Ancestral Surname Files & Documents Index

Brown, William (bc. 1717 - 1772)

    William and Margret Brown, Their Children, and His Parents - Birth Order and Marriages

    1768 Rowan County, NC, Tax List of John Ford

    Annotated 1772 Rowan County, NC, Will of William BROWN

    Abstract of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL

    1880 Federal Census, Johnston County, NC, Declaration of Williams Brown

    Moroni Brown 1891 Record Book

Brown, James (1757 - 1823)

    James Brown and Mary Williams, Their Children - Birth Order, Marriages, Land
   

Brown, [Captain] James (1801 - 1863)
 

Brown, Daniel (1804 - 1875)

Brown, James Stephens (1828 - 1902)

Brown, Orson Pratt (1863 - 1946)

BROWN, William (bc. 1717  - 1772)

     William and Margret Brown, Their Children, and His Parents - Birth Order and Marriages

William and Margret Brown, Their Children, and His Parents
Estimated Birth Years, Birth Order, and Some Marriage Years

© by O. James Brown Klein
November 18, 2008
All rights reserved

Contents

·        William Brown's 1772 Will and Other Documents
·        Estimated – Birth order of William and Margret Brown's children
·        Estimated – William and Margret Brown’s Birth and Marriage Years
·        Estimated – William Brown’s Parents’ Birth and Marriage Years

William Brown's 1772 Will and Other Documents:

William Brown’s Will of 19 February 1772 in Rowan County, North Carolina lists his wife, Margret, and his nine children in the following order:  Charity Robson; Hannah Elliott; William Brown; John Brown; James Brown; Constant Wynn; Susannah Brown with her child, Margret Brown; Elizabeth Brown; and Margret Brown.  See the Annotated 1772 Rowan County, NC, Will of William BROWN.

It appears that William Brown names his first three children in their birth order (Charity Robson; Hannah Elliot; and William Brown); then he names his three sons as a group (William Brown; John Brown; and James Brown); and then he names his last four daughters as a group (Constant Wynn; Susannah Brown; Elizabeth Brown; and Margret Brown). 

Additional documents and analysis, however, indicate the actual birth order was more likely:  Charity Robson; Hannah Elliott; William Brown; Constant Wynn; John Brown; Susannah Brown with her child, Margret Brown; Margret Brown; James Brown; and Elizabeth Brown.

First, the anchor point in our analysis is that William’s son, James Brown (1757-1823), was born in 1757, either in Pennsylvania, or in Rowan County, North Carolina.  The birth reference to Pennsylvania comes from his oldest son, Williams Brown (1786-1884), in the Boon Hill Township, Johnston County, North Carolina 1880 Federal Census, page 492, line 46.
The birth year and birth reference to Rowan County, North Carolina, come from multiple important sources.  His grandson, James Stephens Brown (1828-1902), recorded them from his father Daniel Brown (1804-1875) in an interview on March 8, 1849, p. 2, in his Journal, and later in his autobiography “Giant of the Lord-Life of a Pioneer,” p.18:  “My father’s [Daniel Brown (1804-1875)] father was James Brown, a native of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1757 being the year of his birth.”

James Brown’s death is also recorded as “known” to have happened “when he was sixty-six years old, in 1824 [1823 in a public record]” in “141 Years of Mormon Heritage-Rawsons, Browns, Angells-Pioneers” by his great grandson, Moroni Brown.  1823 less 66 years is 1757.  A Temple Index Bureau typed card for James Brown’s daughter, Mary or Polly Brown (1790-1876), which shows James Brown’s birth typed as “(1746)” appears to be either a typographical error, which should be “1756,” or a faulty memory.  Therefore, we accept that James Brown’s birth was in 1757 (possibly 1756, but not 1746) in either Pennsylvania, or Rowan County, North Carolina.

Second, with the birth of James Brown in 1757 in Pennsylvania, or in Rowan County, North Carolina, and additional public documents, and genealogy standard birth-to-marriage assumptions (of 25 years for men, and 21 years for women), the birth order and birth year of the rest of children of William and Margret Brown may be better estimated.  The standard two-year assumption between unknown birth years also is used because we do not know if William and Margret had other children who were born and died before or after these nine named in his Will.

