Individual Details

According to a note that Susan Marie Briles Kniebes received from her Uncle Connally Oran Briles (and Jasper's nephew) on October 22, 2002, Jasper was the oldest of the children of Daniel Eli Briles, Sr., and his wife Emily Nancy Sawyer. However, the oldest child may have been his sister Betty. (See "Notes" for Betty Briles" for details.)

The 1870 Randolph Co., N.C., Census lists Jasper as living with his parents Daniel Eli Briles II and Emily Nancy Sawyer Briles and gives his age as 11.

See "Notes" for Enoch Elwood Briles for the part that Elwood and Jasper played in how their family found the land they homesteaded north of Italy, Texas.

According to Leona Hays Connally Briles (the wife of the only son of Jasper's brother Enoch Elwood Briles), Jasper's first wife, Hattie Sawyer was a niece of Emily Nancy Sawyer (Jasper's mother) and was thus Jasper's first cousin. [Confirmed 8/2/2006: See Notes for Hattie Sawyer.] Once Jasper and his family moved to Ellis County, Texas, Jasper went back to North Carolina to get Hattie, whom he brought to live with his mother, for he was a lot older than Hattie. Before Jasper married Hattie, he sent her to school in Italy, Texas. Leona said that an older teacher in Italy once told her that Hattie was the smartest student ever to attend Italy schools.

Jasper and Hattie had two sons after they were married in Texas. According to a letter from Clara Ruth Wilson Briles to her daughter Sara Briles Moriarty dated September 1, 1980, during a conversation with Leona (who was living with them at the time), Roy was born in Aliea, Texas, which is now known as Shark's Town. Roy and his parents later moved to Sayre, Oklahoma, where Hattie and the younger son, Marvin, died in a flood in western Oklahoma. Jasper and his older son, Roy, then moved to Skiatook, Oklahoma. For Leona's input on Roy, see the Notes under Roy Mitchell Briles.

Also according to Leona Hays Connally Briles, Jasper build one of the first business buildings in Itasca, Texas. He also built two building in Italy, Texas. Leona says his name was still on those buildings the last time she was there. Jasper then was in business around Conroe and Houston, Texas. It was AFTER these business ventures that he, Hattie, and their sons moved to Oklahoma.

In the letter from Ruth to Sara referenced above, Ruth provides the following story [quoting Leona] about the flood that killed Jasper's first wife Hattie Sawyer and his younger son:

"In Sayre, Oklahoma, Jasper built a house on a bluff on his farm. When Roy was about 5 to 7 years old (1902-1904), a flood swept the house, his mother, his father, and him [and his younger brother] away. His father caught him and held him in a tree all night, but his mother Hattie and his 2-year-old brother, Marvin, perished. Jasper had the house put back in place and repaired it, and he and Roy lived there until Roy was grown. Then they moved to Skiatook. When Roy was about 12, Jasper married Sarah Miller." [Roy was actually 9 years old when his father married Sarah E. Miller. See Marriage Notes for Jasper and Sarah.]

Note that the family stories persist in calling Jasper and Hattie's second son "Marvin," but the 1900 U.S. Census and other records show a son named "Willie W. Briles." 1900 Census shows Willie born in December of 1899, but doesn't list Marvin at all. Grave Marker shows Marvin born in December of 1899 which would make Marvin and Willie twins. We have no record or indication this Jasper and Hattie had twin boys.

Worthie Elwood Briles, Leona's son, adds the following to the flood story: The flood occurred when a dam broke. Jasper and Roy were finally rescued by a Native American. Hattie and Marvin perished when the tree in which they had taken refuge was swept away by the flood.

Following Hattie's death, Jasper married another cousin, Sarah E. Miller, who was the daughter of Elizabeth Sawyer, who was a sister of Jasper's mother, Emily Nancy Sawyer. Sarah's father was James Miller. For information on Sarah E. Miller, see the "Notes" for her entry in these Family Tree Maker files.

Birth	Sep 1858	North Carolina
Marriage	Abt 1896	Probably Ellis County, Texas - Hattie Sawyer
Marriage	17 Jul 1906	Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina - Sarah E. Miller
Death	31 Dec 1933	Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma
Burial		Hillside Cemetery, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma

Spouse	Hattie Sawyer (1879 - 1903)
Child	Roy Mitchell Briles (1897 - 1975)
Child	Marvin Sawyer Briles (1899 - 1903)

Spouse

Sarah E. Miller (1874 - 1955)

Father	Daniel Eli Briles II (1833 - 1893)
Mother	Nancy Emily Sawyer (1838 - 1918)
Sibling	Betty Briles ( - )
Sibling	Enoch Elwood Briles (1861 - 1940)
Sibling	Susan (Sue) Briles (1863 - )
Sibling	Sarah S. Briles (1864 - )
Sibling	Nancy C. (Nannie) Briles (1867 - 1908)
Sibling	Oliver ("Ol" & "Ollie") Perry Briles (1869 - 1927)
Sibling	Mattie (Matt) Briles (1871 - 1929)
Sibling	Daniel Eli Briles III (1874 - 1940)
Sibling	Wilber Talmadge Briles (1884 - 1951)
Sibling	Cicero Harrison Briles (1877 - 1919)