Elizabeth re-married again in 1889 to Anthony George Ryan. Unfortunately, it was not a marriage that would last as they would divorce in 1896. The divorce was granted in the Oregon courts as stated in the Statesman Journal citing habitual gross drunkenness and personal indignities rendering life burdensome on the part of her husband, Anthony.
From Newspapers.com – Statesman Journal 22 Dec 1896 – Page 5
Elizabeth resided with her daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Ernest, in Irvington, until her death January 8, 1922.
I hoped you enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth – I know I did! I certainly learned a couple of interesting items especially with respect to her love of horses – who knew! I know there are a couple of members of our family who has or had a huge passion and love for horses. I hope they would feel a connection to this ancestor of our family.
Thomas A. Briggs, Stanley L. Briggs (my grandfather), Elizabeth Irving (nee Dixon) and standing is Mary Briggs (nee Irving)
From Newspapers.com – The News Review 10 Jan 1922 – Pg 1
We Are Family Briggs 