Estimated – Birth order of William and Margret Brown's children:

1. Charity Brown Robson – born about 1743, makes her 29 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see Their Lives.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one shilling sterling.  She married a Mr. _______ ROBSON or ROBESON or ROBISON.  The standard female 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption puts her marriage year about 1764.  Neither Charity BROWN or a ROBSON or ROBESON or ROBISON appear in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  There are, however, a number of known BROWN relatives who also do not appear in this record book.  We do not know any thing more about Charity or her husband at this time.
2. Hannah Brown Elliot – born about 1745, makes her 27 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see  Their Lives.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one shilling sterling.  She married Joseph ELLIOTT as indicated by their marriage bond dated 4 June 1767 in Rowan County, which is close to the standard female 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption of 1766/1767.  Both Hannah BROWN and Joseph ELLIOTT appear in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  Joseph ELLIOTT also appears to as owning land along Flat Swamp Creek, Rowan and now Davidson County, next to James BROWN and William BROWN, Hannah's brothers, with land entries showing up 1778-1779.  See Maps.  We do not know any thing more about Hannah and Joseph at this time.
3. William Brown – born about 1747, makes him 25 in 1772.  He may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see  Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives him one cow.  He married Dianna DAVIS as indicated by their marriage bond dated 6 May 1772 in Rowan County (three months after the 1772 Will was signed, but before August 1772 when it is probated).  He may have married before his father died.  His 1772 marriage coincides with the standard male 25 year birth-to-marriage assumption of 1772.  William appears to own land in the Flat Swamp Creek area in the late 1700s and early 1800s, near his brother James BROWN.  See Maps.  William BROWN appears in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book, but Dianna DAVIS does not.  We do not know any thing more about William and Dianna at this time. 
4. Constant Brown Wynn – born about 1749, makes her 23 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see  Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one cow.  She married John WYNN or WINN.  The standard female 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption puts her marriage year about 1770.  Both Constant BROWN and John WINN appear in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  Constant died before 1819 as indicated in the Abstract of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL.  We do not know any thing more about Constant and John at this time. 
5. John Brown – born about 1751, makes him 21 in 1772.  He may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives him one sorrel horse.  We do not know if John Brown married.  John BROWN appears in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  We do not know any thing more about him at this time.
6. Susannah Brown – born about 1753, makes her 19 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one cow.  Susannah’s daughter, Margret Brown, is also named in William’s Will, and he gives a heifer calf to this granddaughter.  Note that he does not name in his Will any of his other grand children, nor give them any gifts.  These facts may suggest that Susannah was younger than 21and may not have been married when she had her daughter Margret.  Neither Susannah BROWN or her daughter, Margret BROWN, appear in  Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  We do not know any thing more about them at this time.
7. Margret or Peggy Brown Stillwell Roberts – born about 1755, makes her 17 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one cow and one young lamb.  She is the only child to get two gifts.  The young lamb may be for her illegitimate child, Thomas Stillwell, since his estimated birth is about 1772/1773.  The father of Margret’s son, Thomas Stillwell, is apparently the Thomas Stillwell (bc. 1755), who is the son of Thomas Stillwell (d.1773/1774) named in his 1773 Will, all living in this area of Rowan County during this time.  A careful analysis of the Abstract of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL, and of the Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book, show that this Margret or Peggy Brown is the mother of the Thomas Stillwell who is the subject of the disputed Estate.  Both Margret or Peggy BROWN and her son, Thomas Stillwell, appear in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.
        Margret and her son, Thomas, moved to Johnston County, North Carolina, “during the Revolutionary War, & several years before its termination” when her son Thomas was a “small boy from between three and five years of age.”  The Revolutionary War was from April 1775 through November 1783, so the midpoint of the War was about 1778/1779, when this move may have occurred.  Assuming son Thomas was five or a little older when they moved, he would have been born about 1772/1773.
        In Johnston County, NC, Margret later "married a man by the name of _______ ROBERTS".  Margret may also have used the nickname "Peggy".  We do not know any thing more about Margret or her son, Thomas, at this time.
8. James Brown – born 1757 in either Pennsylvania or Rowan County, NC, makes him 15 in 1772.  See James Brown and Mary Williams, Their Children - Birth Order, Marriages, Land.  William’s 1772 Will gives him one horse colt.    He married his wife, Mary or Polly WILLIAMS EMMERSON, about 1787, before 1788 the birth year of their first child, Jane BROWN.  Mary or Polly WILLIAMS' parents were John Williams (bc.1724, d.17??) and Jane ____ Williams (bc.1728, d.17??).  They moved to Rowan County, North Carolina, from New Hampshire and/or Maryland.
        James and Mary or Polly Brown lived in the same Rowan County area as did both of their parents.  They joined the Jersey Baptist Church in 1797, and subsequently the Tom's Creek Baptist Church about 1807.  Mary was married and had two children prior to marrying James.  James died March 23, 1823 in Davidson County, NC.  James BROWN and Mary or Polly Williams both appear in the Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.
     See Photo Gallery and Maps for pictures of where they lived and the estimated location of James' property. 
     See James Brown and Mary Williams, Their Children - Birth Order, Marriages, Land for important information on this family. 
9. Elizabeth or Betty Brown Hendrix – born about 1759, makes her 13 in 1772.  She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see Their Lives above.  William’s 1772 Will gives her one cow.  She marries a Mr. _______ Hendrix or Hendricks.  The standard female 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption puts her marriage year about 1780.  We learn about her husband, Mr.  _______ Hendrix or Hendricks, in the Abstract of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL.  Brown and Hendrix or Hendricks are English (Great Britain) surnames.  She spoke English and very likely married into the English (Great Britain) speaking Hendrix or Hendricks family in this area, and not the German speaking Hedricks family in this area.  Neither Elizabeth or Betty BROWN or a Mr. _______ Hendrix or Hendricks appear in Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.  We do not know any thing more about them at this time.

