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WILLIAM and MARGRET BROWN
FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY and CENTER

1700s’ Home in Rowan County, North Carolina

Main Entrance
"Home"

In the mid-1700s, William and Margret
BROWN lived in Rowan County (created 1753), North Carolina, with some of their 9
children; 3 sons and 6 daughters. Family records state that
William BROWN (c.1717–Feb./Aug.1772) was of Scotch and Portuguese or "Portigee" descent, and that the
ancestry of his wife, Margret (c.1722–aft.Nov.1772),
was English. They owned property and lived in the Flat Swamp Creek and Lick Creek area of
what is now the southeastern part of Davidson County (created from Rowan County in 1822), North Carolina, just east
of the Yadkin River, near the present-day town of Denton. William BROWN's
February 1772 Will and other important documents are discussed below. See
also Photo Gallery and
Maps showing where they lived.
Our William and Margret BROWN family is not the Irish
William Brown (1687-1757) and Margaret (Peggy Fleming) Brown (1701-1801)
family that was living in Rowan/Guilford County, North Carolina during this
time. Also it is not part of
the German Michael Braun (Brown) (1721-1807) and Margareta Braun (Brown)
(1734-1771) family living on the west side of the Yadkin
River in Rowan County, North Carolina during this time.
New DNA evidence explained below now shows that William BROWN's father, Mr. Brown (born
about 1691), whose first name may have been William, came from, or through,
Edinburgh, Scotland, to an English colony along the New England coast in
the early 1700's. He then migrated to the
Vermont area where he "first settled", and met and married Mrs. Brown
(born about 1695), an Algonquian Abenaki Native American of Portuguese ancestry.
Their son William BROWN was likely born in the Vermont area, grew up and
married there. He and his wife Margret eventually migrated down through Pennsylvania,
and into Rowan County, North Carolina. See below.
Also see What's New.
This William and Margret BROWN Library/Center is the result of years
of gathering and analyzing records of the family and their collateral lines,
leading to a 10-day genealogy research trip to 9 libraries in North
Carolina, which Erold C. Wiscombe and I (O. James Brown Klein) made in May
2000. The libraries were in Rowan, Davidson, Randolph, Guilford, and
Johnston counties, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the
North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. Working 12 to 16 hour days, we
gathered, copied, referenced, and analyzed any and all information
referencing BROWN family members, bringing back boxes of materials.
Included were all Brown family pedigree and group sheets archived in the LDS
Church Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and all identifiable
Brown family source materials. This Library presents much of the relevant information collected.
After careful analysis, and re-analysis, of materials gathered thus far, we
now understand much better some of the important facts about our BROWN
family members. These facts, and our analysis, are presented here, with updates as
we go along. Please contribute what documents and information you may know. Thank you.
This growing Brown Family History Library and
Center was created for two basic purposes: 1) to better identify and honor
William and Margret BROWN, their numerous descendants, ancestors, siblings, and
collateral relatives; and 2) to provide a focal point for the collection,
preservation, and sharing of accurate family history information. It is for
all of our extended family, inclusive of every family member, to promote and facilitate
these objectives.
This Library presents
the filed documents,
photographs and items relating to the genealogies and histories of the extended
family. The Center contains identified
family groups and organizations, and the information they desire to present here that may be of interest to extended family members.
The Library/Center honors the privacy of personal information. See Privacy Policy.
Please use the Library/Center, enjoy it, be blessed by it, and
contribute to its success!
William and Margaret BROWN
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Their Lives
1772 Will of William BROWN
Their Children
Their Descendents
Their Parents and Ancestors
Their Siblings
Acknowledgement
Dedication
Their Lives
We
are unsure of the first names of the
parents of our William BROWN (bc.1717, d.Feb./Aug.1772), but we do have
important
information about their origins. Family
records state that William Brown's father was a BROWN of Scotch
descent, Mr. Brown (c.1691),
whose first name may have been William,
and that his mother, Mrs. Brown
(c.1695), was "a woman of who was a native of Portugal". William's wife, Margret
(bc.1722, d.aft.Nov.1772), was
of English descent.
See Margret Brown,
her name as spelled in William's
1772
Will.
