Brown Surname

This Brown family has an unknown origin. The earliest members of the family were living in Kentucky in the late 1700s. More research is needed.

This Brown family settled in what is now Garrard County, Kentucky during the 1780s. The family came from somewhere in Virginia, but we have so far been unable to connect them to earlier generations. Based on many different clues, we know that they were somehow related to the "B Browns of Brown's Cove" (i.e. the family of Benjamin Brown (c. 1695-1762) who lived in Hanover County, Virginia before settling at Brown's Cove in Albemarle County, Virginia).

John? Brown was born and died at unknown dates, in Virginia.

The name of this Brown is unknown, but John is an educated guess. In 1740, when John Brown (below) was granted land, he was described as "John Brown Jr." This does not necessarily mean that his father was named John, just that there was an older John Brown. But, it certainly points to the possibility that his father was named John Brown. Family history from the descendants of Benjamin Brown (c. 1695-1762) indicate that Benjamin's father was named John Brown and lived in Hanover County, Virginia (this was written in a bible by a grandson of Benjamin Brown). Because John Brown (below) was, in my opinion, probably a brother of Benjamin Brown, it is plausible that a John Brown was father of both of them. The inference is that the family was in the part of New Kent County, Virginia that became Hanover County, Virginia in 1721. Sadly, records of both counties were destroyed in fires and it might be impossible to piece together any evidence of this generation of the family.

He married name unknown.

His children were unknown, but possibly included:

1	Benjamin? Brown My guess is that one of John's children was the well-documented Benjamin Brown (c. 1695-1762) who settled at Brown's Cove in Albemarle County, Virginia. His family is generally referred to as the "B Browns of Brown's Cove", because of the abundance of "B" names used by his children: Bartlett, William (Billy), Benjamin, Elizabeth (Betsy), Benajah, Bernard, Bernis, Barzillai, Bezaleel and Brightberry. Many of these odd names (especially Bartlett, Benajah, Bazaleel and Brightberry) were repeated by many of the families below, including those that lived in Cumberland County, Virginia and Garrard County, Kentucky.
2	John Brown
3	James Brown was born circa 1705 in Virginia and died before September 22, 1777 in Cumberland Co., Virginia. He married Mary. He had children including: John Brown James Brown Zachariah Brown Gideon Brown Randolph Brown Isham Brown Eak Brown Wilson Brown George Brown Susannah Brown md. Simon Gentry Sarah Brown Hannah Brown Agnes Brown Tabitha Brown Ufar? Brown md. ??? Pearson Lucy Brown The first known evidence of James was in June 1743, when he was granted 400 acres of land in the part of Goochland County that became Cumberland County, Virginia in 1749. There he lived close to John Brown (below). James wrote his will on November 16, 1776. It was proven on September 22, 1777.
4	Jane? Brown It is only a guess that there was a daughter named Jane Brown, wife of Nicholas Gentry of Albemarle County, Virginia. Nicholas Gentry's wife was indeed named Jane, but there is no evidence of her maiden name. Gentry family history though assumes that her last name was Brown and that she was somehow related to the "B Browns of Brown's Cove" family. If true, then she would have been the right age to have been Benjamin Brown's (c. 1695-1762) sister. Two of Benjamin's sons, Bazaleel and Benajah Brown, were witnesses to Nicholas Gentry's will; and Nicholas and Jane named one of their sons Benajah. There are later connections as well. Nicholas Gentry's nephew Simon Gentry (c. 1726-c. 1792) was married to Susannah Brown, who was daughter of James Brown (see above). And years later, one of Nicholas and Jane Gentry's direct descendants, James Haggard, was married to Lucy Brown (daughter of Benjamin Brown, see below).

John Brown was born at an unknown date in Virginia. He died after 1789, possibly in Cumberland Co., Virginia.

Father: John? Brown
Mother: Unknown

The earliest definitive record of this John Brown was in 1740, when he was in the part of Goochland County that is now Cumberland County, Virginia. There is no evidence of John's parents or siblings; but it is likely that he was closely related to James Brown who lived near him in the part of Goochland County that is now Cumberland County, Virginia. He was probably also related to Jane Brown Gentry and Benjamin Brown (see above). If so, John was probably born and raised in the part of New Kent County, Virginia that became Hanover County. At some point before 1740, John had moved to Goochland County, Virginia. There were John Browns in Goochland County records as early as 1734, but it is impossible to know whether he was the man in those earlier records.

In March 1740, John received a land grant for 450 acres on Great Guinea Creek in Goochland County, Virginia. In October 1744, he purchased an additional 200 acres nearby. The place where they lived became part of Cumberland County, Virginia in 1749. His land was on both Great Guinea Creek and neighboring Angolo Creek, and is today in the southern part of Cumberland County. There, he lived very close to James Brown (c. 1705-1777), who was possibly a brother, as well as James' son John Brown (c. 1728-1805). Between 1770 and 1778, our John disposed of all 650 acres of his real estate in 5 different transactions. Different tracts were sold to William Lee, Davis Brown, Matthew Cox, Benjamin Brown and Frederick Brown. Frederick was explicitly described as his son; and the inference is that Davis and Benjamin were also his sons. In 1777, John and his wife Sarah were described as living on the portion of the property that they sold to Frederick; and the deed included a stipulation that Frederick would have full possession of the land after both John and Sarah had died. But John and Sarah were still alive when Frederick sold the land in August 1784 and moved away; the deed included a note that John and Sarah were still living there and would be allowed to remain living there for the duration of their lives.

In September 1778, John was exempted from paying taxes; and when he appeared in later tax lists, he was often described as exempt from taxation for himself, but continued to pay taxes for horses or other personal property that he owned. This likely means that he was old and/or infirm by the late 1770s. In February 1784, John submitted a claim for compensation for a gun that he had supplied to the military in 1781 during the Revolutionary War. The last known evidence of John was when he appeared in the 1789 tax list in Cumberland County. Although the deed records suggest that he intended to remain in Cumberland County for the duration of his life, it is possible he had moved west to Kentucky or North Carolina; where his known children had moved.

In 1740, he was described as "John Brown Jr." (to distinguish him from an unidentified older John Brown). Later, in 1770 and 1778, he was described as "John Brown Sr." (to distinguish him from a younger John Brown, probably John Brown (c. 1728-1805) son of James Brown). Usually though, he was described as "John Brown, Cooper" to distinguish him from other John Brown(s). The implication is that he was a cooper (i.e. barrel maker) by occupation. Confusingly, there was another "John Brown, Cooper" close by in neighboring Buckingham Co., Virginia; yet that person was someone else. The "older" John Brown (in 1740) was probably the man of that name who had died sometime before February 1753, when his orphan Joseph was bound as an apprentice in Cumberland County.

Sarah was described as John's wife in 1777 and 1784. There are otherwise no records that include the name of John's wife. It is possible that she was a later wife and not necessarily the mother of his children.

In September 1787, a Sarah Brown was described as "entering" 400 acres of land in Gilberts Creek in what is now Garrard County, Kentucky. However there was never a corresonding patent or survey issued for that property; which might mean that the grant was cancelled, rejected, or assigned to someone else. There are no other records of an adult woman named Sarah Brown living in that area, during that time period. It is not known who this Sarah Brown was, but the land was very close to where Frederick Brown (1753-1829) settled in the 1780s. Could this Sarah have been his mother (or stepmother)?

John's children probably included:

Frederick is the only child that is explicitly described in records as being John's son. Benjamin and Davis were also deeded land by John, and the inference is that they were also his sons. John had no documented connections to Absalom or Joseph, but circumstantial evidence suggests that they were his sons; or otherwise closely related.

