Individual Details
Daniel Eli Briles II
(26 Sep 1833 - 17 Mar 1893)
Information from Leone Hays Connally Briles said that Daniel Eli II was born in 1838. However, since a handwritten "3" and "8" look similar, we have used the birth date of September 26, 1833, provided by Jack E. Briles. Also, his headstone says he was born in 1833.
One of his sons reports that he and his family "migrated to Italy, Texas, in 1882, where he took up a homestead one mile north of town."
Similarly, information obtained for Mary Briles, Daniel Eli I's sister, from the Mormon Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City in the late 1880s indicates that Mary and her nephew Daniel Eli II and their families evidently moved from N.C. to Italy, Texas, in 1882. See "Notes" for Mary's husband HENRY YOUNG.
See "Notes" for ENOCH ELWOOD BRILES for story of how family found land they homesteaded north of Italy, Texas.
A number of his descendants say that his family migrated from High Point, N.C. During modern times, High Point is in Guilford County, N.C., not Randolph County. Guilford County is immediately north of Randolph County. In the past, Randolph County might have been bigger and have included Randolph County.
1870 U.S. Census for Randolph County, North Carolina, taken on July 7, 1870 at Tabernacle Township, P.O. Eden:
Daniel Briles, white, male, 36, farmer (= birth year of abt. 1834)
Nancy*, white, female, 30, Daniel's wife, keeping house (= birth year of abt. 1840)
Jasper, white, male, 11, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1859)
Enoch**, white, male, 9, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1861)
Sarah S., white, female, 6, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1864)
Nancy, white, female, 4, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1866)
Oliver, white, male, 1, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1869)
1880 U.S. Census for Randolph County, North Carolina, taken on June 24, 1880 at Tabernacle:
Daniel Briles, white, male, 46, farmer (= birth year of abt. 1834)
Emily*, white, female, 41, Daniel's wife, keeping house (= birth year of abt. 1839)
Elwood**, white, male, 17, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1863)
Sarah S., white, female, 16, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1864)
Nancy C., white, female, 13, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1867)
Oliver, white, male, 11, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1869)
Daniel E. (Daniel Eli III), white, male, 6, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1874)
Cicero H., white, male, 2, Daniels son (= birth year of 1878)
* Notice how she seems to frequently change as to which name she uses.
** Notice how he seems to frequently change as to which name he uses.
Jasper is missing in the 1880 Census. He may have just been elsewhere that day, or he may have made his first trip to Texas in 1880 and returned to N.C., taking his brother Enoch Elwood with him on his second trip. See Notes for Enoch Elwood Briles.
Living "next door" to Daniel Eli II and his family in the 1880 Randolph County, N.C., Census was a William Briles, age 24, and his wife Dorie A. (20) and their son Samuel S. (age 1). Don't know the relationship between these two families, but there must have been some.
See Notes for DOC WHITE for questions about the various White families who married into the Daniel Eli Briles II family.
A visit to the Italy Cemetery, Italy, Ellis Co., TX, on April 26, 2007, confirmed the birth and death dates for Daniel Eli Briles II provided above.
His headstone read as follows:
D. Briles
Born
Sept. 26
1833
Died
Mar. 17
1893
The headstone of his wife, Nancy Emily Sawyer Briles, is to the immediate left of his headstone. Also in the same plot were the headstones of two Briles children who died young: Daniel Briles (Dec. 25t, 1897-April 30, 1900) and Blanch Briles (Dec. 12, 1893-Sept. 4, 1894). Since Daniel's wife Nancy Emily Sawyer Briles would have been 55 when Blanch was born and would have been 59 when Daniel was born, they are most likely NOT the children of Daniel Eli II and Nancy. Since Daniel Eli II died in March 17, 1893, 10 months before Blanch's birth on December 12, 1893, he technically COULD have been Blanch's father, but, again, Nancy's advanced age makes that unlikely in any case. Daniel Eli II could NOT have been Daniel's father since Daniel was born in 1897, 4 years after Daniel Eli II's death.
Since their last name is given as "Briles," Daniel and Blanch were probably children of one of Daniel Eli II and Nancy's sons. At present, these two children do NOT appear in any available genealogical information, only on these headstones.
So the question is, which son or sons?
Since the children were buried in Italy, Texas, one would assume that that son was living in Italy when the children died (1893 and 1897) and that he was married before those dates.
Possibilities:
Jasper Briles got married for the first time in 1896. Jasper’s first known child was his son Roy, who was born on June 27, 1897 in Shark’s Town, Texas. Thus, unless Roy had Blanch out of wedlock in 1893, she could not have been his daughter. Similarly, if Roy was born in June 1897, Jasper could not have had a second son by the same woman in December 1897.
Enoch Elwood Briles got married for the only time on Sept. 17, 1893. His only known child, Worthie Harwood Briles, was born on October 17, 1894. Enoch and Worthie’s mother, Maggie Porterfield, divorced before Worthie’s birth. Thus, it is unlikely that Enoch was Blanch’s father since she was born on December 12, 1893. In addition, Enoch could have been Daniel’s father only if Daniel were born out of wedlock.
