Willis Jay Briggs, son of Ebben or Ebenezer Jackson and Martha "Mattie" (Hulett) Briggs, was born 1870, Ingham County, Michigan. Both Willis, who was often called Will, and his brother Charles Clyde, were enrolled in Okemos Union School during the school year 1888.

Willis was working in St. Johns, Clinton County, Michigan at the time of his marriage to Minnie S. Lathrop. The couple journeyed to Essex, Ontario Province, Canada for their private wedding, 17 April 1898. Upon returning to Michigan, Willis and Minnie made their home in St. Johns. Minnie, born 8 August 1877, St. Johns, and Willis were divorced 28 September 1903, Wayne County, Michigan. Minnie asserted "desertion & non-support." Willis by 1900 was employed in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois where he would continue to work and live for many years. Minnie remarried in 1911, Oregon, and lived out the rest of her life on the west coast. She died in Los Angeles, California in 1951.

According to the US Federal Census Willis was employed from early 1900's until his retirement in the 1940's with a Chicago based telephone company. From 1910 until after 1950 he lived in the same house on Leavitt Street in Chicago. On 18 September 1907 Willis married at Brighton, Livingston County, Michigan, Miss Esther Irene "Etta" Abrams. Etta, born 3 August 1874, Brighton, followed her husband to Chicago and set up housekeeping with him in the Leavitt Street home. The couple lived quiet lives; no children were born to their union. Etta died 13 July 1948, Chicago. And Willis, age 81, then married a co-worker from the telephone company, Miss Jennie Caroline Holm, on 15 September 1951 in Cook County. Jennie, born 20 February 1894, Chicago, had long worked at the same phone company with Willis. The couple were living their final retirement years in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida when Willis died 10 May 1954. Willis was interred with his deceased wife, Etta, in Acacia Park Cemetery & Mausoleum, Cook County, Illinois. Jennie continued to live in Florida and died at Lakeland 12 June 1970. She was interred at Mt. Olive, Cook County, Illinois.

Briggs, Willis Jay (married Minnie Lathrop 1898, Esther Irene Abrams 1907, Jennie Caroline Holm 1951) employment in 1898 The Lansing Journal 18 May 1898 

Lathrop, Minni S. (married Willis Jay Briggs 1898, Ontario, Canada - 1st wife of Willis) divorce granted Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Tuesday September 29, 1903

Briggs, Willis Jay, obit Chicago Tribune, Thursday 13 May 1954

Briggs, Willis Jay, obit The Tampoa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday 12 May 1954

Briggs, Jennie Carolyn Holm obit, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 1970