Individual Details
Enoch Elwood Briles
(15 Jan 1861 - Dec 1940)
His obituary says that he died at 80 in Skiatook, Oklahoma, and that he moved there about 10 years before he died (which would have been about 1930). Before living in Skiatook, he lived in Idabel, Oklahoma, and Ellis County, Texas.
He was born on January 15, 1861, near Trinity, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1880 or 1882, depending upon whose story you believe. On September 17, 1893, he married Margaret (Maggie) Porterfield. He lived with his brother Jasper's wife [Sarah E. Bradley Miller Briles], even after his brother's death "six years ago" [Jasper died in 1933]. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Skiatook, Oklahoma. One source says he was born in Tabernacle Township in Randolph County, N.C. Trinity may have been a town in Tabernacle Township.
According to Leona Hays Connally Briles, the wife of his only son, Worthie Harwood Briles, when the family migrated to Ellis County, Texas, E. Elwood and his older brother Jasper went to Texas first in 1882 to look for a good place to settle. They made the first part of the trip by train and the last part on horseback.
If he really did come to Texas in 1880, it was AFTER the 1880 Census was taken in Randolph Co., N.C., for he is listed with his parents in that census, unless they listed him as being there even though he had already gone to Texas. That census says he was 19. He is also listed as being with his parents in Randolph Co., N.C., in the 1870 Census, at which time his age is given as 9.
For suppositions by North Carolina genealogists concerning the possibility that Enoch Elwood Briles might have been the father of the four sons of his cousin Sarah Louemmy Briles, see the Notes for Elwood Welborn Briles. (Sarah's mother was Polly Ann Sawyer, the sister of Enoch's mother Emily Nancy Sawyer.)
As per Worthie Elwood Briles during phone conversation with his daughter Susan Briles Kniebes on January 27, 2003, he remembers himself and his mother and father moving from the Fort Worth area to Idabel, Oklahoma, where Elwood's brother Con was born. The family lived in Idabel for only about 1 year, during which time Elwood and Con's father, Worthie Harwood (Jack) Briles, worked with his father, Enoch Elwood "Pawpaw" Briles, in Pawpaw's auto repair and paint shop. Worthy didn't get along well with Pawpaw's younger brother Wilbur (born in 1884, died in 1951), so the family returned to Fort Worth. To establish a time for the family's stay in Idabel, Con was born on December 10, 1919.
We don't know for sure who this "younger brother" was. According to the Briles genealogy information available on October 5, 2005, Pawpaw (born in 1861) had four younger brothers: Daniel Eli Briles III (born in 1874, died in 1940), Oliver Perry Briles (born Abt. 1869, died in 1927), Cicero H. Briles (born in 1876, died in 1919, so could not be Cicero), and Wilbur Talmadge Briles (born in 1884, died in 1951). Wilbur seems the most likely "culprit" here.
Pawpaw is in a 1909 photo taken outside of his parents' home in Italy, Texas, so we know he was in Italy at that time. See the information from the 1910 U.S. Census in the Notes for his mother Emily Nancy Sawyer, which has him living with his mother and nephew Roy Briles in Italy, Texas, in 1910.
Another obituary (seems to be from the Skiatook, Oklahoma, paper) says the following:
"E. E. Briles was born January 15, 1861, near Trinity, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1880 and on Sept. 17 1893, was married to Margaret Porterfield. To this union one son, W. H. Briles of Fort Worth, Texas, who survives. He is also survived by six grandchildren and one brother of Milford, Texas.
"Mr. Briles had made his home with his brother and wife, Mr. and Mr. Jasper Briles and continued to live there after the brother's death six years ago. He came here over twenty years ago.
"His son and two grandchildren Connelly [Connally Briles ] and Bonnie Bell [Briles] of Ft. Worth arrived here Tuesday afternoon.
"Services were held Thursday afternoon and interment was made in Hillside cemetery.
"Those from distant points attending the services were: W. T. [W. H.] Briles and children, Connelly and Bonnie Bell of Ft. Worth; Mrs. Eli Briles [Mary], Mrs. Marvin Knight [Mary's daughter], Mr. Franck Windham, and Marie Tinsley all of Italy, Texas; and Winona Briles of Milford, Texas."