1	Absalom Brown was probably born on January 4, 1741, probably in Goochland (now Cumberland) Co., Virginia. He died before December 20, 1830 in Garrard Co., Kentucky. He married Anne (maiden name possibly Willis). She died sometime between 1824 and 1830, in Garrard Co., Kentucky. They definitely had these children: Benajah Brown (1760s-c. 1806/1807) md. Judith "Judy" Brown in 1791 Benajah's wife Judith was the daughter of Benjamin Brown of Garrard County (see below). In a 1785 court record, Benajah was described as the son of Absalom. In October 1808, Benajah's son Nathan Brown was "bound out" to Absalom Brown. Elizabeth "Betty" Brown (1760s-1850) md. John Arnold in 1787 Elizabeth Brown was explicitly described as Absalom's daughter in one record, and the names of some of her children (Absalom, Lucy, and Anna) tie her to this family. In 1828, Absalom Brown deeded land to John Arnold (her husband). Anne "Annie" Brown (1770s-1830s) md. Thomas Routon in 1796 Lucy Brown (c. 1782-1860) md. Francis Sasseen in 1800 They possibly had these children: Bartlett Brown (1760s-1846) md. Ann Bryant in 1789 Bartlett's parents are unknown, but he was probably the son of Absalom. Bartlett was first found living in Kentucky in 1784, when he was a witness to a land survey in Lincoln County, Kentucky along with Absalom Brown. In 1787, he was a bondsman for the marriage of John Arnold to Elizabeth Brown (daughter of Absalom). In 1789, he was a bondsman for the marriage of Jeremiah Gibbs to Barbara Brown (daughter of Joseph, see below). In 1789, Bartlett married Ann Bryant and Jeremiah Gibbs was one of the bondsmen. Reuben Arnold gave his consent for the marriage, described as the guardian of Ann Bryant. Reuben Arnold was probably a relative of John Arnold (husband of Elizabeth Brown) and Ann Bryant was probably a relative of John Bryant who married Sarah Brown, daughter of Benjamin (see below). Sometime between 1810 and 1820, Bartlett moved to Ripley County, Indiana; which is also where Benjamin Brown Jr. (see below) had moved. Matthew Brown (c. 1769-c. 1841) md. Sarah Simpson in 1792 Matthew's parents are unknown, but Absalom is a guess because he named one of his sons Absalom. Howeveri t's also possible that he was the son of Benjamin Brown (see below). There was a Matthew Brown documented in Cumberland County, Virginia during the 1780s, through 1789. In fact, one record suggests that Matthew lived in the household of Benjamin Brown. Matthew Brown first appeared in Kentucky records in 1791, which is also when Benjamin Brown also first appeared there. Matthew was documented in what is now Garrard County, Kentucky between 1791 and 1797. He then moved to Pulaski County, Kentucky by 1799. Then in about 1806, he moved to what is now Rockcastle County, Kentucky, and remained there. Absalom Brown Jr. (1770s-c. 1840s) md. Cile Kyler in 1800 Although he was known as Absalom Brown Junior, that doesn't mean he was the son of Absalom - just that they were two men with the same name, and he was younger. He could have been a nephew, son of one of Absalom's brothers. There is otherwise no proof that he was Absalom's son; but it is likely. He was the Absalom Brown who settled in Ripley Co., Indiana; where Bartlett Brown, c. 1760s-1846 (above), and Benjamin Brown, 1778-1860 (below), both settled. And confusingly there were actually two younger Absalom Browns in Garrard County at the same time; the other one was born during the 1790s, married in 1818, and was likely a cousin or nephew of the Absalom Brown Jr. born during the 1770s. Willis? Brown Many online family trees describe a son named Willis, yet I have not been able to find any contemporary record identifying any Willis Brown in Garrard County with any connections to any of the people on this page. This probably derives from family history from the Arnold family, that Elizabeth Brown (c. 1770-1850) who married John Arnold moved from Scotland to Kentucky with two bachelor brothers: Willis and Absalom Brown. There was a Willis Brown in neighboring Lincoln County, yet he was apparently unrelated. Perhaps this person was actually the similarly named William Brown; a there definitely was someone by that name in what is now Garrard County that was likely related (see below). Benjamin? Brown If the Benjamin Brown who married Elizabeth Ross in 1785 was really a different person than the Benjamin Brown who later lived in Garrard County (see below), then he was possibly a relative and the best guess is that he would have been a son of Absalom, probably born during the 1760s. There is no direct evidence of where Absalom lived in Virginia before moving west to Kentucky in 1779 or 1780. There is nothing that connects him to the family of John Brown; and in fact there is no evidence that there was anyone named Absalom Brown in Cumberland County, Virginia during the 1760s or 1770s. It is only a guess that he was in this family because of the many documented connections of the families of Absalom Brown, Joseph Brown, Benjamin Brown and Frederick Brown suggest that they were brothers or otherwise close relatives. During the 1770s, there was an Absalom Brown who was documented in nearby Albemarle Co., Virginia (where the family of Benjamin Brown, c. 1692-1762, lived, at Brown's Cove). Perhaps Absalom had left his family in Cumberland County upon reaching adulthood in the early 1760s and moved to where his relatives were living in Albemarle County? Note I have his name with the standard spelling "Absalom", but in contemporary records, the spelling of his name varied wildly. Absalom Brown was possibly a Revolutionary War veteran, as there was a private with that name who served in the 11th Virginia Regiment. However I think that that was incorrect and the soldier was a different Absalom Brown who was documented in northern Virginia throughout the same time period (1770s-1780s). According to later depositions of this Absalom, he moved to Kentucky in 1779 or 1780. Between 1780 and 1783, he lived at English Station, in what is now Lincoln County, Kentucky. Then between 1783 and 1786, he lived at Craig Station in what is now Garrard County, Kentucky. Then in 1786, he moved to land on Sugar Creek in what is now Garrard County, and remained there. Absalom was described as a wheelwright. In a deposition dated June 29, 1827, he stated "I was 86 years old on Jan 4 last", which would calculate to a birth date of January 4, 1741. Absalom wrote his will on December 22, 1824, in which he only named his wife Anne and his daughter Lucy Sasseen. He described having 8 children, but did not name the other seven; although he did name his son-in-law as Thomas Routon, who was appointed as the executor. Thomas Routon's marriage to Anne Brown was documented. The names of Absalom's children Benajah and Elizabeth are proven by other records. The names of his other children are unknown, but some of those listed above (including Bartlett, Matthew, Absalom, Willis and Benjamin are possibilitieS). His will was proven on December 20, 1830.
2	Joseph Brown was born circa 1740s, probably in Goochland (now Cumberland) Co., Virginia. He died before October 1820 in Garrard Co., Kentucky. He married Mary circa 1760s. She died after 1821, probably in Garrard Co., Kentucky. They had the following children: Jerusha Brown (c. 1767-aft. 1824) md. William Powe Beverly Brown (1769-1857) md. 1st Margaret "Peggy" Adams md. 2nd Fanny Fletcher Barbara "Barbary" Brown (c. 1772-aft. 1818) md. Jeremiah Gibbs Bazaleel Brown (c. 1776-c. 1822) md. Susannah Gibbs There is no known evidence of Joseph Brown before 1787, when he was living in Kentucky. There are also no known records to directly connect him to the family of John Brown. But the many documented connections between Joseph's family and the family of Absalom, Benjamin and Frederick Brown, suggest that they were brothers, or otherwise close relatives. There also was a Joseph Brown documented in in Cumberland County, Virginia between the 1750s and 1770s. In 1778, Joseph Brown was a witness to the deed between John Brown and Benjamin Brown. However it's possible that the Joseph Brown in Cumberland County was someone else, or a different relative. There was a different John Brown who had died in Cumberland County sometime before February 1753. In that month, John's orphan named Joseph Brown was bound to John Stevenson as an aprentice wheelwright. Records infer that that Joseph was probably born in 1740 or 1741. Joseph Brown moved to what is now Garrard County, Kentucky sometime before 1787. He lived on Sugar Creek, in the part of Lincoln County that became Garrard County in 1796. Joseph wrote his will on January 10, 1815, in which he described his wife Mary, his son Beverly Brown, his son Bezaliel Brown, his daughter Jerusha Poe, his daughter Barbary Gibbs, and his grandson Elisha Brown. He will was proven in October 1820. His wife Mary was probably still alive in July 1826, when a deed from her son Beverly Brown to A.J. (Arabia J.) Brown described that a "Mary Brown" was then living on the property.
3	Davis Brown was born circa 1740s, probably in Goochland (now Cumberland) Co., Virginia. He died sometime between 1796 and 1834. He married Alice circa 1770s, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She was born during the 1750s in Virginia and died after 1830 in Stokes Co., North Carolina. They had children: Nancy Brown (c. 1770s-aft. 1818) Sarah Brown (c. 1770s-aft. 1834) md. John Stewart John Brown (c. 1780s-aft. 1834) md. Elizabeth Stewart Judith Brown (c. 1780-aft. 1860) md. Robert Chandler William Brown (c. 1780s-aft. 1818) In May 1770, John Brown (probably his father) transferred 100 acres of land in Cumberland County to Davis Brown. In May 1774, Davis sold 2 acres of land for use as a church. In November 1781, Davis was acknowledged for providing corn and beef to soldiers during the Revolutionary War. In February 1782, Davis' wife Alice was listed as witness to a deed in Cumberland County. In March 1785, Davis sold his land in Cumberland County, and his wife released her right to dower on the property. They were next found in December 1786 in Henry Co., Virginia, when Davis sold some personal property. Then, probably in 1787, they moved just over the state line to North Carolina. There, they lived along Buffalo Creek along the border of Stokes County and Rockingham County. He owned land in both counties. The last known evidence of Davis was in December 1796, when he gave power of attorney to a man named William France. The following year, in August 1797, his children were described as his legatees when they were transferred ownership of his land in Rockingham Co., North Carolina. In various tax records and census enumerations, (including in 1801, 1802, and 1810) his wife was described as head of the household. In 1818, his wife and children sold Davis' land in Stokes and Rockingham Counties, but Davis was not described in the deeds. Then in July 1834, Davis was described as deceased when three of his children sold the remaining portion of his property. To me, this all implies that Davis probably left his family in 1796, and presumably never returned. Note that the spelling of his wife's name has varied in surviving records, including: Allice, Allis, Ellice, Alice, Alles, Alis, and Ellis. A guess is that she used the nickname "Alcey", which was also the nickname used by two different granddaughters named Alice.
4	Benjamin Brown was born circa 1740s to early 1750s, probably in Goochland (now Cumberland) Co., Virginia. He died after June 1806 in Garrard Co., Kentucky. He married unknown. (Many family trees provide her name as Elizabeth Ross, yet the marriage between Benjamin Brown and Elizabeth Ross was in 1785, which was after all of Benjamin's known children were born. Perhaps Benjamin's first wife had died and he remarried to Elizabeth Ross - thus she would have been the stepmother to the below children. However I think that there were actually two different Benjamin Browns in that area and the one that married Elizabeth Ross was someone else.) He had these known children: Mary Brown (c. 1760s-1849) md. Elijah Williams in 1801-1803 Elijah Williams' wife Mary was somehow closely related to Benjamin Brown. She was either his daughter, the widow of an unknown son, or some other close relative. Sarah "Sally" Brown (c. 1770-1846) md. John Bryant in 1788 Judith "Judy" or "Judah" Brown (c. 1774-aft. 1830) md. Benajah Brown in 1791 (Benajah was the son of Absalom Brown, above) Lucy Brown (c. 1775-aft. 1792) md. James Haggard in 1792 Benjamin Brown Jr. (1778-1860) md. Mary "Polly" Powe in 1800 Peyton Brown (1780-1835) md. Betsy Slatten in 1805 In March 1802, Benjamin Brown Sr. deeded land to both Benjamin Brown Jr. and Peyton Brown and the assumption is that they were both his sons. In 1808, Peyton sold his land in Garrard County and moved away. He lived in Casey County, Kentucky and then Adair County, Kentucky before moving to Morgan County, Illinois before 1830. The Benjamin Brown who later lived in Garrard County, Kentucky was documented in Cumberland County, Virginia between 1777 and 1789. In September 1789, he sold his land in Cumberland County, Virginia, and then moved away. He was next found in 1791 in Kentucky. Between 1791 and 1794, he was in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Then in 1794 or 1795, he had moved to neighboring Madison County, Kentucky, where he apparently remained (in the part that became Garrard County in 1797). He first purchased land there in July 1800. In March 1802, Benjamin Brown Sr. deeded away all of his real estate in three separate transactions. He deeded adjoining lands to both Benjamin Brown Jr. and Peyton Brown and the assumption is that they were both his sons. In another record, Benjamin Jr. was explicitly described as his son. At the same time, Benjamin also deeded the last piece of his property to Samuel Whitney. Could Samuel Whitney (or his wife Lydia) have been a relative? Benjamin Brown Sr. appeared on tax lists in Garrard County through 1804, and then disappears from tax lists starting in 1805. However he was alive in June 1806, when he gave a deposition in a lawsuit. He probably died sometime not long after that. There was a Benjamin Brown documented in Lincoln County, Kentucky between 1785 and 1787. He married Elizabeth Ross in August 1785. After 1787, he disappears from records there, and a Benjamin Brown does not appear again in the area until 4 years later in 1791. In November 1793 in Lincoln County, Elizabeth Brown made an agreement with Stephen Langford; where he deeded her various pieces of personal property, use of his real property, and money for "her services". Later records describe her as Stephen's "concubine" and that they were living together. After both Stephen and Elizabeth were dead, a lawsuit from the administrators of their estates disputed the agreement. The lawsuit makes it clear that Elizabeth was the same person who married Benjamin Brown in 1785. However, one affidavit indicates that her husband Benjamin Brown was still alive when she made the agreement in 1793 (thus it would have been null and void). Another affidavit though refuted that and indicated that Benjamin Brown had died before she made the agreement in 1793. All things considered, it seems likely to me that Benjamin had either a) died sometime between 1787 or 1793, or b) had otherwise left the area (and his wife) entirely. Perhaps the fact that there was another Benjamin Brown in the same county (see above) could account for the confusion? Note that many online family trees provide both him and his son Benjamin with the middle name Davidson. Although he did have a grandson named Benjamin Davidson Brown, there is no known contemporary record that provides any middle initial or name for Benjamin Brown or his son Benjamin Brown Jr.
5	Frederick Brown

