Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-10-25
DEATH OF j. P. BRIGGS.
Passed Away on Friday Morning, 0cto-
Der FL, 1910.

teemed citizens of Wausau, died at
his home at 6I6 Grant street, after
a long and painful illness. The dis
ease to which he suceumbed was a
chronic Infection, existing previous to
an operation, which had extended into
the kidneys. One year ago last July
he submitted to an operation for the
removal of an enlarged prostate
gland. This seemed vitality necessary
to prolong his life; he passed through
the ordeal with his usual courage, and
it was this and his remarkable will
power and strong constitution that
enabled him to recover and be about
again. His tpuble grew worse the
latter part of the summer, and
for several months he has grown
weaker, and to many who were more
intimate, it seemed that the end was
not far distant.
Mr.. Briggs had been a resident of
Wausau for nearly thirty years. He
was q veteran of the civil war, and
when in health took much interest in
G. A. r. doings. AS man of bust
ness; as teacher in our public schools;
as a man in public affairs, he never
failed in performing his duty, and
this, too, without fear or favor Dur
ing his long life in Wausau he was
always found working for the better
ment of the city and its people, and
for everything that tended to the
city's advancement, educationally and
otherwise. OF Mr.. Briggs life the
PILOT takes the following from the
Soldiers Album of Biographical Rec
ords of Wisconsin:
''James P. Briggs, was born Jan. "a,
1916, in Lancaster, Erie county,
New York. His father and mother.
Philander T. and Emmeline (Harris)
Briggs, were of stock of long
standing in Vermont and the former
was soldier in the 4th Wisconsin in
fantry afterwards converted into
cavalry and was one of the earliest
soldiers in the field after the out
break of the rebellion. The family
removed to Kenosha county in this
state in 1850 and settled on a farm.
The 4th Wisconsin went to the field
in July and was enrOute when the in
telligence of the disaster at Bull Run
startled the nation. To boy on
farm in Kenosha county, whose father
was on the field of danger, it brought
message and as others reached the
ears of the lad, for he was only 15l
the spirit of his ancestors grew too
strong to resist, and in October, as he
dug potatoes in the field, his reSolu
tion was taken. He remarked to his
brother, Il am going to enlist and
went to tell his mother, who offered
no demur but money to aid him if he
needed, but he refused it, and went
to Racine, where three batteries of
the Wisconsin light artillery were in
rendezvous. He offered his name, to
be rejected on account of his youth.
Nothing daunted, he kept on his way
to Milwaukee and applied to the re-
cruiting officer for the 1st Wisconsin,
then in process of reorganization
after its return from three months
service. Captain McVean of Company
he was Is, and he replied that he
could. The sagacious manner in
which the question was propounded
made his enrolment possible and
without swearing anything he was
enlisted in Company E and mustered
into service. He was proud of his
success and had the satisfaction to go
to his duty as member of one of the
finest commands that honored Wis
cOnsin and the country. He partici-
pated in the movements in Noyem-
Der, December, January and February
and in March went to the vicinity of
Nashville. Through the summer he
was active in provost and guard duty
and was in several unimportant skirm-
ishes. Bragg became troublesome
and the brigade, (28th,) made ready
for the battle which was precipitated
October Sth and is known to history
as 'Perryville.' One of the heroismS
of the regiment was the capture by
hand of all remaining guns and Gals
sons on the field and also of Ten
nessee regimental flag, while several
regiments held the rebels in check.
But young Briggs was disabled for
active service by shot through his
right wrist, and was named in the
dispatches. He went to the field
hospital and, several weeks after, in
November, was sent to Louisville to
return to Kenosha in December on
discharge furlough, his papers arriv-
ing later, dated Feb. IA, 1868, at
Louisville. He commenced atten-
dance at the high school at Kenosha
and after year of study he again
enlisted in the same company and
regiment and joined the lst WiScOn-
sin at Chattanooga, taking with him
squad of recruits from Madison for
distribution in several regiments.
He never carried a musket, owing to
his stiff wrist, but was made company
and regimental clerk. When the
time of the regiment expired, he was
transferred to Company @, 2lSt Wis
consin and was made staff aid of Gen.
eral Harrison G. Hobart, commanding
1st Brigade, 1St Division, 18th Army
Corps, and served as orderly until
June, 1865, when he received final
discharge. The regiment was still
retained, but he petitioned General
Hobart to be permitted to return
home, as he wished to enter school.
That officer granted his request and
his discharge papers were made out,
dated at Washington.
"He returned home and soon after
went to Chicago to undertake a regu-
lar course of commercial study at
Bryant & Stratton's Business college.
On leaving that institution he COM
menced teaching to earn sufficient
money to enable him to attend Ober-
lin college Ohio two years, after
which he commenced a career as a
teacher, continuing in that vocation
until the fall of 1873, when he was
elected Superintendent of Schools of
Kenosha county, serving two years,
when he resigned to accepta situation
as principal of the Third ward school
at Racine, where he remained three
years He was selected to take charge
of the high school at Manitowoc and
remained there two years. In 1880
he came to Wausau, and established
book and stationery store. He was
also School superintendent of Mara
thon county, which position he held
during the latter part of the SOS.
In Cutler Post of Wausau, he has
acted successfully as Adjutant, Quar-
termaster and Commander and in
other positions. lie was also Junior
and Senior Vice-Commander of the
Department of Wisconsin under Gen.
eral Fairchild and III. 2. Fisher in
1886. He was a charter member of
Cutler Post at WauSau and has been
in, fe inf -