Finding aid for the James A. Briggs Papers

Biography of James A. Briggs

James A. Briggs (1811-1889) was an attorney in Cleveland, Ohio, and in New York State, and the editor of the Cleveland DailyTrue Democrat. While serving as state assessor in New York, Briggs was special correspondent to several newspapers, including the Cleveland Leader. An avid temperance advocate and popular speaker, Briggs participated in the movements to convince Abraham Lincoln to accept the nomination of the Republican Party in 1860 and to persuade the Ohio delegation to support Lincoln. He is also credited by some to have coined the 1840 presidential campaign slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too" for William Henry Harrison. He served as Cuyahoga County Auditor in the 1840s, helped to establish the Cleveland public high school system and the Cleveland Protestant Orphan Asylum (Beech Brook), and served as vice president for the Society for Relief of the Poor.

Scope and Content

The James A. Briggs Papers, 1842-1849, consist of letters received by Briggs, primarily from Joshua R. Giddings, concerning personal and political matters.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of Cleveland, Ohio, and politics there in the mid-nineteenth century.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 882 James A. Briggs Scrapbooks.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 2861 James A. Briggs Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Estate of Mr. James A. Briggs in 1890.