Frederick Brown was on October 29, 1753 ⁴, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. He died on January 19, 1829 ⁴ in Madison Twp., Clark Co., Ohio. He is buried in the Greenlawn Cemetery, South Charleston, Clark Co., Ohio.

Father: John Brown
Mother: Sarah

Frederick's origins are not proven. But he was most likely born and raised in Cumberland County, Virginia, the son of John Brown, Cooper. See below for detailed justifications of why I think Frederick Brown of Garrard County, Kentucky was from Cumberland County, Virginia. The first known evidence of Frederick was in 1775, when he was a witness to a deed when his father sold some land in Cumberland County. Frederick probably married during the mid-1770s, the first name of his wife was Milly. Other than his son Rowland, his children's birth dates are unknown. They are listed below in the order that they appeared in his will (except for daughter Frances, who was not in the will; I have her listed first). In November 1777, Frederick's father John transferred 160 acres of land in Cumberland County, Virginia; with the stipulation that he would attain full possession after the death of John Brown and his wife Sarah. This land was on Great Guinea Creek in the southern part of Cumberland County. During the late 1770s and early 1780s, Frederick was active in civic life in Cumberland County; serving as a juror, signing petitions, and witnessing deeds.

Frederick is said to have served in the Revolutionary War (as described on his tombstone). His tombstone was placed there in 1906 by the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR); and their records suggest that he was a soldier from Pennsylvania (a private in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment). There certainly was a Frederick Brown who served in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment during the war. But, that documented soldier from Pennsylvania was likely someone else; as there were multiple Frederick Browns documented in Pennsylvania during the 1770s and 1780s. There is nothing to suggest that our Frederick Brown had anything to do with Pennsylvania, and there are other no records that there was any soldier named Frederick Brown who served out of Virginia. My guess is that the SAR was simply wrong. However, another source suggests that Frederick served in a post-1782 Indian War ¹³. Although no known record has yet been located to corroborate that, perhaps some other military service was the basis for the confusion about him possibly serving in the Revolutionary War.

Frederick Brown moved west to Kentucky during the mid-1780s. Frederick and Milly Brown sold their land in Cumberland County, Virginia in August 1784, and then afterwards disappeared from Cumberland County records. The next contemporary evidence was in 1787 when Frederick Brown appeared on the tax list in Madison County, Kentucky ¹⁰. Years later (in 1807) he gave a deposition in which he said that he first purchased (or attempted to purchase) property in Kentucky in 1785. If accurate, it implies that he was in Kentucky at the time; although it is certainly possible that he made an agreement to purchase land while living in Virginia. And years later still (in 1823), Frederick said in a different deposition that he came to Kentucky in 1782 or 1783. But that record is less reliable; as the two different years suggests that Frederick himself didn't remember the details. It's also possible that Frederick first traveled west to scout the area before moving there later with his family. All of this considered, it seems likely that Frederick probably moved to Kentucky in 1784 or 1785. Frederick settled in a part of Madison County, Kentucky that became Garrard County in 1797. There he lived on a 127-acre property on the headwaters of Gilberts Creek and Sugar Creek, which he had acquired in February 1792 (and was very close to the land he had attempted to purchase in about 1785). Their land was in a rural area about 2 miles east of Lancaster and was on Richmond Road (current Highway 52). Between at least 1796 and 1803, he also owned land nearby in the part of Clark County that is now Montgomery County, Kentucky; but he never lived there. Frederick also had connections to neighboring Lincoln County, Kentucky; his daughter Martha's marriage bond was issued there in 1792, and other relatives also lived there.

Frederick was primarily a farmer, but also probably some kind of carpenter. In one contemporary record, he was described as paying off a debt with "cabinet work"; and in another record he was paid for making a coffin. He was described in one record as owning or operating a "horse mill". In another record, he purchased a "still" from an estate, which suggests he also made some kind of spirit/liquor. Much later stories suggest that Frederick introduced the first timothy (hay) seed by planting the first timothy meadow in Garrard County, that he also established a hemp mill, brought the first mule to the county, and was also a blacksmith ¹². In about 1804, Frederick first became a slave owner ¹⁰. Throughout his adulthood in Garrard County, he often served in civic capacities: serving on juries, road viewing/surveying, inventorying and appraising estates, and providing securities for various bonds. Frederick was a Baptist, and was a member of the Gilbert's Creek Church, a "Separate" Baptist Church, in Garrard County ¹⁰. In November 1827, Frederick sold his property in Garrard County, Kentucky ¹¹ and then moved to Clark County, Ohio with the family of his son Rowland. There, they lived in or near South Charleston in Madison Township. Frederick wrote his will in Clark County on January 13, 1829, in which he named his children, in order, as: Martha Gibbs, Charles Brown decd., Polly Brown, Susan Martin, Roland Brown, Nancy Martin, and Burrell Brown. His will also described unnamed grandchildren; children of his children Martha, Charles, Polly, Susan, Roland and Nancy. His will was proven on February 9, 1829.

Warning - Unproven Connection

There is no direct evidence that Frederick Brown of Cumberland County, Virginia was the same person as Frederick Brown of Garrard County, Kentucky. However a multitude of circumstantial clues suggest that they were probably the same person (see list below). More research is needed.

• Although Brown is a common last name, the first name Frederick was not and there were not many Frederick Browns in the 1700s. Surviving contemporary records (including annual personal property tax lists for each county) suggest that there only three Frederick Browns in Virginia during the 1780s; one in northern Virginia (Frederick County), one in central Virginia (Cumberland County), and one in southern Virginia (Lunenburg, Halifax, and Pittsylvania Counties). Because the Frederick Browns in northern and southern Virginia were documented in Virginia through the 1790s (when we know "our" Frederick Brown was already in Kentucky); the only real possibility among the known options is that the Frederick Brown who moved to what is now Garrard County, Kentucky during the 1780s, was the Frederick Brown of Cumberland County, Virginia. This aligns with the known timeline, that Frederick Brown disappears from Cumberland County, Virginia in 1784 and Frederick Brown first appears in what is now Garrard County, Kentucky in 1787.
• Frederick Brown of Cumberland County's wife was named Milly. The name of the wife of Frederick Brown of Garrard County was not included in any known record. But that Frederick did have two granddaughters named Milly (one proven and the other speculative). There is also a record of a Milly Brown who was described as a midwife in Garrard County in 1816, and her identity is unknown. And there are also later sources/stories that suggest that Frederick's daughter Polly was a midwife.
• In 1782, Frederick Brown of Cumberland County was described as having 5 white people in his household. Because we know he was already married in 1784, the inference is that his household was two parents and three children. This aligns with what we know about "our" Frederick Brown, that he had three known children who were born before 1782 (Martha, Frances and Charles).
• The marriage of Sarah Brown to John Bryant in 1788 (see above) was documented in 1788 in Cumberland County, Virginia. Benjamin Brown was one of the bondsmen to that marriage and Mary Brown (who later married Elijah Williams in Garrard County) was also described as being present at the wedding. The families of John Bryant and Benjamin Brown both moved to Garrard County, Kentucky; where they were consistently documented and were connected to the family of Frederick Brown. This is the only known record that suggests where any of the connected Browns in Garrard County came from before moving to Kentucky.
• At least several other first names besides Frederick and Milly (Sarah, Judith, Benjamin, Matthew, and Joseph) were repeated between the families of Cumberland County, Virginia and Garrard County, Kentucky.
• We know (due to very unique naming patterns) that the Browns of Garrard County, Kentucky must have somehow been related to the "B Browns of Brown's Cove" of Albemarle County, Virginia. Cumberland County, Virginia was not far from Albemarle County, Virginia;there was only one other county between them. And in fact, there is some evidence that both families (Browns of Cumberland County and Browns of Albemarle county) had some legal dealings in the other county. One example is that in 1751, John Brown of Cumberland County (most likely our "John Brown, Cooper", above) was a witness to a deed in Albemarle County, Virginia between Tyree Harris and James Bradley. Tyree Harris was the brother of Robert Harris who married Lucretia Brown, daughter of Benjamin Brown (c. 1695-1762). Note too that several descendants of Robert and Lucretia Harris later married into the Brown family of Garrard County, Kentucky (see below). During the 1760s, Benjamin Brown Jr. of Albemarle County was involved in a lawsuit in Cumberland County, Virginia.

Warning - False Information!

There are a lot of online family trees that provide false information about Frederick Brown of Garrard County, Kentucky. Most of them incorrectly combine him or his family with different people:

Frederick Brown (c. 1746-c. 1814) of Lunenburg, Halifax, Pittsylvania Co., Virginia

Many online family trees also incorrectly combine this Frederick Brown family with a different Frederick Brown family. The other Frederick Brown (c. 1746 - c. 1814) lived in Luneburg County, Virginia; Halifax County, Virginia; Pittsylvania County, Virginia; and Hardin County, Kentucky. His wife was named Mary Haley.

