Briscoe, Col. James T.

Col. Briscoe Asphyxiated.

Was Secretary of State under Governor Hamilton

Col. James T. Briscoe, for many years prominently connected with Democratic politics of Maryland and who held a number of important State offices at various time during the last half century, was found dead in bed in his room at the Hotel Joyce, 312 and 314 West Camden street, about 11:30 o'clock yesterday morning by Mr. Jerome Joyce, the proprietor of the hotel. Coroner Wilshire, of the Western district, after an investigation, gave a certificate of accidental asphyxiation.

Judge Briscoe was notified of his father's death by telegraph and arrived in the city late yesterday afternoon. Arrangements for the funeral were at once made. The body will be taken to Calvert county this morning and interment will be in All Saints' churchyard tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.

Colonel Briscoe, who derived his title from having once been a member of the staff of Governor Hamilton, during whose administration he was Secretary of State, came to Baltimore from his home, in Calvert county, Tuesday evening to attend the lecture of Col. Henry Watterson at the Academy of Music. He returned from the lecture shortly before midnight and went directly to his room.

The deceased was born in St. Mary's county March 21, 1828, and was a son of the late Philip and Maria Briscoe, the former having been a teacher at Charlotte Hall Academy, St. Mary's county. Colonel Briscoe received his early education at Charlotte Hall and when a young man came to the city and studied law under the late Dr. Hugh Davy Evans. During the latter part of 1849 Mr. Briscoe began practicing law in St. Mary's county, but less than a year afterward removed to Calvert county where he continued to devote himself to his profession. In 1850 he was appointed Deputy State's Attorney by Attorney General Robert J. Brent, and after the expiration of the term, in 1851, he was elected State's Attorney of Calvert county.

In 1859 Colonel Briscoe was elected a member of the famous Legislature which was called together by Governor Hicks, and which adjourned to Frederick, there to consider secession. At Frederick a number of the members, not including Colonel Briscoe, were arrested on the charge of disloyalty.

In 1864 Colonel Briscoe was elected to the Constitutional Convention which, in the following year, framed the new Constitution of the State. From 1880 to 1884 he was Secretary of State under Governor Hamilton. From 1884 to 1888 he was chief clerk in the Postoffice Department under Second Assistant Postmaster-General A. Leo Knott.

Prior to the Civil War Colonel Briscoe was an extensive slave and land owner in Calvert county and at the time of his death was the proprietor of considerable real estate in that county. He was a law partner of Mr. Henry Williams, of this city, and a member of the Democratic Supervisors of Elections of Calvert county, for which body he was attorney. In 1851 Colonel Briscoe married Miss Maria Parran, a daughter of the late John Parran, of Calvert county who died in 1864. He leaves four sons. They are Messrs. John P. Briscoe, judge of the Seventh judicial district of Maryland, whose home is in Prince Frederick, Calvert county; Dr. Philip Briscoe, of Calvert county; James T. and William C. Briscoe, both of Hagerstown. Ten grandchildren also survive.

[Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr 1903 - Submitted by Rita Bergendahl to the Calvert Co., MD site on Genealogy Trails]

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Married 11 Dec 1851, Calvert County, MD

Children:

Judge John Parran Briscoe 1852–1925

William Thompson Briscoe 1852-1852 (Infant) 

Philip W. Briscoe MD 1855-1927 

James Thompson Briscoe 1855-1855 (Infant) 

James Thompson Briscoe Jr. 1857–1925 

William Christian Briscoe 1861-1913