Isaac Briner
Family Lineage

Submitted by Clifton Briner

This is a family chart that ties Walls, Fisher, Gillum, Harris, Denny and Briner families together. Isaac Briner is buried in the old Baptist Cemetery near French Lick and West Baden Indiana. Isaac was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. His father, John Briner, lived most of his life in Fayette County, but came to Orange County, Indiana when he was 53 years of age with his entire family. One of the reasons for the trip was that he had collected money owed to his father, Peter Briner, and was delivering it to the rest of his family in order to probate his father's last Will and Testament. When he arrived in Orange County in 1825 the money was shared with his brothers, George and Peter, Jr., and sisters, Elizabeth and Catherine. Andrew and Mary had already received their part of the inheritance.

Isaac and his brother, George (b. 1799), married Polly and Sally Denny, respectively. The girls father was Simon Denny recently of Shelby County, Kentucky. Although the chart only covers Isaac's family another similar chart could be created for his brother George's family. It would be sad to note that Isaac and George each lost two of their sons to the Civil War. Only one son, George Jacob Briner, had a family to pass the name on. John, Jonathan W. and Isaac Peter Briner died very young without a wife and family of their own.

The Battles of Perryville and Richmond Kentucky are noted for the slaughter of young Indiana sons. Thousands of young Indiana boys were killed in those two battles, primarily because they were sent to battle with no training, whatsoever. After the mess was over, several Indiana State politicians were criticized in Indianapolis, but the damage had already been done. President Lincoln fired the Union Army General in charge. The general's name was Don Carlos Buell. Sadly, thousands of Indiana boys died because of government incompetence.