Frederick Brown of Winchester and Frederick Co., Virginia

There was also a different Frederick Brown in the far north of Virginia (very close to West Virginia and Maryland). In the spring of 1785, a Frederick Brown was involved in some lawsuits in Frederick County, Virginia (including one for selling spirits/liquor without a license). He was probably the same person as the Frederick Brown who was documented in Winchester, Virginia (independent city surrounded by Frederick County) during the 1780s and 1790s.

In August 1784, when Frederick Brown sold his land in Cumberland County, Virginia, his wife Milly Brown gave up her right of dower to the property. This is the only known record that includes the name of Frederick's wife. Frederick had two granddaughters named Milly (one proven, the other speculative). In 1819 in Garrard County, Kentucky, a Milly Brown was paid for midwife services provided in 1816. The record does not identify who that woman was. It is worth noting that there is an undocumented story that their daughter Polly Brown (see below) was a midwife in her adulthood.

Milly probably died sometime between the 1820 census enumeration and when her husband wrote his will in 1829 and she was not included.

Family history of their granddaughter Milly Martin Harrington (1820-1869) is that her real name was "Millicent". However there is no evidence to support that Milly Harrington's name was Millicent, someone might have just made that up or guessed. Instead, the names Mildred and Amelia are much more likely options for someone nicknamed Milly in the 1700s and 1800s.

Milly's maiden name is unknown; and there are currently no known records that suggest any particular origin. But there are various avenues worth exploring. Her granddaughter's full name was "Milly G. Martin". Although her middle name is unknown, perhaps her middle name was her mother's maiden name. So perhaps Milly's maiden name started with a "G". Other options are Rowland and Burwell, which were two of her sons' names (and which could be last names). Other options to explore are families in Cumberland County that the Brown family lived near or had legal dealings with, including: Lee, Cox, Gannaway, Cook, Mayo, Epperson, Pleasant, Sanders, etc.

Many online family trees identify her as Rachel Pace (1735-1820), daughter of William Pace and Hannah Booten. However that was not correct. Rachel Pace was a real person, but she was married to John Martin and settled in Clark County, Kentucky. Not to mention that she was born way too early to have been the wife of Frederick Brown and mother of the below children.

