Letter from Frederick Briggs, 1789

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Prince Edward County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Letter from Frederick Briggs, 1789, consists of a typescript copy of a letter printed on a broadside from Briggs to his wife. In this letter, Briggs explained that he would soon be executed for horse thievery and pleaded with his wife to raise their children in such a way that they would not repeat his mistakes and enter a life of crime.

Biographical / historical:

In August 1789, Frederick Briggs and William McElhany (spelled variously M'Elheney and Mackelhany) stole two horses from John Spencer in Charlotte County and were apprehended in Nottoway County by a posse led by Colonel Freeman Epps. They were transported back to Charlotte County and subsequently sent to the district court in Prince Edward County for further trial. The district court found both men guilty of horse thievery and sentenced them to die on 16 October 1789 by hanging.

In a deposition given in 1782, an individual named Bontley claimed that Frederick Briggs was a member of criminal gang specializing in horse thievery and counterfitting money. The catalog record for this deposition is available through the Library of Virginia's online catalog under call number 45000.

Acquisition information:
This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Prince Edward County.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 broadside