Oliver Perry Briles married Maud A. Snow on September 13, 1891. Their first child of record, George, was born on October 1892. Their next child of record, Mary, was born in October 1896. Thus, they certainly could have had Blanch in December 1893. However, their next child, Minnie, was born in October 1897. Consequently, Daniel, who was born in December 1897, could not be their son.
Daniel Eli Briles III was married to Mary Frances John in 1907. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
Cicero Harrison Briles married Lela Mabel Scarborough in December 1899. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
Wilbur Talmadge Briles married Margaret Parker in 1909. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
This leaves us with Oliver Perry Briles and Maud Snow Briles as the possible parents of Blanch but does not provide a likely parent for Daniel.
Another possibility is that Daniel was the child of one of Daniel Eli II and Nancy Emily’s daughters and that he was born out of wedlock before that daughter got married. Thus, he would have been given the last name of “Briles.” This daughter would have had to have been one who came to Texas with the rest of the family (Nancy and Mattie) and who did not marry until after 1897. Mattie married David E. Harris in 1893. Thus, she could not be Daniel’s mother. However, while we do not know when Nancy married Doc White, we do know that they had four children before 1908 (when they had twins at whose birth Nancy died). (The twins died at the same time.) Thus, it is possible that Nancy could have had Daniel before she married Doc White.
More research is needed! In May 2007, Anita Prewitt, a genealogy research in Ellis County, Texas, tried to solve this puzzle. All she found was yet another Baby Briles for whom the parents are not know:
Ellis County "Register of Deaths," Book 1, page 124, #1238, Baby Briles, died on Dec. 2, 1905, white, male, died near Italy, Texas, when he was about 7 months old. Oh well!
******************The above note for Daniel Eli Briles II was written by unknown author and NOT the BIN
One of his sons reports that he and his family "migrated to Italy, Texas, in 1882, where he took up a homestead one mile north of town."
Similarly, information obtained for Mary Briles, Daniel Eli I's sister, from the Mormon Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City in the late 1880s indicates that Mary and her nephew Daniel Eli II and their families evidently moved from N.C. to Italy, Texas, in 1882. See "Notes" for Mary's husband HENRY YOUNG.
See "Notes" for ENOCH ELWOOD BRILES for story of how family found land they homesteaded north of Italy, Texas.
A number of his descendants say that his family migrated from High Point, N.C. During modern times, High Point is in Guilford County, N.C., not Randolph County. Guilford County is immediately north of Randolph County. In the past, Randolph County might have been bigger and have included Randolph County.
1870 U.S. Census for Randolph County, North Carolina, taken on July 7, 1870 at Tabernacle Township, P.O. Eden:
Daniel Briles, white, male, 36, farmer (= birth year of abt. 1834)
Nancy*, white, female, 30, Daniel's wife, keeping house (= birth year of abt. 1840)
Jasper, white, male, 11, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1859)
Enoch**, white, male, 9, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1861)
Sarah S., white, female, 6, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1864)
Nancy, white, female, 4, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1866)
Oliver, white, male, 1, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1869)
1880 U.S. Census for Randolph County, North Carolina, taken on June 24, 1880 at Tabernacle:
Daniel Briles, white, male, 46, farmer (= birth year of abt. 1834)
Emily*, white, female, 41, Daniel's wife, keeping house (= birth year of abt. 1839)
Elwood**, white, male, 17, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1863)
Sarah S., white, female, 16, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1864)
Nancy C., white, female, 13, Daniel's daughter (= birth year of abt. 1867)
Oliver, white, male, 11, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1869)
Daniel E. (Daniel Eli III), white, male, 6, Daniel's son (= birth year of abt. 1874)
Cicero H., white, male, 2, Daniels son (= birth year of 1878)
* Notice how she seems to frequently change as to which name she uses.
** Notice how he seems to frequently change as to which name he uses.
Jasper is missing in the 1880 Census. He may have just been elsewhere that day, or he may have made his first trip to Texas in 1880 and returned to N.C., taking his brother Enoch Elwood with him on his second trip. See Notes for Enoch Elwood Briles.
Living "next door" to Daniel Eli II and his family in the 1880 Randolph County, N.C., Census was a William Briles, age 24, and his wife Dorie A. (20) and their son Samuel S. (age 1). Don't know the relationship between these two families, but there must have been some.
See Notes for DOC WHITE for questions about the various White families who married into the Daniel Eli Briles II family.
A visit to the Italy Cemetery, Italy, Ellis Co., TX, on April 26, 2007, confirmed the birth and death dates for Daniel Eli Briles II provided above.
His headstone read as follows:
D. Briles
Born
Sept. 26
1833
Died
Mar. 17
1893
The headstone of his wife, Nancy Emily Sawyer Briles, is to the immediate left of his headstone. Also in the same plot were the headstones of two Briles children who died young: Daniel Briles (Dec. 25t, 1897-April 30, 1900) and Blanch Briles (Dec. 12, 1893-Sept. 4, 1894). Since Daniel's wife Nancy Emily Sawyer Briles would have been 55 when Blanch was born and would have been 59 when Daniel was born, they are most likely NOT the children of Daniel Eli II and Nancy. Since Daniel Eli II died in March 17, 1893, 10 months before Blanch's birth on December 12, 1893, he technically COULD have been Blanch's father, but, again, Nancy's advanced age makes that unlikely in any case. Daniel Eli II could NOT have been Daniel's father since Daniel was born in 1897, 4 years after Daniel Eli II's death.