1	Frances "Fanny" Brown was born circa 1775*, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She died in 1820** in Garrard Co., Kentucky 12. She married James Clark on January 17, 1793 in Madison (now Garrard) Co., Kentucky 7. He died before January 7, 1794 in Madison (now Garrard) Co., Kentucky. They had no known children. There is a lot of mystery about her. In late 1820, a woman named Fanny Clark was murdered in Garrard County, Kentucky; and her body was found on the property of Frederick Brown. Two slaves were convicted for her murder and were executed. Other than those facts, it seems that everything else about the story is mired in rumor and legend. The inference from the evidence and the stories is that Fanny Clark was a daughter of Frederick Brown. Then other stories are that years later, Fanny's sister Polly Brown confessed to the murder (see below). Many stories list her full name as "Frances Clara Brown", however that's probably just because her last name was mistranscribed as "Clary" in one version of the story, and then someone made the leap that "Clary" was a nickname for "Clara". There is otherwise nothing to suggest that she had any middle name. On January 17, 1793, Frances Brown married James Clark in Madison County, Kentucky. James died just under a year later. On January 7, 1794, in Madison County, Francis Clark was appointed as administrator of the estate of her deceased husband, James Clark; and Frederick Brown was the security for her bond. Given this, and the later stories that Frederick had a daughter named "Fanny Clark", she was likely the same person. There are no known records of what happened to the widow Francis/Frances/Fanny Clark after 1794 other than the 1820 murder. In both the 1810 and 1820 census enumerations, there is an additional unaccounted for adult woman in Frederick Brown's household. All of this suggests that after her husband's death in 1793-1794, Frances probably never remarried and lived in her parents' household until her death in 1820. In August 1795 in Madison County, Kentucky, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Fanny Clark who was being sued by John Duncan for "trespass, assault and battery, damage". Could that have been her? That case was dismissed in January 1796. * Her birth year listed here is just a guess. She was married in 1793, and it is unknown if her father provided his consent for the marriage (which would have been the process if she was under 21). But, she likely was quite young, as her father's birth was documented in 1753 and she must have been born sometime during the 1770s. Her sister Martha was married a few months before her (which could suggest that she was older) but I have Frances listed first because she was appointed the administrator of her husband's estate in 1794, which implies maturity and/or adulthood. If she was born in 1775, then she would have been about 18 at her marriage, and at about 19 when she was widowed. ** Although there are countless resources that describe the story of Fanny's murder, none of them include the date; only the inference that it must have been sometime in the latter part of 1820.
2	Martha Brown was born circa 1777*, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She died after 1829. She married Ezekiel Gibbs on or after October 1, 1792 in Lincoln Co., Kentucky 6. He was born circa 1764 in South Carolina and died in or before May 1818 in Garrard Co., Kentucky. They had children including: Frederick Gibbs (1798-1859) md. Elvira Fields Milly Gibbs (c. 1800-c. 1881) md. James Layne Thomas Gibbs (1804-1867) md. 1st Margaret Tresner md. 2nd Sarah Ruth Garvin Others? * Martha's birth year is unknown. Her father provided his consent to her marriage in 1792, which suggests that she was under 21 and thus born sometime between 1771 and 1780. She was named first in her father's will, which suggests she was the oldest child then living. The year 1777 is just a guess, assuming that she was younger than her sister Frances; it would have put her at at about 15 when she married. Ezekiel Gibbs was from South Carolina, where he had military service in the Revolutionary War. He later also served in the War of 1812, and apparently was in service for 5 years (1809-1814); before being captured as a prisoner of war in July 1814, but he was apparently released and discharged. During their marriage, Ezekiel and Martha apparently moved often. They lived in both the part of Lincoln County that became Garrard County in 1797; and also in the part of Lincoln County that became Casey County in 1807. Ezekiel Gibbs had died in or before May 1818, when Jeremiah Gibbs (probably his brother) was appointed as the administrator of his estate. Martha was curiously never described in the administration of her husband's estate, although she was definitely still alive. She was alive when her father wrote his will in 1829, but it is not known where she was then living and there is no known record of her after that. In fact, there are no known records that include her name other than her 1792 marriage bond and her father's 1829 will. We also have no idea how many children she had, since no known record describes the heirs of either Ezekiel or Martha; we just know that they had at least two children, since her father's will describes unnamed "children" of hers. We know that Frederick and Thomas were their sons, since they were described as sons of Ezekiel when they were apprenticed (in 1812 and 1819 respectively). It is also highly likely that Milly Gibbs who married James Layne was their daughter. It is possible that there were other yet unidentified children. Her son Thomas Gibbs was living in Garrard County, Kentucky until 1829, and then moved away. He had moved to Putnam County, Indiana by 1831. Perhaps Martha moved with him there. Another possibility is that she had moved west to Missouri with her son Frederick (and her siblings Susannah, Nancy, Burwell and Rowland). Ezekiel Gibbs was probably the brother of Jeremiah Gibbs, who married Barbara Brown (daughter of Joseph and Mary Brown - see above). Ezekiel and Jeremiah were likely brothers, or uncles, of Susannah Gibbs who was married to Bazaleel Brown (another child of Joseph and Mary Brown).
3	Charles L. Brown was born circa 1781* 10, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. He died before October 1817 in Garrard Co., Kentucky 8. He married Margaret "Peggy" Harris on February 1, 1809 in Garrard Co., Kentucky 8. She was born circa 1795 in Surry Co., North Carolina and died circa 1869, possibly in Clinton Co., Missouri. They had two children: Aristippus Brown (c. 1810-aft. 1880) md. Elizabeth Crawford Arathusa Brown (1811-1860) md. James Duncan Watkins In March 1810, Charles and his wife participated in the sale of the estate of his wife's father, Robert Harris. Charles died before October 1817, when his widow Margaret Brown remarried to William R. Powe. In February 1818, his father Frederick was appointed guardian of his two orphaned children ("Arathusa" and "Artippus"). In reality though, the children likely lived with their mother and stepfather and moved with them to Missouri in about 1825. In October 1827, William R. Powe was described as the guardian of Arathusa when she married in Clay County, Missouri. * Charles birth year is unknown. But 1781 is likely because of annual tax lists which suggest he probably turned 16 sometime between 1796 and 1797 (suggesting he was born in 1780 or 1781), and that he likely turned 21 sometime between 1802 and 1803 (suggesting he was born in 1781 or 1782). Note that he is sometimes confused with a different Charles Brown who lived in Garrard County, Kentucky in the same time period; that Charles Brown was married to Jane Pond. Margaret Harris was the daughter of Robert Harris who died in Garrard County in about 1804, and a direct descendant of the "B" Browns of Brown's Cove (see below); her paternal grandmother was Lucretia Brown, daughter of Benjamin Brown who died in 1762. Margaret's sister Ann married Thomas Brown (relation unknown) and her sister Sally Harris married William Powe (son of Jerusha Brown Powe, see above).