Another obituary [seems to be from the Ft. Worth, Texas, paper]:
"W. H. Briles of 3425 East Rosedale Street was in Skiatook, Okla., Tuesday to attend funeral services Wednesday for his father, Elwood E. Briles, 80, a retired farmer, who died there early Tuesday.
"The elder Mr. Briles lived in Ellis County, Texas, for half a century before going to Skiatook 10 years ago.
"Six grandsons also survive."
Several sources on the Internet give "Jack" as Enoch Elwood's first name. Enoch Elwood's descendants are not aware of this. It could be that the Internet genealogists got the nickname of Maggie and Enoch Elwood's son, Worthie Harwood, confused with Enoch Elwood's name. Worthie Harwood was known as "Jack" to his friends. See the Note under Worthie Harwood Briles for information on how he may have come by that nickname.
The transcription of a tape made of Leona Hays Connally Briles (Enoch Elwood's daughter-in-law] by Sara Briles Moriarty [Leona's granddaughter] at Sarah and her husband Richard Moriarty's home in Opelika, Alabama, on July 24, 1980, contains the following exchange concerning Enoch Elwood [Pawpaw]:
"Sara:"Do you remember what Pawpaw, Elwood, Briles was like? What was his personality like?"
Leona:"Well, he was a very good natured kind of a fellow. And he didn't like any arguing or any discussion about anything. If he liked it, he said so. And if he didn't like it, well he'd say, 'That don't suit me.' Or if he did like it, he'd say, 'That suits me just fine.' That's the way he was."
Sara:"He never got remarried?"
Leona:"No, no, he never got remarried. This is a secret that don't many people know but when we . . . He had one of those ole hump-backed trunks, you know. It's more than a hundred years old. It's down at Bonnie's now. Well, it had a letter in there from a girl in North Carolina [where he was born]. And her name was Alberta Hoover. This letter was on a piece of paper about this long. It was the prettiest handwriting I ever saw outside of a copybook! Evidently, they had been sweethearts before they left North Carolina because he was probably, well, grown when they left there. [His brother Cicero was born in North Carolina in 1876. His next sibling, his brother, Wilbur, was born in Texas in 1884. So sometime between 1876 and 1884, Elwood's parents brought their family to Italy, Texas. Since Elwood was born in 1861, he could have been as old as 23 when his family moved to Texas from North Carolina.] So she said, 'Well, you never did come back so I suppose you've found your little prairie flower.' [She chuckles.]"
Note by Susan Briles Kniebes: Interestingly, family history says (evidently wrongly) that Enoch Elwood's maternal grandmother was Polly Hoover Sawyer. One can't help but wonder if Alberta Hoover might have been a first or second cousin or some kind of shirt-tail relative?
In a P.S. to her handwritten responses to a letter containing genealogy question sent her by Sara Briles Moriarty dated February 10, 1982, Cordie Miller, the wife of Arley Miller, the step-son of Jasper Briles, Cordie provides the following information about Enoch Elwood Briles, the younger brother of Jasper Briles:
"I know Elwood Briles was a kind, wonderful man. We lived with Sarah [Miller Briles, Arley's mother] and Elwood a few years after Jasper died. Elwood was like a grandpa to our son Jasper, the only grandpa he ever knew. They had such good times together. Our son was born on Jasper Briles's birthday so we named him Jasper. Elwood, Sarah, and Jasper are buried at Hillside Cemetery about 2-1/2 miles from where we [she and Arley] live. Jasper and I bought a nice marker for Elwood's grave. We loved him."
In a letter to Sara Jean Briles Moriarty dated July 20, 1982, Winona Briles Brown, the Enoch Elwood's niece and the daughter of his youngest brother Wilbur Talmadge Briles, had the following to say about Sara's Great Grandpa Elwood:
"I miss your Great Grandpa Elwood. Remember the poem, "I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me"? Well, I was his shadow from the time I could walk and talk. He taught me more about Life, Love, Honesty, Christian Living, Gardening, Church, play, and fun than all my own family. Never a seed he planted [but] that me (and my bonnet) were watching. I was up, dressed, and ready on Sunday to go to church (in Italy) with him. When he went to the mailbox (1/4 mi from the house), I was at his heels. And when he read the paper, I was riding his rockers asking, "What's that say? What's this?" One little doll in an ad in the paper was finally ordered cause I had to look at the ad every day. He was something very special to me and my sister. I was very sorry that Worthie's children didn't get to be with him more than they did cause he sure had a way with kids. That's why I'm so happy to get your letters, and keep in touch cause even if we're miles apart, there's a Bond (a Big Bond) that ties us to Special folks."
