Sarah Jane Empey was born June 11, 1855 at Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, England. Her father, Jesse Empey, was a very good industrious, honest, and thrifty citizen. While overseeing his sheep, he braided hemp into strands for the factory to make straw hats. All that he made by doing this he put into a savings for his journey over the ocean. He and his wife had made plans for going to America, after having the principles of the Gospel taught to them by the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Sarah Jane emigrated to the United States of America with her parents, brother and sister, the following year after her birth. As soon as the Empey family were able to get wagons and provisions, they started to cross the plains. There were fifteen other families that accompanied the Empey family. The journey was very difficult and strenuous abed Sarah Jane's father became ill and died in the month of September, 1856. According to Don H. Smith of 610 Elm Street, Pulman, Washington, who is a Church Researcher, has copies of the diaries of William Woodward and Levi Savage who were sub-captains in the Willie Handcart company. Both give the date of the death of Jesse Empey as the 22nd day of September, 1856. He died on the south side of the North Platte River, roughly thirty miles east of Chimney Rock in the state of Nebraska.

Sarah Jane's mother and sister Annie spent an evening cording wool for quilts and knitting stockings for themselves and for others.

There was a small ratio of food that was given to each one, because the wagons were so crowded, that only enough could be carried to see them through their journey. Mrs. Empey went without food many times to enable her children to have the necessary food.

After reaching the Salt Lake Valley, Sarah Jane's mother married Daniel Collette in 1857. They had one daughter, Eliza Ann, born to them. Sarah Jane's mother died at Plain City, Utah, the 31st of August 1859, and was buried in Smithfield, Utah.

After Sarah Jane's mother died, Sarah Jane's father's brother, Shadrick Empey took the three children and prepared a home for them and his family in Lehi, Utah. Annie married Samuel Southwick shortly after the home was completed and this left Sarah Jane among five boys. Her uncle and step brothers treated her as if they were their very own. She was so tiny and loveable. Sarah Jane was granted practically the same as her stepbrothers.

She has a fair education and was a very talented woman, especially when it came to needlework.

Sarah Jane's brother, James, found it more difficult to get along with his uncle and stepbrothers. James was somewhat older than Sarah Jane, and found it more difficult to adjust to his new environment. He considered himself too old to go to school, so his uncle had him herd the cows. He used to hid in the bushes when he saw the Indians coming, and watch them as they departed with his fathers cattle.

One day, Sarah Jane overheard her uncle and brother quarreling, James threatened to leave his uncle and go out into the world. James' uncle only laughed because he didn't think James was sincere, but Sarah Jane felt that her brother was serious so she she decided to go with him. When she asked James to take her with him he refused and told her that the journey was too dangerous, and that she had better stay and help her aunt. Sarah Jane was determined though she prepared to follow him. James could walk very fast and it was not long before Sarah Jane became extremely tired. Just at that moment, when Sarah Jane thought she could go no further, James stopped and began looking around. Sarah Jane immediately threw herself into some nearby bushes, and lay there breathlessly. Pretty soon she heard the sound of approaching horses. She looked up just in time to see one of the Indians grab her brother and ride off with him. She lay there in the bushes for what seemed like ages, sick at heart and too afraid to leave her place of safety. At last, however, she regained her courage and started back home. There she told her uncle about James' fate. He began searching for James immediately, by tracing the horses tracks he followed the tracks to a small river. By the bank of the river, Sarah Jane's uncle could tell there had been a struggle because of the upturned dirt and large amounts of blood present there. No one was able to find out for sure what had happened, but Sarah Jane was of the opinion that her brother had been scalped and thrown into the river.

In the year of 1875, Sarah Jane was married to William Briggs, on April 19, in the endowment house in Salt Lake City. She lived in Lehi, Utah with her devoted husband until July 13, 1884, then they moved to Lewisville, Idaho. At Lewisville they lived on an 160 acre farm. On this land they built a beautiful brick home. Thirteen children were born to them.

The first child was Sarah Ann, on the 13th day of January 1876. She was born at Lehi, Utah. She married Frank Goody of Lewisville, Idaho. They had one child.

The next child was a boy, William Amos, born the 13th of November 1877 at Lehi, Utah. He married Clara Jane Goodwin of Menan, Idaho.

Another son, John, was born the 31st of May 1879, at Lehi, Utah. He married Ina Nevada Davis.

A daughter, May, was born the 1st day of May 1882 at Lehi, Utah. She married Orren Grant Fillmore.

Samuel was born the 4th day of February 1884 at Lehi, Utah. He married Elizabeth Kinghorn of Lewisville, Idaho.

On the 25th day of November 1885, a set of identical twins were born at Lewisville, Idaho, Ella and Effa. Ella married William Elmer Horton. Her twin sister Effa died on the 5th day of November 1905, of pneumonia, which she contracted while attending school at Ricks College, at Rexsburg, Idaho.

Another daughter, Hannah Maud, was born the 23rd of February 1888 at Lewisville, Idaho. She married George Alma Berrett of Menan, Idaho.

Grace was born the 30th of April, 1890 at Lewisville, Idaho. She married Abraham Ballantyne of Rigby, Idaho. They were divorced and later on she married Benjamin Hamilton Nokes of Pocatello, Idaho.

Jennie was born the 18th of April, 1892 at Lewisville, Idaho. She married Peter LaVern Kadsen of Rigby, Idaho.

On September the 2nd, 1894, another boy was born, James, but he died the 6th of September. He lived only four days.

The last child to be born to this couple, was Jesse. He was born the 22nd of November, 1897 at Lewisville, Idaho. He married Alta Frazier of Woodruff, Utah.

After the older boys had become strong enough to take care of the farm, Mr. Briggs placed the responsibility of the farm on their shoulders. He bought a share in the Utah Idaho Sugar Company and went to work for them. In the year of 1910, the Briggs family moved from the farm into a still lovelier home in Rigby, Idaho. In this home Mrs. Briggs spent many happy hours with her devoted husband and her lovely family. Mrs. Briggs was very fond of working in her flowers and garden. Almost every Sunday she picked flowers and placed them in the church, during the spring and fall.

She was a very active woman, and during the early days of the community she befirended many less fortunate than she. She was an ardent worker and member of the Latter-Day Saint church.

Mrs. Sarah Jane Empey Briggs' husband was killed in an automobile accident the 12th of January 1922, near Roberts, Idaho. Before that time, all of the children had married and moved to various places.

Mrs. Briggs spent the remainder of her life caring for her home, visiting her children, taking care of the sick and needy, working in her garden, and working in the church. She died January 16, 1935, and was buried beside her husband in the Pioneer Cemetery of Lewisville, Idaho.

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