4	Mary "Polly" Brown was born circa 1783, probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She died before July 27, 1837 in Garrard Co., Kentucky. She had a relationship with an unknown person. She had two known children: George M. Brown (c. 1810s-aft. 1837) Monroe E. Brown (c. 1810s-aft. 1837) She was named in her father's 1829 will as "Polly Brown" and then in 1831, her name "Polly Brown" appears in a deed transferring title to their father's interest property in Kentucky. Because her last name was listed as Brown, and because there is no evidence of any marriage record for her, the assumption has been that Polly was unmarried. However in her father's 1829 will, it also includes reference to her having children (who were unnamed): "I will and bequeath unto my daughter Polly Brown five dollars and to her children, grandchildren of mine, one equal share of my estate with my other grandchildren". Perhaps Polly had married to someone with the same last name, Brown. Or, perhaps she had children out of wedlock. She was most likely the Polly Brown who died in Garrard County in 1837. On July 27, 1837, a man named Robert D. Lusk was appointed as the administrator of Polly Brown's estate in Garrard County. Robert's relationship to her is unknown, but he was the brother-in-law of Joseph Brown (1797-1863), who was probably her cousin (he was the son of Beverly Brown and Margaret Adams, see above). Then two months later, in September 1837, George M. Brown of Clarke Co., Ohio and Monroe E. Brown of St. Louis, Missouri were described as the "children and only heirs of Polly Brown deceased" when they sold 1.5 acres of land that she owned on Sugar Creek in Garrard County (this was in the same part of the county where Frederick Brown had lived). Polly Brown had purchased that 1.5 acre property in May 1828 (which was not long after Frederick Brown had moved to Ohio). Because George Brown was in Clark County, Ohio where Polly's father and brother Rowland lived, it's likely then that it was the same Polly. In the 1820 census of Frederick Brown's family in Garrard County, it includes two males aged 0-10 who otherwise cannot be accounted for (perhaps they were Polly's sons George and Monroe?). In the 1830 census in Clark County, Ohio, there are was one unaccounted for young men (age 10-15) in the household of her brother Rowland Brown. And in the 1830 census in Garrard County, Kentucky; there is one unaccounted for young men (age 10-15) in Polly Brown's household. Perhaps one of her sons (George) had moved to Ohio with her father and brother in 1827? Aside from the above, there are many other legends and sensational stories about Polly Brown. Although the details of the numerous stories vary, most agree that Polly Brown remained in Garrard County after her family moved away. She made a living working as a "herb doctor" and midwife. She apparently went insane in her later life and was cared for by different neighbors (including people from the Burnside, Harris and/or Kiler families); stories are that she had to be chained up or otherwise confined. At the end of her life she apparently confessed to having murdered her sister Fanny (whose murder was documented in 1820, see above). Over the decades, the stories about Fanny Clark's murder and her sister Polly Brown's involvement became folklore in Garrard County; it is probably impossible at this point to differentiate fact from fiction. Note too that there were multiple Mary/Polly Browns in Garrard County during her lifetime (including Mary, wife of Joseph Brown who died in 1820 - see below; her cousin Mary Brown who married Elijah Williams; and their daughter Polly Williams who married William Brown), so it is challenging to differentiate between people with this common name.
5	Susannah "Sukey" Brown
6	Rowland Brown was born on or about May 3, 1791 3 in Madison (now Garrard) Co., Kentucky. He died on November 12, 1850 3 in Platte Co., Missouri. He is buried in the Noland Cemetery, Weatherby Lake, Platte Co., Missouri. He married Phebe V. Grisson on June 13, 1810 in Garrard Co., Kentucky 8. She was born circa 1785 in Virginia and died sometime between 1860 and 1870 in Platte Co., Missouri. They had the following known children: Anchises G. Brown (c. 1811-1869) md. Ruth Ann Simpkins William Harrison Brown (c. 1813-1849) md. Sarah Plaist Milton E. Brown (1815-1904) md. Christina Ferres Frances "Fanny" Brown (1819-1891) md. Robert Robinson America Brown (c. 1825-1846) md. Elsberry Martin Emily Brown (c. 1828-aft. 1866) md. 1st William S. Mason md. 2nd James Hartley md. 3rd Henry Johnson Rowland Brown (c. 1831-aft 1850) His name was usually spelled Roland or Rowland in contemporary records. After his marriage, he lived with his family in Knox County, Kentucky (where his sister Susannah was living). While there, he served in the War of 1812. He was issued a tavern license in 1814 in Barbourville, Kentucky. In 1818, he was a security for the Sheriff of Knox County. In 1824, they sold their land in Knox County, Kentucky. Between 1824 and 1827, they lived (again) in Garrard County, Kentucky. Then in 1827 or 1828, he moved with his family (including his father) to Clark County, Ohio, where they lived for about 15 years. There, they lived near South Charleston in Madison Township. Eventually, Roland decided to move out west to Missouri where several of his siblings were already living. Sometime during the early 1840s, he moved with his family to Platte County, Missouri, where they settled in Pettis Township. Roland is referred to in records as a lawyer, a judge and a captain; although it is acknowledged that he had "little education" 1. When his son-in-law Elsberry Martin died in 1847 and his son William Harrison Brown died in 1849, he served as administrator of both estates. He had not closed both estates by the time he died in 1850. His son Anchises Brown then served as administrator of all three.
7	Nancy Brown was born circa 1793 in Madison (now Garrard) Co., Kentucky. She died sometime between 1837 and 1840, probably in Platte Co., Missouri. She married Joseph Martin on September 8, 1810 in Garrard Co., Kentucky 8. He was born circa 1787 in North Carolina and died before August 9, 1852 in Platte Co., Missouri. They had the following children: Brightberry Martin (1811-1890) md. Elizabeth Willis Greenberry T. Martin (1813-1858) md. Elizabeth Bones Sarah Martin (c. 1816-1884) md. 1st Jonas Sutton md. 2nd Thomas Harrington Elsberry Martin (1820-1847) md. America Brown Franklin Martin (1824-1882) md. Anna May Burnett Malinda Martin (c. 1824-1850s) md. Robert C. C. Gray Rhoda Green Martin (1827-1861) md. Franklin Young Flannery Elizabeth Ann Martin (1829-1887) md. Alvin A. Ross Isaac Martin (c. 1833-aft. 1880) md. Jane Bell Amanda Martin (c. 1835-1850s) Stephen Martin (c. 1840-aft. 1863) After their marriage, Joseph and Nancy lived in Garrard County, Kentucky. They moved out west to Missouri in the 1810s with Joseph's brothers Isaac and Zadock. They settled in what is now Clay County, Missouri. In November 1837, they moved to nearby Platte County, Missouri, where Nancy died soon after. One source provides her birthdate as May 1781 and her marriage in 1800. Since the marriage year was 10 years off, perhaps the birth year was off as well. Perhaps then she was a twin of Rowland Brown, whose birth was documented in May 1791.
7	Burwell L. Brown was born circa 1796-1797* in Garrard Co., Kentucky. He died after 1831. He married Mary Holcombe on July 24, 1824 in Garrard Co., Kentucky 8. They probably had no children (he had no children in 1829). His name was usually spelled "Burwell" or "Burrell". He was probably a blacksmith. In January 1822 while living in Garrard County, he mortgaged some of his personal property, including his blacksmith tools, to his father. In October 1828, he enlisted in the military at Newport (???). In October 1829, he was discharged at "Cant Leavenworth" [Cantonment Leavenworth, renamed Fort Leavenworth in 1832]. This suggests that he might have moved out west with his sisters Susannah and Nancy, who were both in northwest Missouri and very close to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Their brother Rowland also later moved to that area. Burwell was alive in 1831 when he was named in a record about his father's estate, although it did not indicate where he was living. * His birth year is unknown, but 1796 or 1797 is likely because annual tax records suggest he turned 21 sometime between 1818 and 1819.