Estimated – William and Margret Brown’s Birth and Marriage Years:

Once the birth order and years are estimated for their children, the marriage and birth dates of William and Margret may be better estimated.  Thus, William and Margret may have been married in about 1742, one year before the estimated birth, 1743, of their first named child, Charity Robson.  William also may have been born about 1717 by subtracting the standard 25 year birth-to-marriage assumption from his estimated marriage year 1742.  Margret may have been born about 1722 by subtracting the standard 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption from the 1742 marriage year.

Estimated - William Brown’s Parents’ Birth and Marriage Years:

William’s parents’ birth and marriage years are estimated using the standard genealogy birth-to-marriage assumptions of 25 years for men and 21 years for women.  Thus, assuming William was their first child, his parents, ______ Brown (father) and ________ (mother, Mrs. Brown), may have married, at the latest, in about 1716, one year before his estimated birth year 1717 (and earlier if William had older siblings.  Also, William’s father, ______Brown, may have been born about 1691 by subtracting the standard 25 year birth-to-marriage assumption from his father’s estimated marriage year 1716.  William’s mother, Mrs. Brown, may have been born about 1695 by subtracting the standard 21 year birth-to-marriage assumption from his mother’s estimated marriage year 1716.

Please note that we have assumed that William's parents, ______ Brown and Mrs. Brown, either arrived in the American colonial northeast “Vermont area” from their native countries, or that they were married in that area after arriving there.

Sources:     O. James Brown Klein.
Copyright:  Used with permission.
Level:         B (document verified and proofed by a person other than transcriber or typist).
Certificate:  Document Donor:  Jim Klein, November 18, 2008.  Verified/Proofed:   Jim Klein, November 18, 2008. See Donors.

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  1768 Rowan County, NC, Tax List of John Ford

 Page 76

[CRX 244, Rowan County Tax Lists
North Carolina State Archives]

This list is legible and undamaged

(Area of Rowan County that became Davidson County)

352 taxables

Notes:        1. Brackets are Jo White Linn’s annotations. 2. Italicized names may be related to William BROWN.   
                  3.  William BROWN’s name is bolded.
Sources:     Linn, Jo White, Rowan County, North Carolina Tax Lists 1757 – 1800, Annotated
                  Transcriptions, pages 76 – 78, 1995.
Copyright:  Used with permission.
Accuracy:   A (document verified and proofed by a person other than transcriber or typist).
Certificate:  Document Donor: Jim Klein, June 5, 2000. Transcribed: Maria Klein, June 2,
                  2000. Verified/Proofed: Jim Klein, June 5, 2000. See Donors.

