Charles A. Briggs

Charles A. Briggs was an active business man of Montreal, well known and respected. He conducted a retail fur store under his name on Notre Dame Street, and careful management and wise direction of his interests wrought the substantial success which eventually came to him. A native of Montreal, he was born October 3, 1839, a son of Russell Briggs, who came to this city from Vermont and here spent his remaining days. Charles A. Briggs was indebted to the public-school system of Montreal for the educational opportunities he enjoyed. In early life he acquainted himself with the fur business and eventually became proprietor of a retail fur store on Notre Dame Street. He closely applied himself to the conduct of the business and his able management and reliable methods were strong elements in his growing success.

In 1862 Mr. Briggs was united in marriage to Sarah S., a daughter of Mansfield Holland, who in early life came from Maine to Montreal and was actively identified with the infant industrial development of the city, building the first rolling mill here and also a nail and spike factory, making the first railroad spike manufactured in Canada. His plant was located on Mill Street and there he continued actively and successfully in business throughout the remainder of his days, his death occurring in 1883. He was then seventy-four years of age, his birth having occurred in 1809. He was twenty years of age when he arrived in Montreal in 1829, becoming a most active factor in its business circles, for, with the growth of his enterprise, he employed many men. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Gould and by their marriage they became the parents of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Briggs became the parents of seven children: Charles Russell; Celia; Florence; Edwin; Dr. George Nixon; Henry, who died young; and Ethel.

Mr. Briggs held membership in St. James Cathedral, to the support of which he made generous contribution. He stood stanchly in support of many of those factors which work for the betterment of the individual and for the community and at the same time he conducted a successful business indicative of his ability and his enterprise.