The 1910 U.S. Census in the 8th Judicial Precinct of Ellis County, Texas, lists Enoch Elwood as living with his mother, Emily Nancy Sawyer Briles, along with his nephew Roy Briles, the son of Elwood's brother Jasper. For details on that census, see the Notes for Emily Nancy Sawyer.
The 1920 U.S. Census (Series T625, Roll 1469, Page 175) for White Township, McCurtain County, Oklahoma, taken on January 5, 1920, provides the following information:
Elwood E. Briles (all other records indicate that his given name was Enoch Elwood): Head of Household, White, Male, Age 58, [Can't read marriage status information (should say "Divorced")], born in NC as were both of his parents, Occupation=Farmer.
Worthie H. Briles: Son of E. E. Briles, White Male, Age 25, Married, Born in Texas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Texas, Occupation=Farmer.
Leona Briles: Daughter-in-law of E. E. Briles, White, Female, Age 23, Married, Born in Texas, Father born in Arkansas, Mother born in Alabama.
Elwood, Jr., Briles [should say Worthie Elwood Briles]: Grandson of E. E. Briles, White, Male, Age 2, Born in Texas, as were both of his parents.
Connly Briles [should say Connally]: Grandson of E. E. Briles, White, Male, Age 1 month, Born in Oklahoma, Parents born in Texas.
He was born on January 15, 1861, near Trinity, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1880 or 1882, depending upon whose story you believe. On September 17, 1893, he married Margaret (Maggie) Porterfield. He lived with his brother Jasper's wife [Sarah E. Bradley Miller Briles], even after his brother's death "six years ago" [Jasper died in 1933]. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Skiatook, Oklahoma. One source says he was born in Tabernacle Township in Randolph County, N.C. Trinity may have been a town in Tabernacle Township.
According to Leona Hays Connally Briles, the wife of his only son, Worthie Harwood Briles, when the family migrated to Ellis County, Texas, E. Elwood and his older brother Jasper went to Texas first in 1882 to look for a good place to settle. They made the first part of the trip by train and the last part on horseback.
If he really did come to Texas in 1880, it was AFTER the 1880 Census was taken in Randolph Co., N.C., for he is listed with his parents in that census, unless they listed him as being there even though he had already gone to Texas. That census says he was 19. He is also listed as being with his parents in Randolph Co., N.C., in the 1870 Census, at which time his age is given as 9.
For suppositions by North Carolina genealogists concerning the possibility that Enoch Elwood Briles might have been the father of the four sons of his cousin Sarah Louemmy Briles, see the Notes for Elwood Welborn Briles. (Sarah's mother was Polly Ann Sawyer, the sister of Enoch's mother Emily Nancy Sawyer.)
As per Worthie Elwood Briles during phone conversation with his daughter Susan Briles Kniebes on January 27, 2003, he remembers himself and his mother and father moving from the Fort Worth area to Idabel, Oklahoma, where Elwood's brother Con was born. The family lived in Idabel for only about 1 year, during which time Elwood and Con's father, Worthie Harwood (Jack) Briles, worked with his father, Enoch Elwood "Pawpaw" Briles, in Pawpaw's auto repair and paint shop. Worthy didn't get along well with Pawpaw's younger brother Wilbur (born in 1884, died in 1951), so the family returned to Fort Worth. To establish a time for the family's stay in Idabel, Con was born on December 10, 1919.
We don't know for sure who this "younger brother" was. According to the Briles genealogy information available on October 5, 2005, Pawpaw (born in 1861) had four younger brothers: Daniel Eli Briles III (born in 1874, died in 1940), Oliver Perry Briles (born Abt. 1869, died in 1927), Cicero H. Briles (born in 1876, died in 1919, so could not be Cicero), and Wilbur Talmadge Briles (born in 1884, died in 1951). Wilbur seems the most likely "culprit" here.
