Jeremiah ‘Jay’ B. Briggs 1875-1891

Born: April 17, 1875 in Appleton, Wisconsin

Died: January 17, 1891 in Appleton, Wisconsin. Cause of death: Severe head trauma

Place of burial: Riverside Cemetery, Appleton Wisconsin.

Father’s name: Theodore Wood Briggs Birth place: Ogdenburg, NY

Mother’s name: Leona Suberville (Dane) Briggs Birth place: Lockeport, Nova Scotia

Siblings: Cornelia Spaulding (Briggs) Burch

J. Fred Briggs

Caroline Hamilton (Briggs) Mathie

Curtis Eugene Briggs

Mary Elizabeth (Briggs) Brooks

Ina Frances Briggs

Theodore L. Briggs

Theodore Briggs third child to die, Jay passed away along with 2 other friends in a dramatic sledding (Or coasting as it was commonly referred to.) accident in Appleton, Wisconsin. The accident was front page news. According to the city’s newspaper, the Appleton Weekly Post, the children were coasting on what was called Lawe Street Hill (Approximately where Lawrence University’s Student Union now stands.) and to avoid going into the river a turn onto the bridge was required. Unfortunately, their sled overshot and hit the railing, then went over into the icy Fox River. Jay was first on the sled and was likely dead from his head hitting the railing before going into the water. The other two apparently died from drowning and cold. In all, there were 11 children involved, the remaining 8 having minor injuries and suffered from the cold of the water.

Samples of the headlines and some of the writing in the local papers surrounding this incident. Appleton at the time had two weekly papers. The timing allowed the Appleton Weekly Post to publish on its normal day, treating the accident as breaking news. It was the lead story and ran for over 69 column inches. (That’s huge.) The other paper, the Appleton Crescent, put out a special mid-week paper similarly covering the tragedy, then on their later, regular day they were able to review the Coroner’s inquest. Again, placing it all on the front page.

The Micro-fiche copies of these papers in the Appleton Public Library are large and awkward to handle. I do have copies (of a sort) that I could share upon request. Contact me at: jrkho5@sbcglobal.net.

Here is the Lawe Street bridge as it appeared in 1915 looking north towards Lawrence University. In this picture you can see the turn needed to get onto the bridge and the fatal wooden railings. Photo from Lawrence University Archives, 1916 Ariel yearbook.

The death certificate notes Jay as being a college student.

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