Susannah Brown was born circa 1784* probably in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She died after 1862.

Father: Frederick Brown
Mother: Milly

* Susannah's birth year is unknown, but was probably sometime during the 1780s. The 1810 census records her age as between 16 and 26, suggesting she was born between 1784 and 1794. The 1840 census provided her age as 50-60, which suggests she was born sometime between 1780 and 1790. The 1850 census provides her age as 68, which suggests that she was born in 1781 or 1782. Her husband was born in 1789 (although is entirely possible that she was at least 8 years older than her husband, it is more likely that she was closer to his age.) Because the 1850 census and the 1880 census of her son William indicated that she was born in Virginia, she was probably born before 1787, when her father was already living in Kentucky. Or, perhaps born before 1785, when records suggest her father first attempted to purchase land in Kentucky. Or maybe even in or before 1784, when her parents sold their land in Virginia. Finally, the order that Susannah was listed in her father's will suggest she was born sometime between about 1781 (when her brother Charles was probably born, per tax records) and 1791 (when her brother Rowland was born). She was also probably born at least a few years later than 1781, because she was described in order after Polly, who was in turn described after Charles. All of this considered, I have entered 1784 as an estimated birth year; but it is definitely a guess.

Susannah was born in Virginia, probably in Cumberland County. It's possible though that her birth occurred during the time when her family was moving from Cumberland County, Virginia to Kentucky; she could have been born somewhere in between. She was an infant or young child when she moved with her family to Kentucky. They settled east of Lancaster in what is now Garrard County. Susannah was married to Zadock Martin on August 13, 1807 in Knox County, Kentucky. How they came to know each other is unknown, as they lived in different counties (although Susannah's brother Rowland later lived in Knox County and Zadock's brother Joseph Martin later lived in Garrard County). At the time of the marriage, Zadock was 18 years old and Susannah was probably a few years older. After the marriage, Zadock and Susannah lived together in Knox County, Kentucky; where they began to raise a family. Susannah had 9 children: Green, Hardin, Franklin, Gill, William, Milly, James, Josephine and Elizabeth.

In about 1816, Susannah moved with her family out west to what is now Clay County, Missouri. They remained there for several years until about 1828, when they moved to what is now Platte County, Missouri. There, her husband operated ferries over nearby rivers. The family also farmed and operated mills, and a tavern and a hotel out of their home. In 1846, the family moved out west once again and traversed the Oregon Trail. The family settled in rural Yamhill County, Oregon. Susannah was living there when Zadock died suddenly in 1849. Afterwards, Susannah lived with her son Hardin and his wife in Yamhill County. In 1856, Hardin and his wife sold their land and moved to California. After that, Susannah probably remained in Yamhill County and lived with her son Franklin.

In October 1858, she was listed as a resident of Yamhill County, Oregon, when she was named as the legal heir of her deceased grandson William Martin who died in Douglas County, Oregon. Susannah was also listed on tax lists for Yamhill County in 1857 and 1859. Then in April 1862 she was alive and described as "old and forgetful" in a record about her son Franklin's estate. She was probably living with her son Franklin when he died in July 1860. This might explain why neither she or her son's widow Lucretia Martin (both of whom were still alive) have been located in the 1860 census enumeration a few months later. Susannah was not found buried in her family's burial plot in McMinnville, Oregon; which would have been likely if she died in that area. My guess is that after her son Franklin died in 1860, she left to live with one of her other children. At that time, her daughter Elizabeth was closest in St. Helens, Oregon (and during the 1860s also lived in Vancouver, WA; The Dalles, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho); her son William was in Roseburg, Oregon (and during the 1860s also lived in Myrtle Creek, Oregon and Galesville, Oregon); her son Hardin moved frequently and during the 1860s was in California, Yamhill Co., Oregon, Washington Co., Oregon, and possibly in Idaho and Washington; her son Green was in California; and her daughter Milly was in Missouri. Or, perhaps she lived with her namesake granddaughter Susannah Owen Wilson who lived in Union County, Oregon during the 1860s. It would be wise to check newspapers and cemeteries in those other areas see if there is evidence of Susannah moving to or dying in one of those locations. She had most likely died prior to 1870.

Susannah used the pet name "Sooky" or "Sukey". Her name was sometimes also shortened to Susan. She was described as "a quiet, domestic lady" ⁵

For information on their children, see his page.

Unknown Connections

The below Brown families all lived in Garrard County, Kentucky during the same time as Frederick Brown and must have been related in some way, especially considering the frequent sources connecting them. My guess is that Frederick Brown (died 1829), Absalom Brown (died 1830), Joseph Brown (died 1820) and Benjamin Brown (died c. 1805) were likely brothers - or otherwise close relatives.

Thomas Brown. There were two different Thomas Browns who were early residents of Garrard County, Kentucky. One was married to "Annie" (also listed as "An", "Ankey" and "Aisley") Harris in 1807. Annie was the sister of Margaret Harris (who married Charles Brown, son of Frederick Brown) and also Sally Harris (who married William Powe, son of Jerusha Brown Powe). The other Thomas Brown married Catherine "Caty" Adams, who was the sister of Margaret Adams who married Beverly Brown (son of Joseph and Mary, above). A Thomas Brown was a bondsman for the marriage of Jesse Lear to Elizabeth Brown (daughter of Mary Brown and step-daughter of Elijah Williams, see above).

William Brown was somehow related to this family. In 1792, William Brown was a witness to the consent that Benjamin Brown provided for the marriage of his daughter Lucy. A William Brown was the father of Harriet Brown (1802-1879) who married Rice Powe, the son of William Powe and Jerusha Brown (see above).

Elizabeth "Betty" Brown (c. 1770-1837) was also an early resident of Garrard County, Kentucky. She married Ozias Jennings in 1792; Joseph Brown was one of the bondsman. She later settled in Jefferson Co., Indiana (not far from where Bartlett Brown and Benjamin Brown Jr. settled). She was probably the "Elizabeth Jennings" described as a daughter of John Brown of Garrard County, Kentucky in his will of December 10, 1802. Other family members of John were his wife Margaret, and other children David Brown, William Brown, John Brown, Jean Riggs, Mary Pheris, Maigret Marett, Joseph Brown, Robert Brown and Charles Brown.

