Born in Arkansas, December 3, 1858, and came with his parents to California in 1861.  On arrival the family proceeded to Marysville, where they resided until 1873, when J. W. Briggs, the father of our subject, purchased the property on which they now reside.  This, one of the finest orchards in Santa Clara county, contains about ten thousand fruit trees in all, there being some three thousand pear, two thousand plum, fourrteen hundred cherry, fifteen hundred apple, seven hundred peach, and the balance apricot trees.  No pains has bee spared by J. G. Briggs, who manages for his father, in conducting this orchard, whilehe includes in his cultivation the rarest varieties of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. There are althogether one hundred and twenty acress on the farm, twenty of which are devoted to pasturage, and the remainder to fruit culture.

Transcribed by cdf
History of Santa Clara County, California
San Francisco: Alley, Bowen & Co., 1881, 838 pgs.
page 562

JOHN G. BRIGGS

 Bio-Pen Pictures
transcribers note-----------the above bio has Arkansas as place of birth

SURNAMES:  OLDES, ADAMS
was born in Franklin County, Kansas, December 3, 1858. He is the son of Joseph W. Briggs (whose sketch appears in this connection) and Mary J. (Oldes) Briggs, a native of Ohio. When but five years of age he was brought by his parents to this State. During his youthful days, when not in school, he was employed in his father's large orchards, and thus at an early age he had become familiar with all the details of orchard culture. In his boyhood, his father had the care of
extensive fruit interests near Marysville, but in 1873 he came to this county and purchased 120 acres of land near the Trimble road. He eventually improved 100 acres of this tract, setting that portion to fruit-trees. In this work he was most ably assisted by our subject, who, as young as he was, managed this extensive property, and in time came to have sole control of it, as for many years previous to his death, in 1887, his father was occupied in the care of his large interests near Visalia.

        This magnificent orchard contains about 10,000 trees, and is known far and wide as one of the finest and most productive in the county. This is due to Mr. Briggs' thorough, practical knowledge of the business to which he was trained, and the care and attention which he has devoted to the production of these telling results. Mr. Briggs is now living at San Jose, where he is engaged in settling the affairs of his father's extensive estate.

        In 1882 he was united in marriage with Miss Lizzie Adams, the daughter of William Francis and Mary Ann Adams, who were natives and residents of England. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have one daughter, Edith Violet.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.

Pg. 572-573
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT