Isaac Briggs facts for kids

Isaac Briggs (1763–1825) was an important American engineer, surveyor, and manufacturer. He spent much of his adult life living with his family in Brookeville, Maryland.

Who Was Isaac Briggs?

Isaac Briggs was born in Haverford, Pennsylvania, in 1763. His parents, Samuel and Mary Briggs, were members of the Quakers. Quakers are a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs.

Isaac studied at the College of Pennsylvania, which is now the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1783. Then, in 1786, he received a Master of Arts degree in engineering.

His Family and Beliefs

After finishing college, Briggs traveled to places like Georgia and Georgetown, Washington, D.C.. On August 27, 1794, he married Hannah Brooke. They settled near Brookeville, Maryland, on a large piece of land called Sharon. This land was inherited from Hannah's father.

Isaac and Hannah had eight children together. Isaac Briggs was a very religious Quaker. He was also a member of the American Philosophical Society. This was a famous group that promoted knowledge and science.

Briggs was good friends with two important American presidents: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Because of his Quaker beliefs, Briggs was strongly against slavery. He never owned slaves. He worked with groups that wanted to end slavery. He also helped free Black people who were in danger of being kidnapped and forced back into slavery.

A Life of Engineering and Innovation

Isaac Briggs was a skilled surveyor and engineer. In 1788, he and William Longstreet received a patent for a steam engine in Georgia. A patent is like a special permission that protects an invention. This was the only patent ever given by the state of Georgia before the United States Constitution was adopted.

In 1807, their steam engine was used to power a boat. This boat traveled five miles against the current on the Savannah River. This happened just days after Robert Fulton sailed his new steamboat, the Clermont, in New York.

Important Surveying Work

From 1791 to 1792, Briggs helped Andrew Ellicott survey the boundaries of the original District of Columbia. This work helped create the borders of what is now Washington, D.C. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson chose him to be the Surveyor General of the Mississippi Territory. This meant he was in charge of surveying land in that area.

Building Canals

Briggs also worked on major canal projects. In 1818, he was appointed as one of the chief engineers for the famous Erie Canal in New York. This canal was a huge project that connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson River.

In 1819, he became a chief engineer in Virginia for the James River and Kanawha Canal. He was later promoted to principal engineer. However, he did not finish a large part of this canal.

Supporting American Industry

Isaac Briggs also cared about developing farming and manufacturing in the United States. He helped start the American Board of Agriculture. In 1809, he co-founded a cotton mill and a manufacturing town called Triadelphia in Montgomery County, Maryland. This helped create jobs and goods in America.

Later Years

Isaac Briggs became sick while working on the James River and Kanawha Canal in Virginia. He passed away at his home, Sharon, near Brookeville, on January 5, 1825.