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San Jacinto Museum of History
Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library
Manuscript Collections
Finding Aid
ADELE BRISCOE LOOSCAN COLLECTION
MARY JANE HARRIS BRISCOE PAPERS
1828 - 1903 (Bulk: 1849 - 1891)
Manuscript Collection: MC056
Size: 3.2 linear feet
Boxes: 9
OCLC No: 50150081
Acquisition: Mr. and Mrs. George A. Hill, Jr., Houston Public Library, Annie Hume, 1939 - 1940
Restrictions on Access: None
Terms Governing Use: Open for research by appointment.
Processed by: Sandra Eileen Yates, 2002.
Publication Rights: Copyright has not been assigned to the San Jacinto Museum of History. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Library Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Jacinto Museum of History as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Citation: [Identification of Item], Mary Jane Harris Briscoe Papers, MC056, San Jacinto Museum of History, Houston, Texas.
Creator Sketch:
Mary Jane Harris Briscoe was born at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, on August 17, 1819, one of four children of John Richardson and Jane Birdsall Harris. When John R. Harris left Missouri for Texas in 1824, Jane Harris and her children returned to New York. After the death of Harris in 1829 in New Orleans, Jane waited until 1833 when her eldest son was mature to travel to Texas and claim her inheritance. Mary Jane remained in New York and attended finishing school until allowed to proceed to Texas. She joined her family in Harrisburg in the fall of 1836 and soon became known as the “Belle of Buffalo Bayou.” On her eighteenth birthday she married Andrew Briscoe. The couple lived in Houston where their son Parmenas was born and later moved to Harrisburg where they had another four children. Of their five children, four lived to adulthood: Parmenas (1839 – 1906), Andrew Birdsall (1841 – 1912), Jessie Wade (1845 – 1920), and Adele Lubbock (1848 – 1935).
On October 4, 1849, Andrew died of yellow fever in New Orleans leaving his widow and children without a means of support. Mary Jane and her children moved to her father-in-law’s plantation near Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi, and remained there until after General Parmenas’ death. In 1852 she returned to Texas settling first in Anderson and later in Galveston and Harrisburg. In 1874 she moved to Houston to live with her son, Parmenas.
On July 18, 1881, as a widow of a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, she received a donation grant of 1,280 acres. She was a charter member of the Ladies’ Reading Club, the first woman’s club in Houston, and served as the treasurer until her death. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas was organized at the Briscoe home in 1891 where the local chapter continued to meet. She served as vice president of the DRT until 1897. Active in the Texas Veterans Association, Briscoe was held in high esteem by many of the veterans. Mary Jane founded Sheltering Arms, a home for needy women in Houston, and served as the first president. She wrote sketches and reminiscences and was a charter member of the Texas State Historical Association, of which she was elected an honorary life member in 1897. Briscoe became an invalid after suffering a fall in 1899 and died in Houston on March 8, 1903. She was buried in Glenwood Cemetery.
Bibliography:
“BRISCOE, MARY JANE HARRIS.” The Handbook of Texas Online.
Looscan, Adele Lubbock Briscoe. A brief sketch of the life and characteristics of Mrs. Mary
Jane Briscoe : showing the estimation in which she was held by her friends and the
public generally. Houston: A.C. Gray, 1905.
Scope and Content Note:
Correspondence, creative works, journals, financial documents, printed materials, scrapbooks, legal documents and notes and memoranda record the life of Mary Jane Harris Briscoe.
Archivist’s Note:
All other papers from the Adele Briscoe Looscan Collection are related to Mary Jane Harris Briscoe. All photographs are located in the Adele Briscoe Looscan Papers.
MARY JANE HARRIS BRISCOE PAPERS,1828 - 1903 (Bulk: 1849 - 1891)
Manuscript Collection: MC056
Size: 3.2 linear feet
Boxes: 9
Inventory
Correspondence: 1828 - 1903 (Bulk: 1836 - 1899)
Size: 1.6 linear feet
Boxes: 4
Correspondence received from friends, family, and businesses documents the life of Mary Jane Harris Briscoe. Long-time correspondents include Francis R. Lubbock (46), her servant Carrie Phelps (13), and friend Jessie Wade (11). Substantial correspondence from family members demonstrates the pivotal position Briscoe held within her immediate and extended family. A 1835 letter from DeWitt Clinton Harris discusses his role in the Anahuac Disturbance. Except for letters from Emily Briscoe (37), significant correspondence with her Briscoe in-laws ended with her return to Texas 3 years after Andrew's death. Letters from her son Andrew Birdsall Briscoe (62) and his wife Annie Payne Briscoe (47) record their lives as they establish a ranch, raise children, and later deal with Annie's prolonged illness. A lifelong correspondence with brother Lewis Birdsall Harris (1832 - 1890) deals with family, travel, and business in New York, Texas, and California. Correspondence from other members of her extensive family concerns genealogical investigations, family affairs, and financial matters. Correspondence sent includes letters to James Briscoe, the executor of her husband's will. Of particular interest are 5 spirit letters (n.d.) written most likely during a series of seances. Respondents during the seance include General Parmenas Briscoe and Andrew Briscoe, and discuss the Battle of San Jacinto and life after death. Letters shared with Briscoe comprise third party correspondence. Of interest are 2 letters to Nina from Lou discussing Nina’s flight from her husband, Stanley, and his reactions.
