Ebenezer N. Briggs

Ebenezer N. Briggs
President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate
In office
1843–1845
Preceded byHorace Eaton
Succeeded byJames Barrett
Member of the Vermont Senate
In office
1842–1845
Serving with Elisha Allen, Alonson Allen (1842, 1843), Frederick Button, Joseph H. Chittenden (1844)
Preceded byIsaac Norton, Orson Clark, Anderson G. Dana
Succeeded byFrederick Button, Joseph H. Chittenden, George T. Hodges
ConstituencyRutland County
In office
1836–1839
Serving with Jesse Grandey (1836), Harvey Bell (1836, 1837), Ville Lawrence (1837, 1838), Samuel Swift (1838)
Preceded byNone (position created)
Succeeded byVille Lawrence, Samuel Swift, Joseph Simonds
ConstituencyAddison County
33rd and 38th Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1845–1847
Preceded byAndrew Tracy
Succeeded bySolomon Foot
In office
1834–1836
Preceded byJohn Smith
Succeeded byCarlos Coolidge
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1845–1847
Preceded byNathan T. Sprague
Succeeded byNathan T. Sprague
ConstituencyBrandon
In office
1831–1836
Preceded byElnathan Darling
Succeeded byAaron Barrows
ConstituencySalisbury
State's Attorney of Addison County, Vermont
In office
1831–1839
Preceded byWilliam Slade
Succeeded byOzias Seymour
Personal details
Born(1801-11-01)November 1, 1801
Middleboro, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJanuary 26, 1873(1873-01-26) (aged 71)
Brandon, Vermont, U.S.
Resting placePine Hill Cemetery, Brandon, Vermont, U.S
Political partyWhig
Republican
Spouse(s)Abigail Miles
Louisa Witherell
Adeline Young
RelationsEbenezer J. Ormsbee (son in law)
Children9
ProfessionAttorney

Ebenezer N. Briggs (November 1, 1801 – January 26, 1873) was an American lawyer and politician in the U.S. state of Vermont. He served as the Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and as President Pro Tem of the Vermont Senate. He was also the father-in-law and law partner of Governor Ebenezer J. Ormsbee.

Early life

Ebenezer Nelson Briggs was born in Middleboro, Massachusetts on November 1, 1801.[1] He was raised and educated in Middleboro, attended the public schools, and graduated from Middleboro's Pierce Academy.[2] He subsequently attended a school in Providence, Rhode Island.[2] He then moved to Pittsford, Vermont, where he studied law with attorney George Newell.[2] Briggs was admitted to the bar in 1823 and began to practice in Salisbury, Vermont.[2] For several years he served as Addison County State's Attorney.[3] John Prout, later a Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, studied law under Briggs' and became Briggs' partner after attaining admission to the bar.[4]

Briggs later moved to Brandon, Vermont.[2] For many years Briggs was the attorney for the Rutland Railroad, and also served as an officer and director of the Bank of Brandon and the Brandon National Bank.[2] He continued to practice law in partnership with Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, who served as Vermont Governor from 1886 to 1888.[5]

Political career

Originally a Whig and later a Republican, Briggs served several terms in the Vermont House of Representatives and was Speaker from 1834 to 1836 and from 1845 to 1847.[6] He also served several terms in the Vermont Senate. From 1843 to 1845 he was Senate President Pro Tem.[7]

Briggs died in Brandon on January 26, 1873.[8] He was a longtime trustee of Brandon's Pine Hill Cemetery, and he was buried there following his death.[9]

Family life

Briggs was the father of Jennie L. Briggs (February 1, 1841 – June 1, 1866), the first wife of Governor E. J. Ormsbee.[10]

References

  1. ^ Carleton, Hiram (2003). Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 645. ISBN 9780806347943. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Death of Hon. E. N. Briggs". Burlington Democrat. Burlington, VT. February 1, 1873. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ History of the Town of Pittsford, Vermont, By A. M. Gaverly, 1872, pages 603 to 604
  4. ^ Harman, Henry A. (October 25, 1892). A Memorial Sketch of John Prout: Published in the Annual Meeting Proceedings of the Vermont Bar Association. Montpelier, VT: Argus and Patriot Book and Job Printing. pp. 63–67.
  5. ^ Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont, by Hiram Carleton, 1903, page 82
  6. ^ List of Speakers of the Vermont House of representatives Archived 2012-07-20 at archive.today, Vermont Secretary of State, Archives and Records Administration, 2012
  7. ^ List of Vermont Senate Presidents Pro Tempore Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Vermont Secretary of State, Archives and Records Administration, 2012
  8. ^ Descendants of John Hutchins of Newbury and Haverhill, Massachusetts, by Edwin Colby Byam, 1975, page 143
  9. ^ Briggs, E. N. (April 19, 1860). "Special Notices: Pine Hill Cemetery". The Northern Visitor. Brandon, VT. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, edited by Prentiss Cutler Dodge, 1912, pages 47 to 48
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
1834–1836 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate
1843 – 1845 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
1845–1847 		Succeeded by