Pawpaw is in a 1909 photo taken outside of his parents' home in Italy, Texas, so we know he was in Italy at that time. See the information from the 1910 U.S. Census in the Notes for his mother Emily Nancy Sawyer, which has him living with his mother and nephew Roy Briles in Italy, Texas, in 1910.
Another obituary (seems to be from the Skiatook, Oklahoma, paper) says the following:
"E. E. Briles was born January 15, 1861, near Trinity, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1880 and on Sept. 17 1893, was married to Margaret Porterfield. To this union one son, W. H. Briles of Fort Worth, Texas, who survives. He is also survived by six grandchildren and one brother of Milford, Texas.
"Mr. Briles had made his home with his brother and wife, Mr. and Mr. Jasper Briles and continued to live there after the brother's death six years ago. He came here over twenty years ago.
"His son and two grandchildren Connelly [Connally Briles ] and Bonnie Bell [Briles] of Ft. Worth arrived here Tuesday afternoon.
"Services were held Thursday afternoon and interment was made in Hillside cemetery.
"Those from distant points attending the services were: W. T. [W. H.] Briles and children, Connelly and Bonnie Bell of Ft. Worth; Mrs. Eli Briles [Mary], Mrs. Marvin Knight [Mary's daughter], Mr. Franck Windham, and Marie Tinsley all of Italy, Texas; and Winona Briles of Milford, Texas."
Another obituary [seems to be from the Ft. Worth, Texas, paper]:
"W. H. Briles of 3425 East Rosedale Street was in Skiatook, Okla., Tuesday to attend funeral services Wednesday for his father, Elwood E. Briles, 80, a retired farmer, who died there early Tuesday.
"The elder Mr. Briles lived in Ellis County, Texas, for half a century before going to Skiatook 10 years ago.
"Six grandsons also survive."
Several sources on the Internet give "Jack" as Enoch Elwood's first name. Enoch Elwood's descendants are not aware of this. It could be that the Internet genealogists got the nickname of Maggie and Enoch Elwood's son, Worthie Harwood, confused with Enoch Elwood's name. Worthie Harwood was known as "Jack" to his friends. See the Note under Worthie Harwood Briles for information on how he may have come by that nickname.
The transcription of a tape made of Leona Hays Connally Briles (Enoch Elwood's daughter-in-law] by Sara Briles Moriarty [Leona's granddaughter] at Sarah and her husband Richard Moriarty's home in Opelika, Alabama, on July 24, 1980, contains the following exchange concerning Enoch Elwood [Pawpaw]:
"Sara:"Do you remember what Pawpaw, Elwood, Briles was like? What was his personality like?"
Leona:"Well, he was a very good natured kind of a fellow. And he didn't like any arguing or any discussion about anything. If he liked it, he said so. And if he didn't like it, well he'd say, 'That don't suit me.' Or if he did like it, he'd say, 'That suits me just fine.' That's the way he was."
Sara:"He never got remarried?"
Leona:"No, no, he never got remarried. This is a secret that don't many people know but when we . . . He had one of those ole hump-backed trunks, you know. It's more than a hundred years old. It's down at Bonnie's now. Well, it had a letter in there from a girl in North Carolina [where he was born]. And her name was Alberta Hoover. This letter was on a piece of paper about this long. It was the prettiest handwriting I ever saw outside of a copybook! Evidently, they had been sweethearts before they left North Carolina because he was probably, well, grown when they left there. [His brother Cicero was born in North Carolina in 1876. His next sibling, his brother, Wilbur, was born in Texas in 1884. So sometime between 1876 and 1884, Elwood's parents brought their family to Italy, Texas. Since Elwood was born in 1861, he could have been as old as 23 when his family moved to Texas from North Carolina.] So she said, 'Well, you never did come back so I suppose you've found your little prairie flower.' [She chuckles.]"
Note by Susan Briles Kniebes: Interestingly, family history says (evidently wrongly) that Enoch Elwood's maternal grandmother was Polly Hoover Sawyer. One can't help but wonder if Alberta Hoover might have been a first or second cousin or some kind of shirt-tail relative?