Since their last name is given as "Briles," Daniel and Blanch were probably children of one of Daniel Eli II and Nancy's sons. At present, these two children do NOT appear in any available genealogical information, only on these headstones.
So the question is, which son or sons?
Since the children were buried in Italy, Texas, one would assume that that son was living in Italy when the children died (1893 and 1897) and that he was married before those dates.
Possibilities:
Jasper Briles got married for the first time in 1896. Jasper’s first known child was his son Roy, who was born on June 27, 1897 in Shark’s Town, Texas. Thus, unless Roy had Blanch out of wedlock in 1893, she could not have been his daughter. Similarly, if Roy was born in June 1897, Jasper could not have had a second son by the same woman in December 1897.
Enoch Elwood Briles got married for the only time on Sept. 17, 1893. His only known child, Worthie Harwood Briles, was born on October 17, 1894. Enoch and Worthie’s mother, Maggie Porterfield, divorced before Worthie’s birth. Thus, it is unlikely that Enoch was Blanch’s father since she was born on December 12, 1893. In addition, Enoch could have been Daniel’s father only if Daniel were born out of wedlock.
Oliver Perry Briles married Maud A. Snow on September 13, 1891. Their first child of record, George, was born on October 1892. Their next child of record, Mary, was born in October 1896. Thus, they certainly could have had Blanch in December 1893. However, their next child, Minnie, was born in October 1897. Consequently, Daniel, who was born in December 1897, could not be their son.
Daniel Eli Briles III was married to Mary Frances John in 1907. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
Cicero Harrison Briles married Lela Mabel Scarborough in December 1899. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
Wilbur Talmadge Briles married Margaret Parker in 1909. Thus, unless he had Blanch and Daniel out of wedlock and at a fairly young age, they are not likely to be his children.
This leaves us with Oliver Perry Briles and Maud Snow Briles as the possible parents of Blanch but does not provide a likely parent for Daniel.
Another possibility is that Daniel was the child of one of Daniel Eli II and Nancy Emily’s daughters and that he was born out of wedlock before that daughter got married. Thus, he would have been given the last name of “Briles.” This daughter would have had to have been one who came to Texas with the rest of the family (Nancy and Mattie) and who did not marry until after 1897. Mattie married David E. Harris in 1893. Thus, she could not be Daniel’s mother. However, while we do not know when Nancy married Doc White, we do know that they had four children before 1908 (when they had twins at whose birth Nancy died). (The twins died at the same time.) Thus, it is possible that Nancy could have had Daniel before she married Doc White.
More research is needed! In May 2007, Anita Prewitt, a genealogy research in Ellis County, Texas, tried to solve this puzzle. All she found was yet another Baby Briles for whom the parents are not know:
Ellis County "Register of Deaths," Book 1, page 124, #1238, Baby Briles, died on Dec. 2, 1905, white, male, died near Italy, Texas, when he was about 7 months old. Oh well!
******************The above note for Daniel Eli Briles II was written by unknown author and NOT the BIN
Events
| Birth | 26 Sep 1833 | Randolph County, North Carolina |  | ||
| Marriage | 14 Jan 1856 | Randolph County, North Carolina - Nancy Emily Sawyer | | ||
| Death | 17 Mar 1893 | Italy, Ellis County, Texas | | ||
| Burial | Italy Cemetery, Italy, Ellis County, Texas |
Families
| Spouse | Nancy Emily Sawyer (1838 - 1918) |
| Child | Betty Briles ( - ) |
| Child | Jasper Briles (1858 - 1933) |
| Child | Enoch Elwood Briles (1861 - 1940) |
| Child | Susan (Sue) Briles (1863 - ) |
| Child | Sarah S. Briles (1864 - ) |
| Child | Nancy C. (Nannie) Briles (1867 - 1908) |
| Child | Oliver ("Ol" & "Ollie") Perry Briles (1869 - 1927) |
| Child | Mattie (Matt) Briles (1871 - 1929) |
| Child | Daniel Eli Briles III (1874 - 1940) |
| Child | Wilber Talmadge Briles (1884 - 1951) |
| Child | Cicero Harrison Briles (1877 - 1919) |
| Father | Dan Briles (1802 - 1865) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Davenport ( - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Briles (1824 - ) |
| Sibling | Oliver P. Briles (1828 - 1864) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Briles (1832 - ) |
| Sibling | Catherine Briles ( - ) |
| Sibling | Rachel Briles (1840 - ) |
Endnotes
1. Ellis County, Texas, Cemetery Records, Volume 1, Italy Cemetery.
2. Briles genealogy information from Jack E. Briles, Sr., New Albany, IN, jb50200@aol.com, Feb. 2002.
3. Ellis County, Texas, Cemetery Records, Volume 1, Italy Cemetery.