"Tradition traces the
genealogy of Captain James Brown [(1801-1863) who is a grandson of our William
Brown (c.1717-1772) through his son, James Brown (1757-1823)] back to his
great grandfather [Mr. Brown (c.1691)] who was a
Scotchman by the name of Brown, and who was allied in marriage with a woman who
was a native of Portugal [Mrs. Brown (c.1695)]; they being the grand-parents of James Brown [(1757-1823),
son of our William
Brown] who served in the [Revolutionary] war. . . ."
See History
of Captain James Brown, by his grandson, Moroni F. Brown, page 88. William and
Margret Brown's son, "James Brown [1757-1823] was of Portigee and English
Descent." See
James Stephens
Brown - Parent's Genealogies, page 2.
My recent autosomal DNA tests now evidence
that our
Mrs. Brown who was a native of Portugal
(c.1695) was actually an Algonquian Abenaki Native American with Portuguese ancestry. These tests
are explained and analyzed in reference to our Brown family history,
and my physical characteristics, genealogy, and
Algonquian Abenaki and Portuguese history. She was likely living in the
Vermont area when our Mr. Brown of Edinburgh, Scotland (c.1691)
"first settled" there. She married him in about 1716.
See
Mrs. Brown (c.1695) was an Abenaki Native American with Portuguese
Ancestry. For
other Brown DNA studies, including Brown Y-DNA (male), see
Brown DNA Studies.
Three important clues about our Brown origins are
included in the autosomal DNA analysis, but they deserve mentioning here:
1. The better estimated Birth
Order of William's and
Margret's children seen below under Their Children.
2. William Brown's great grandson, Orson
Pratt Brown's (1863-1946), statement: "My [great and great-great?] grandfather, on my
father’s side was William Brown,
come over from Edinburgh, Scotland. . . . . They first settled in
the state of Vermont [area]. Later he went to North Carolina, near
Raleigh, took up land and farmed. Here my father [Captain James Brown
(1801-1863), son of William Brown's son, James Brown (1757-1823)] was born, in the year of 1801, September 30, [in Rowan County,
NC] and reared in a farming community." It is possible that
William may be the first name of our first
Mr. Brown of Edinburgh, Scotland
(c.1691). See the
Autobiography of Orson Pratt Brown
(1863-1946), pages 11-12).
3. William Brown's grandson's, Williams Brown (1796-1884),
declaration in 1880 Federal Census that
his father, James Brown (1757-1823), was born in Pennsylvania, and his
mother, Mary or Polly Williams (1760-1827), was born in New Hampshire.
See the 1880
Federal Census, Boon Hill Township, Johnston County, North Carolina.
In summary, our Mr. Brown (c.1691) came from, or through,
Edinburgh, Scotland, to an English colony along the New England coast in
the early 1700's. He then migrated to the
Vermont area where he "first settled", and met and married Mrs. Brown
(c.1695),
an
Algonquian Abenaki Native American of Portuguese
ancestry. Their son
William Brown and any siblings were likely born in the Vermont area.
William probably grew up and
married there. He and his wife Margret eventually migrated down through Pennsylvania
where their son James Brown (1757-1823) was born, and on to Rowan
County, North Carolina where they finally settled.
Our family research may now
focus on seeking additional information regarding these family members and their
relations along these migration paths.
Anyone having any oral
or written clues that verify or clarify any thing about William and Margret BROWN,
their children, parents
and siblings, is requested to share such information immediately with us by email to
librarian.brownhistory@gmail.com. Thank you.
Return to Top
1772 Will of William BROWN
(bc. 1717, d. 1772)
William BROWN
signed his Will with "his
mark", an "X", on 19 February 1772
in Rowan County, North Carolina, naming his wife, Margret BROWN as Executrix
(her
name as spelled in the Will), and his 9 children, and 1
granddaughter. See the
Annotated 1772 Rowan County, NC, Will of William BROWN. The Will was filed for probate August 5, 1772, so
William died between February
19, and August 5, 1772. The probate finished November 3, 1772. His
wife, Margret as Executrix, died some time after that. William names his 9 children and 1 granddaughter in his
Will in the following order ("Will 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.
In his Will, it appears that William 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 that there was likely a different actual birth order
("Birth Order"). See William and Margret Brown, Their Children, and His Parents - Birth Order and Marriages. This
more
probable
Birth Order is: Charity Robson; Hannah Elliott; William
Brown; Constant Wynn; John Brown; Susannah Brown with her child, Margret
Brown; James Brown; and Elizabeth Brown.
