Briggs R. Peterson, who was born in Maine in October 1828 and went to California after learning the trade of ship joiner. He arrived in Portland in 1862, and was a mechanic, carpenter and volunteer firefighter. He was also an accomplished tenor soloist and traveled to Boise for concerts. Briggs and his wife, Jane, had Laura, Lillie, Jennie, Marsha, and Forest. Briggs died May 28, 1913, in Portland.