Series: Correspondence: Received
|
Location |
Title |
Dates |
|
131 |
1 |
Charles P. Babcock |
1876, 09/27-12/27 |
|
131 |
2 |
Thomas Carothers |
1851-1861, n.d. |
|
131 |
3 |
Thomas S. Cook |
1864-1866 |
|
131 |
4 |
Leland J. Cox |
1852-1853 |
|
131 |
5 |
William R. Devoe |
1864-1865 |
|
131 |
6 |
David Harrison |
1837-1855 |
|
131 |
7 |
Leonly B. Harrison |
1855-1881 |
|
131 |
8 |
Jane Ingersoll |
1834-1836, n.d. |
|
131 |
9 |
Mary Jones |
1892, 01/21-4/08, n.d. |
|
131 |
10 |
Adele Lubbock |
1850-1853, n.d. |
|
131 |
11 |
F. R. Lubbock |
1852--1863 |
|
Location |
Title |
Dates |
|
131 |
12 |
F. R. Lubbock |
1867-1900, n.d. |
|
131 |
13 |
A. O. Lynn |
1878-1880 |
|
131 |
14 |
Carrie Phelps |
1887-1889, n.d. |
|
131 |
15 |
E. Scurry |
1885-1888 |
|
131 |
16 |
B. A. Shephard & Burke |
1852-1853 |
|
131 |
17 |
R. Sproull |
1867-1880, n.d. |
|
131 |
18 |
Jessie Wade |
1843-1848, n.d. |
|
131 |
19 |
Bertha E. Willis |
1898-1899 |
|
131 |
20 |
General: A – D |
1835-1899, n.d. |
|
131 |
21 |
General: E-H |
1833-1899 |
|
131 |
22 |
General: K – N |
1832-1902, n.d. |
|
131 |
23 |
General: O – S |
1834-199, n.d. |
|
131 |
24 |
General: T- W |
1834-1901, n.d. |
|
131 |
25 |
Unknown |
1855-1877, n.d. |
|
132 |
1 |
Family: M. Birdsall |
1880-1888 |
|
132 |
2 |
Family: Andrew B. Briscoe |
1861-1881 |
|
132 |
3 |
Family: Andrew B. Briscoe |
1884-1899, n.d. |
|
132 |
4 |
Family: Annie Briscoe |
1878-1886 |
|
132 |
5 |
Family: Annie Briscoe |
1886-1895 |
|
132 |
6 |
Family: Carrie Briscoe |
1884-1890, n.d. |
|
132 |
7 |
Family: Elizabeth Z. Briscoe |
1840-1845 |
|
132 |
8 |
Family: Emily Briscoe |
1838-1886 |
|
132 |
9 |
Family: Emily Briscoe |
1888-1889, n.d. |
|
132 |
10 |
Family: James M. Briscoe |
1849-1851 |
|
132 |
11 |
Family: James W. Briscoe |
1849-1851 |
|
132 |
12 |
Family: Mary Payne “Mamie” Briscoe |
1883-1899, n.d. |
|
132 |
13 |
Family: Parmenas Briscoe |
1854-1895 |
|
132 |
14 |
Family: Phillip A. Briscoe |
1851-1853 |
|
132 |
15 |
Family: Robert P. Briscoe |
1852-1853 |
|
132 |
16 |
Family: Sophie Briscoe |
[1852], n.d. |
|
132 |
17 |
Family: William P. Briscoe |
1850-1853 |
|
132 |
18 |
Family: Lorenzo H. Chamberlain |
1880, 02/25-05/02 |
|
132 |
19 |
Family: Mary E. Flynn |
1874-1879 |
|
132 |
20 |
Family: DeWitt Clinton Harris |
1832-1853, n.d. |
|
132 |
21 |
Family: Caroline Harris |
1836-1839 |
|
133 |
1 |
Family: Jane Harris |
1849-1855 |
|
133 |
2 |
Family: John B. Harris |
1849-1852 |
|
133 |
3 |
Family: Lewis B. Harris |
1832-1867 |
|
133 |
4 |
Family: Lewis B. Harris |
1867-1887 |
|
133 |
5 |
Family: Lewis B. Harris |
1887-1890, n.d. |
|
133 |
6 |
Family: Minnie Harris |
1884-1896 |
|
133 |
7 |
Family: Jesse Wade Briscoe Howe |
1869 – 1900, n.d. |
|
133 |
8 |
Family: Milton Howe
|
1898-1899 |
|
Location |
Title |
Dates |
|
133 |
9 |
Family: Annie and Mary Columbia “Lummie” Hume |
1886-1895 |
|
133 |
10 |
Family: S. B. Logan |
1851-1868 |
|
133 |
11 |
Family: Adele Briscoe Looscan |
1876-1888 |
|
133 |
12 |
Family: Adele Briscoe Looscan |
1888-1900, n.d. |
|
133 |
13 |
Family: Michael Looscan |
1881-1888 |
|
133 |
14 |
Family: Helen and Ella Montgomery |
1876-1887 |
|
133 |
15 |
Family: Clara Shaifer |
1850-1853, n.d. |
|
133 |
16 |
Family: Helen F. Story |
1899, n.d. |
|
133 |
17 |
Family: Mildred Thatcher |
1878-1888, n.d. |
|
133 |
18 |
Family: S. M. Thatcher |
1878-1888 |
|
133 |
19 |
Family: Eliza Van Tuyl |
1828-1856 |
|
134 |
1 |
Family: General : B |
1835-1887, n.d. |
|
134 |
2 |
Family: General: G –T |
1834-1897, n.d |
|
134 |
3 |
Family: Unknown |
1873-1887, n.d. |
|
134 |
4 |
Invitations |
1838-1900, n.d. |
Series: Correspondence: Sent
|
134 |
5 |
James M. Briscoe |
1849-1851 |
|
134 |
6 |
General |
1837-1890, n.d. |
Series: Correspondence
|
134 |
7 |
Spirit Letters |
n.d. |
|
134 |
8 |
Third Party |
1849-1888, n.d. |
Series: Correspondence: Envelopes
|