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    Annotated 1772 Rowan County, NC, Will of William BROWN

Will:  It is unknown if the original Will still exists. There are at least 3 "official" old copies of the Will in the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, NC.  I believe, however, that the original Will may be the first one I identify below, as the Large Parchment Complete Will, because 1) the signatures of the three witnesses on this document appear to be different than the rest of the writing on that Will, and 2) there are two words [that I can not understand] appearing next to the first and third witnesses that do not appear on the other two Wills.  The 3 "official old copies of the Will are:

1. Large Parchment Complete Will: Rowan County Wills, 1743 – 1900, CR.085.801.4, William BROWN, 1772.
2. Will Book D Complete Will: Rowan County Record of Wills, 1762 – 1805, C.085.80001, Volume D, pages 118 – 119: Will of Willm. BROWN, 1772.
3. Will Book A Incomplete Will: Rowan County Record of Wills, 1762 – 1805, C.085.80001, Volume A, pages 19 – 20: Will of William BROWN, 1772.

Both Wills #1 and #2 above are almost exactly the same, with only one variation of substance. See Signed below.

Will Photo:  See here the actual # 1. Large Parchment Complete Will: Rowan County Wills, 1743 – 1900, CR.085.801.4, William BROWN, 1772 - click photo thumbnail to see actual picture:

Signed:  19 February 1772 by William BROWN with "his mark", an "X".  The Will Book D Complete Will gives the date as the 9^th, not 19^th, but this is probably incorrect because the Will Book A Incomplete Will shows that it is the "nineteenth".

Death:  William BROWN died some time between February 19, 1772, the day he signed his Will, and August 5, 1772, when his Will was filed for probate at Lexington, Rowan County, NC.

Probate:  Started August 5, 1772, in Lexington, Rowan County, NC.  Ended there November 3, 1772.

Estate:  At the time he signed his Will, William owned "improvements" on a "plantation" with "plantation working tools", at least 2 sterling shillings, and at least the following animals: 1 sorrel horse, 1 horse colt, work horses, 9 cattle, 5 cows, 1 heifer calf, sheep, 1 lamb, and hogs.

Family:  At his death, William was survived by his wife, Margret, and 9 children, 3 sons and 6 daughters, and at least one granddaughter, all named in his Will.  His children in the order listed in his Will are: 1) daughter - Charity BROWN ROBSON (or ROBESON or ROBISON); 2) daughter - Hannah BROWN ELLIOT (or ELLIOTT or ELLIT); 3) son - William BROWN; 4) son – John BROWN; 5) son – James BROWN; 6) daughter – Constant BROWN WYNN (or WINN); 7) daughter – Susannah BROWN; 8) Elizabeth BROWN (who subsequently married a ________ HENDRIX or HENDRICKS); 9) daughter – Margret BROWN (who subsequently married a Thomas STILLWELL, then a ________ ROBERTS).  The name of his granddaughter is also Margret BROWN.

Footnotes:  Annotated footnotes are designated with numerals, which appear in [brackets] in the copy on the Internet Library, for example, [fn. 2].

Notes About the Will:  Spellings and capitalization's were kept as they appear in the original document, as best determined.  [Bracketed] words are added for clarification and to reference footnotes.  There were no spaces between lines or indentations in the original.  There are broken dashes in the first part of the Will, after the word following, and after the word distributed.  There is a solid line from the last word to the right edge of the paper, at the end of each sentence that begins I give and bequeath.