Arabia Jackson Brown (1755-1844) was also one of the early settlers of Garrard County, Kentucky. He married Elizabeth Dooley and had a large family of children. Although they lived in the same part of Garrard County and often had legal or land dealings with other Browns, there are no other clues that he had any familial relationship to any of the above Browns, it might just be a coincidence that they had the same common last name.

Other Related Families

The Browns of Garrard County, Kentucky were likely related to other families that they frequently intermarried with and/or had legal dealings with. These other families might hold some clues to the origins of the Browns.

"B" Browns of Brown's Cove

As stated in the intro of this page above, our Brown family was probably related in some way to the "B" Browns of Brown's Cove. Specifically, this was Benjamin Brown (c. 1695-1762) who lived in Hanover County before settling at Brown's Cove in Albemarle County in the early 1750s. He married twice and his children were named: Bartlett, William, Elizabeth, Lucinda, Agnes, Benjamin, Lucretia, Benajah, Bernard, Bernis, Barzillai, Bazaleel, and Brightberry.

The primary reason for assuming the connection is the use of peculiar names between the multiple families, notably: Bazaleel, Benajah, Bartlett, Beverly, and Brightberry (as well as the more common "Benjamin" and some other random "B" names that show up in our family: Barbara and Burwell; also other names repeated in both families: Sarah, Lucinda/Lucy, Elizabeth, Milly, etc.) In addition, some of our Garrard County Browns were related to this family through a maternal line. Specifically Benjamin Brown Sr.'s daughter Lucretia Brown who married Robert Harris. Several of her children moved to Garrard County, Kentucky and three of her grandchildren married into the Brown family: Margaret "Peggy" Harris married Charles Brown (son of Frederick Brown), Sarah "Sally" Harris married William Powe (son of Jerusha Brown Powe), and "Ankey" Harris married Thomas Brown (not yet identified). Was it just a coincidence that Lucretia Harris' descendants married into "our" Brown line? Or were they following a tradition of marrying into the same families?

It seems that many researchers in the past have also come to the same conclusions, as there are various family trees that identify the Garrard County Brown family progenitors (Frederick, Absalom, Joseph and Benjamin) as being grandchildren of Benjamin Brown Sr. (c. 1695-1762), variously through his sons Bartlett, William or Benjamin Jr. Unfortunately the family of Benjamin Brown Sr. is well documented and none of our Browns were his direct descendants. In addition, there is zero evidence of our Browns in Albemarle County, Virginia during the time that Benjamin Brown Sr.'s family was living there. Instead, my guess is that we were less closely related to them. Perhaps Benjamin Brown Sr. had brother(s) or cousin(s) that we descend from?

Harris

Robert Harris was one of the earlier settlers of Garrard County, Kentucky, where he died in about 1804. Three of his children married into the extended Brown family: daughter "Ankey" married Thomas Brown (identity unknown), daughter Peggy married Charles Brown (son of Frederick) and daughter Sally married William Powe (son of Jerusha Brown Powe). Robert had previously lived in Surry County, North Carolina before moving to Kentucky. He was the son of Robert Harris Sr. and Lucretia Brown. Lucretia was a documented member of the "B Brown" family of Brown's Cove in Albemarle County, Virginia. She was the daughter of Benjamin Brown Sr. who died there in 1762.

Adams

Feathergail/Feathergill Adams was one of the original settlers of Garrard County, Kentucky. Two of his children married into the extended Brown family: daughter Margaret married Beverly Brown (son of Joseph and Mary) and daughter Catherine "Caty" married Thomas Brown (identity unknown). Feathergill's father and brother were both named Absalom (the same unusual name of Absalom Brown). Within the Adams family, there was also an Absalom B. Adams (perhaps Absalom Brown Adams?) The Adams family was originally from Fauquier County, Virginia; they apparently lived briefly in Culpeper, then Montgomery and then Russell Counties, Virginia before moving to Kentucky by 1789.

Haggard

James Haggard married Lucy Brown (daughter of Benjamin above) in 1792. James was somehow related to earlier generations of the Browns, his direct ancestor was likely Nicholas Gentry of Albemarle County, Virginia. Nicholas' wife Jane was likely a Brown, most likely closely related to the B Browns of Brown's Cove. My guess is that Jane was Benjamin Brown's sister.

Powe

There was a Powe family that was among the early settlers of Garrard County, Kentucky; several of them married into the Brown family: William Powe married Jerusha Brown (daughter of Joseph) in 1789; Polly Powe married Benjamin Brown Jr. in 1800; and William R. Powe married Margaret Harris Brown (widow of Charles Brown) in 1817. There were later connections as well, including the marriage of William Powe to Sally Harris (related to the Browns) and Rice Powe to Harriet Brown (This William and Rice were sons of William Powe and Jerusha Brown).

Gibbs

There was a Gibbs family that was among the early settlers of Garrard County, Kentucky. Three of them married into the Brown family: Ezekiel Gibbs married Martha Brown (daughter of Frederick), Jeremiah Gibbs married Barbary Brown (daughter of Joseph) and Susannah Gibbs married Bazaleel Brown (son of Joseph). In 1792, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were both witnesses to the marriage bond between Matthew Brown (son of Absalom) and Sarah Simpson. In 1791, Jeremiah Gibbs was a witness to the marriage bond between Benajah Brown (son of Absalom) and Judy Brown (daughter of Benjamin). In 1789, Jeremiah Gibbs was a bondsman for the marriage between Jerusha Brown (daughter of Joseph) and William Powe.

Various sources seem to confirm that the Gibbs family lived in South Carolina before moving to Kentucky; so they probably had no earlier connection to the Browns. (Although some of the Browns of Brown's Cove did move to South Carolina).

Jennings

William Jennings was an early settler of Garrard County, Kentucky. There, he was the neighbor of Frederick Brown. They lived on adjoining farms and often had legal/land dealings with each other. In 1815, Frederick's grandson William Jennings Martin was named in his honor. Were they just honoring a friend/neighbor? Or was the family actually related? William Jennings' family originally lived in Fauquier County, Virginia before moving to Kentucky.

In Garrard County, there was an Elizabeth Brown who married an Ozias Jennings in 1792 (see above). Yet that Elizabeth was probably the daughter of John Brown (died circa 1802) and his wife Margaret who we had no known connection to. In addition, when Lucy Brown (daughter of Absalom) married Francis Sasseen in 1800, Augustine Jennings served as one of the bondsmen. The "Browns of Brown's Cove" family also had connections to a Jennings family. Many family trees indicate that Benjamin Sr.'s son William Brown married to a Sarah Jennings. There have also been myths that Benjamin Sr.'s second wife was also descended from a Jennings family, yet that seems to have been debunked.

1. Paxton, W. M. Annals of Platte County, Missouri. Hudson Kimberly Publishing Co., 1897.
2. History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri. National Historical Co., St. Louis, MO, 1885.
3. Tombstone inscriptions, Noland Cemetery, Platte Co., Missouri.
4. Tombstone inscriptions, Greenlawn Cemetery, South Charleston, Clark Co., Ohio
5. Newspaper article, Liberty Tribune [Liberty, MO], Apr. 7, 1876, Pg. 1
6. Marriage records, Lincoln Co., Kentucky
7. Marriage records, Madison Co., Kentucky
8. Marriage records, Garrard Co., Kentucky
9. Marriage records, Knox Co., Kentucky
10. Annual tax lists, Lincoln, Madison and Garrard Counties, Kentucky
11. Garrard County Deeds
12. The Central Record [Lancaster, KY], May 30, 1946, Pg. 2 (this is one of many sources between 1896 and 2015 that describe the stories and legends about the murder of Fanny Clark)
13. Calico, Forest. History of Garrard County, Kentucky, and its Churches. Hobson Book Press, 1947.
14. "The Traveling Church". The Central Record [Lancaster, KY], Jan. 10, 1929, Pg. 1