In a P.S. to her handwritten responses to a letter containing genealogy question sent her by Sara Briles Moriarty dated February 10, 1982, Cordie Miller, the wife of Arley Miller, the step-son of Jasper Briles, Cordie provides the following information about Enoch Elwood Briles, the younger brother of Jasper Briles:
"I know Elwood Briles was a kind, wonderful man. We lived with Sarah [Miller Briles, Arley's mother] and Elwood a few years after Jasper died. Elwood was like a grandpa to our son Jasper, the only grandpa he ever knew. They had such good times together. Our son was born on Jasper Briles's birthday so we named him Jasper. Elwood, Sarah, and Jasper are buried at Hillside Cemetery about 2-1/2 miles from where we [she and Arley] live. Jasper and I bought a nice marker for Elwood's grave. We loved him."
In a letter to Sara Jean Briles Moriarty dated July 20, 1982, Winona Briles Brown, the Enoch Elwood's niece and the daughter of his youngest brother Wilbur Talmadge Briles, had the following to say about Sara's Great Grandpa Elwood:
"I miss your Great Grandpa Elwood. Remember the poem, "I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me"? Well, I was his shadow from the time I could walk and talk. He taught me more about Life, Love, Honesty, Christian Living, Gardening, Church, play, and fun than all my own family. Never a seed he planted [but] that me (and my bonnet) were watching. I was up, dressed, and ready on Sunday to go to church (in Italy) with him. When he went to the mailbox (1/4 mi from the house), I was at his heels. And when he read the paper, I was riding his rockers asking, "What's that say? What's this?" One little doll in an ad in the paper was finally ordered cause I had to look at the ad every day. He was something very special to me and my sister. I was very sorry that Worthie's children didn't get to be with him more than they did cause he sure had a way with kids. That's why I'm so happy to get your letters, and keep in touch cause even if we're miles apart, there's a Bond (a Big Bond) that ties us to Special folks."
The 1910 U.S. Census in the 8th Judicial Precinct of Ellis County, Texas, lists Enoch Elwood as living with his mother, Emily Nancy Sawyer Briles, along with his nephew Roy Briles, the son of Elwood's brother Jasper. For details on that census, see the Notes for Emily Nancy Sawyer.
The 1920 U.S. Census (Series T625, Roll 1469, Page 175) for White Township, McCurtain County, Oklahoma, taken on January 5, 1920, provides the following information:
Elwood E. Briles (all other records indicate that his given name was Enoch Elwood): Head of Household, White, Male, Age 58, [Can't read marriage status information (should say "Divorced")], born in NC as were both of his parents, Occupation=Farmer.
Worthie H. Briles: Son of E. E. Briles, White Male, Age 25, Married, Born in Texas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Texas, Occupation=Farmer.
Leona Briles: Daughter-in-law of E. E. Briles, White, Female, Age 23, Married, Born in Texas, Father born in Arkansas, Mother born in Alabama.
Elwood, Jr., Briles [should say Worthie Elwood Briles]: Grandson of E. E. Briles, White, Male, Age 2, Born in Texas, as were both of his parents.
Connly Briles [should say Connally]: Grandson of E. E. Briles, White, Male, Age 1 month, Born in Oklahoma, Parents born in Texas.
Events
| Birth | 15 Jan 1861 | Near Trinity, North CarolINa |  | ||
| Marriage | 17 Sep 1893 | Ellis County, Texas - Maggie Ora Porterfield | | ||
| Death | Dec 1940 | Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma | | ||
| Burial | Hillside Cemetery, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma | |
Families
| Spouse | Maggie Ora Porterfield (1877 - 1955) |
| Child | Worthie Harwood Briles (1894 - 1979) |
| Father | Daniel Eli Briles II (1833 - 1893) |
| Mother | Nancy Emily Sawyer (1838 - 1918) |
| Sibling | Betty Briles ( - ) |
| Sibling | Jasper Briles (1858 - 1933) |
| 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) |
Endnotes
1. Obituary of Enoch Elwood Briles.
2. Ellis County, Texas, Marriage Records, Volume G, 557.
3. Ellis County, Texas, Marriage Records, Volume G, 557.
4. Original Briles Family Genealogy Information Collected by Worthie Elwood Briles, Susan Marie Briles Kniebes, Sara Jean Br.
5. Obituary of Enoch Elwood Briles.
6. Obituary of Enoch Elwood Briles.
7. Obituary of Enoch Elwood Briles.