*     *     *     *     *

The Will:

In the Name of god Amen  I William Brown[1] of the County of Roann[2] in the province of North
Carolina being of a perfect and sound memory tho of a Weak and frail body and Calling to mind
that it is appointed for all men once to Die do Constitute and appoint this my last Will and testament

Revoking and disannulling all other heartofore made by me:  Imprimis[3]  I give my Body to the
ground from Whence it was first taken and Recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty
god Beseeching his most gracious acceptance of it:  as to my Burial I desire it m[a]y be neat and
Decent without pomp or pride according to the Discretion of my Executors hear after named
and as to this Worldly Estate it hath Being [been] the almightys pleasure to bestow upon me I Will and Devise[4] in manner following -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 

I will that all my Just Debts be Justly payd before my Estate be Distributed -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 

I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife margret[5] Brown my Improvement[6] where I now
Live and all my houshold furniture and my sheep and my work horses and nine head of
Cattle and my hogs and my plantation[7] working tools during her natural Life ------------------------

I give and bequeath to my daughter Charity Robson[8] one Shilling Sterling and that is all I will give her -----------------------

I give and bequeath to my daughter hannah[9] Elliot[10] one Shilling Sterling and that is all I shall give her -----------------------

I give and bequeath to my son William Brown[11] one Cow and that is all I shall give him ------------

I give and bequeath to my son John Brown[12] one sorrill hors and that is all I shall give him ---------

I give and bequeath to my son James Brown[13] one horse Colt and that is all I shall give him --------

I give and bequeath to my daughter Constant wynn[14] one Cow and that is all I shall give her -------

I give and bequeath to my daughter Susannah Brown[15] one Cow and that is all I shall give her -----

I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Brown[16] one Cow and that is all I shall give her ------

I give and bequeath to my daughter Margret[17] Brown one Cow and one young lamb and that is all I shall give her -------------

I give and bequeath to my grandaughter Margret[18] Brown the daughter of Susannah Brown one heifer Calf and that is all I shall give her -------------------------------------------------------------------

and the Remainder of my Estate If there be any Left I leave unto the disposial of my wife margret Brown -----------------------

I do hearby through the Love and goodwill I Bear to my well beloved friend Henry Strange appoint him with my well beloved wife margret Brown as Executor and Executrix of this my Last will and testament Depending on their faithfull Discharge

In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and Seal this nineteenth[19] day of february
In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy two

Sind Seald and acknoledged in the
presence of us                                                                                            his

John Bentley     Inrat[20] [?]                                                         William    X      Brown              Seal

Abner Cotten[21]                                                                                      mark

John Northen   Inrat[22] [?]

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Document Data

Notes:       As stated above, and [bracketed comments].
Sources:    North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, NC. There are 3 separate Wills identified as follows: 1) Large
                 Parchment Complete Will: Rowan County Wills, 1743 – 1900, CR.085.801.4, William BROWN, 1772. 2) Will Book D
                 Complete Will: Rowan County Record of Wills, 1762 – 1805, C.085.80001, Volume D, pages 118 – 119: Will of Willm.
                 BROWN, 1772. 3) Will Book A Incomplete Will: Rowan County Record of Wills, 1762 – 1805, C.085.80001, Volume
                 A, pages 19 – 20: Will of William BROWN, 1772.
Copyright: Public documents.
Accuracy:  B (document verified and proofed by the transcriber or typist).
Certificate: Document Donor: Jim Klein, June 17, 2000, and updated December 8, 2008. Transcribed: Jim Klein, June 17, 2000. 
                 Verified/Proofed: Jim Klein, June 17, 2001, and May 18, 2001. See Donors.

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    Abstract of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL

Editor's note: This was a large file. There were several copies of the same documents. This Thomas STILLWELL did not die in Randolph County. The file appears to have been compiled in the county because of the participation of Seth WADE in the court case. There is a great deal of genealogical material contained in the documents, so it is printed here. As with most court cases, the testimony is not always in agreement. You, dear reader, may judge. (FHS)

Subpoena for Philip RAIFORD & Ellender STILLWELL, Adm., 24 Nov. 1821.

Bill of Complaint (3 copies) [filed by plaintiffs] Jacob GOSS & Phebe his wife, David STILLWELL, James BROWN and Robert JACKSON, Adm. of Jemima JACKSON vs. Philip RAEFORD & Elender