Brigham, Elijah, 1751-1816

U.S. representative of Massachusetts.

Elijah Brigham (1751-1816), son of Levi and Susanna (Grout) Brigham, was born in Westborough, Mass., on 7 July 1751. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1778, he studied law, but did not practice. Instead, he engaged in mercantile pursuits in Westborough. He was elected selectman in 1785, 1789, and 1796, and to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1791 to 1793. He was a justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Worcester County from 1795 to 1811, served in the Massachusetts Senate in 1796, 1798, 1801-1805, and 1807-1810, and was a Massachusetts executive councilor in 1799, 1800, and 1806. Brigham was elected, as a Federalist, to the 12th, 13th, and 14th Congresses and served from 1811 until his death in Washington, D.C., on 22 February 1816.

Brigham married, on 21 September 1780, Anna Sophia Parkman (1755-1783), the daughter of the Rev. Ebenezer Parkman (1703-1782), of Westborough, Mass. They had two children: Anna Sophia (1781-1864) and Elijah (1783-1847). He married second, on 20 April 1786; Sarah Lambert Hamock (1750-1787), the daughter of William Lambert ( - ), of Reading, Mass.. They had one child: Sally (1787-1867). He married third, on 16 December 1792, Sarah Ward (1756-1838), the daughter of the Hon. Artemas Ward (1727-1800), of Shrewsbury, Mass. They had five children: Anna Maria (1794-1880), who married Ebenezer Morgan Phillips (1792-1880); Sally Sophronia (1795-1810); Dana Ward (1797-1830); Susanna Walter (1798-1825); and Catharine Martha (1801-1881).