Samuel Briggs (ca 1640-after Feb 1714) and His Wife Elizabeth Ellis of Sandwich and Rochester, Massachusetts

Samuel Briggs was born about 1640, probably at Sandwich on Cape Cod, to John and Katherine (——) Briggs. He is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

Samuel married Elizabeth Ellis about 1664 at Sandwich.  Elizabeth was born Sandwich about 1645, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis. I wrote about John and Elizabeth here. Elizabeth’s grandfather Edmund Freeman was an original Sandwich settler. Torrey has it as questionable that Samuel married Bennet Freeman (Elizabeth’s sister), but I believe that is incorrect. Because of a lack of records, Elizabeth’s identification as daughter of John and Elizabeth Ellis as well as wife of Samuel Briggs is based on circumstantial evidence. Much of that evidence is surrounding their removal to Rochester (originally called Sippican). Elizabeth Freeman Ellis removed there along with Samuel and Elizabeth Briggs; her son William Ellis held land in common with his brother-in-law Samuel Briggs. [McLean & Brownson]

Elizabeth and Samuel had six known children, first four with surname Briggs recorded Sandwich VR 1: 26 and in MD 14:174 as children of “Samuell Bridgs;” Hannah is recorded Sandwich VR 1:13 as daughter of “Samuell Briggs.”

1.Elizabeth born 3 April 1665, married John Benson 

2. Benit/Bennett born 14 Oct 1667; died before 6 June 1694; married 20 Aug 1687 James Stuard

3. Ebenezer born 9 June 1671; he likely died young as his father did not grant him land

4. Samuel born 12 Dec 1673

5. Hannah born 14 Feb 1675/6; married John Barrow in 1698 

6. John, birth not recorded; married Ruth Barrow; died Rochester 1727/28  [grave record, buried Little Neck Cemetery. Marion]; relationship shown when Samuel Briggs deeded land to dutiful son John

I descend from their daughter Elizabeth as well as their son John. I wrote about John and Elizabeth (Briggs) Benson here.

At Sandwich Samuel served on a grand inquest in June 1674 and was surveyor of highways in 1678. [Hannibal] He is on the 1675 list of men allowed to vote at Sandwich Town Meetings. [Deyo]

R.A. Lovell’s book features a map depicting the 1667 homestead locations in Scusset and Town Neck area of Sandwich. Samuel Briggs is listed on Tupper Road, then referred to as the Back Street, next to Thomas Burgess, another of my direct ancestors. The map also shows a block of planting fields in three rows between Cross Street (Old Main Street at the Dillingham House) across to Town Neck. Nearby there were nine abutters including Samuel Briggs and Thomas Tupper Jr.

Map showing location of Samuel's homestead from Sandwich A Cape Cod Town

His house on Tupper Road was probably built circa 1637 and inherited from his parents. Samuel sold it about 1682 to move with his family and mother-in-law to Rochester.

In Rochester Proprietor’s Records, Samuel Briggs’ name appears in the list of Sandwich residents who were at the first meeting of the Sippican purchasers. 

Samuel Briggs received a many land grants at Rochester and was involved in other land transactions.

• Samuel Briggs of Sandwich, grantor, to John Wing Sr of Sandwich “my 1/2 share of lands at Sepican” 2 Aug 1681. (Recorded 1718 Ply Co LR 14:68)
• On 31 March 1685 Samuel Briggs received lot 29 at Sippican by the sea and lot 29 in the woods. [Recorded 1685, Ply Co, Rochester Prop R. Vol 1, p 14]
• Samuel Briggs received the first lot at Cromset and lot 28 at Sippican Neck 10 Feb 1694. (Recorded 1694, Ply Co., Rochester Prop R., 1:21)
• Granted Lot 22 at Salt Meadow and lot 15 at Fresh Meadow on 13 July 1697. (Recorded 1697, Ply Co Rochester Prop R., 1:25)
• Received 40 acres of Ministry land in exchange for a cartway through his lands to the town’s General Landing Place on the north side of the harbor in 1697. (Recorded 1697, Rochester Prop Rec 1:25)
• Samuel Briggs, grantor, to William Ellis, grantee, of “Middleberry” 1/2 lot no 22 of Fresh Meadow 21 May 1701. (Recorded 1714, Ply Co LR 11:85) 
• Samuel Briggs received 40 acres next to meadow lot 19, 30 March 1702. (Recorded 1702 Rochester Prop Rec 1:11)
• William Shurtleff of Plymouth, grantor, to Samuel Briggs Sr grantee, 1/2 of upland meadow on Sampson’s Brook in Plymouth 13 Dec 1701 (Recorded Ply Co LR 4:90)
• Samuel Briggs received lot 25 at Dartmouth Gore, 27 June 1704. (Recorded 1704, Roch Prop Rec 1:56)
• Samuel Briggs received lot 32 in cedar and spruce swamps 11 Feb 1706/7. (Recorded 1706/7, Rochester Prop Rec 1:91) (Ply Co LR 14:68)
• John Benson Jr grantor “to my honored father Samuel Briggs” grantee, “my sea lot no 7 of 40 acres, 21 March 1704/5. (Recorded Ply Co LR 14:42)
• On 11 Feb 1713/14 Samuel Briggs Sr of Rochester to “dutiful son John Briggs of Rochester,” 1/2 upland meadows, numerous house lots and other pieces in Rochester,” witnesses Joseph and Stephen Wing. This deed establishes John, whose birth is not recorded in Sandwich, as the son of Samuel Briggs Sr of Rochester. (Recorded 2 Jan 1715/6 Ply Co LR 11:94)

No probate or death records found for Elizabeth and Samuel. Samuel died after the 11 February 1713/14 deed, likely at Rochester.

Sources: 

Edna Anne Hannibal, John Briggs of Sandwich, Massachusetts and His Descendants, 1962

R.A. Lovell Jr, Sandwich, A Cape Cod Town, third edition, 1996, first printing 1984

Simeon L. Deyo, editor, History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1890

Lydia B (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, NEHGS Register, “Lt. John 1 and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich, Mass.,” 119:161 (July 1965)