See the detailed additional
information about William's and
Margret's children in the next section below,
Their Children.
Confirmation of the fact that these BROWNs
are our BROWNs is found in the 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas
STILLWELL. This case names all of them except John BROWN. See the Abstract
of 1819 Randolph County, NC, Estate Papers of Thomas STILLWELL.
William BROWN
first appears
on the 1768 Rowan County, NC, Tax List of John Ford, which area is now in
Davidson County, NC. This List is important because it identifies our
William BROWN living in the Flat Swamp Creek and Lick Creek area of southern
present-day Davidson County, NC. This is the
same area referenced in the land
deeds for his son James BROWN, and surrounding neighbors. See
Maps. This List is also important
because it contains a number of individuals whose surnames match those of men
who either married 3 of William's daughters (ROBISON, ELLIOTT and
HENDRICKS), or
his son William BROWN (DAVIS), or who may be related to some of his descendents through
his son, James BROWN (FELPS, HUGHES and WILLIAMS). See the 1768 Rowan County, NC, Tax List of
John Ford.
It appears from analysis of information of his children and
grandchildren that William BROWN had connections with
the present-day area of Randolph County (created 1779), North Carolina, and may also have had connections with Johnston County
(1746), North Carolina.
He may also have connections to the Vermont and Pennsylvania areas. It is also
important to note that our Scotch Brown families living on the east side of the
Yadkin River (Lexington-Denton area) in old Rowan County (1753~1822+) are not to
be confused with the German Michael Braun (Brown) families living on the west
side of the Yadkin River (Salisbury area).
Margret BROWN (bc.1722, d.aft.Nov.1772)
is her name as spelled in the 1772
Will: Margret
was of English descent according to the
James Stephens
Brown - Parent's Genealogies, page 2.
We do not yet know her last
name, nor where she was born. She likely lived in the Vermont or Pennsylvania
areas when she met and married William Brown, and where it appears that they had
most of their children. See DNA analysis
Mrs. Brown (c.1695) was an Abenaki Native American with Portuguese Ancestry.
She died some time after November 3, 1772, in Rowan County, North Carolina, where the last public record we have mentions
her as serving as the Executrix of his Will. She may have died in the late
1770s when her daughter, Margaret BROWN STILLWELL, moved to Johnston
County, North Carolina. She is not the
Margaret (Peggy Fleming) Brown
(1701-1801)whose
descendants are the subject of Helen H. Rugeley's 1983 Brown book.
As of 1986, the most comprehensive treatment of
the William and Margret BROWN family is found in Erold C. Wiscombe's 700 page
book, The Brown Family, Descendants of Daniel Brown (1804-1875) and Elizabeth Stephens
(1809-1890),
Wiscombe, editor: First edition1986; Revised Second edition 2006. The first 60 pages of Erold's
1986 edition, which treat the entire early BROWN and STEPHENS
families, is filed in the Library under Wiscombe's Book.
Significant updated information is now presented in this Library for some early
family members. Each early BROWN relative should eventually have his/her own Ancestral
Surname File in the Library, see Ancestral Surname
Files. Meanwhile, the links to the early BROWN relatives identified below take you to
Wiscombe's fine treatment of each linked person in his Brown Book.
Return to Top
Their Children
So far, little is known about
the children of William and Margret, except for their son
James BROWN (1757-1823). We
want to learn as much as we can about each one of them, including any oral or written clues
about them, their families and ancestors. Here follows a summary of their
children, which is presented in their
Birth Order mentioned above.
See
William and Margret Brown, Their Children, and His Parents - Birth Order and Marriages.
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 above.
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 ELLIOTT:
Born about
1745,
makes
her 27 in 1772.
She may have been born in Pennsylvania or the Vermont area - see
Their Lives above.
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 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.
Margret Brown
is her name as spelled in the 1772
Will.
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 Pennsylvania, (not in Rowan County,
North Carolina) 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.
See Williams
Brown (1796-1884) 1849 Letter to His Brothers and Sisters which
shows the great
spirit of love and religious tolerance of this Brown family.
James’ and
Mary’s 9 children are:
1.
Jane
BROWN HUGHES, b. 1788, d. 1850/1858, married Michael
HUGHES about 1816 in Rowan County, NC.
2.
Mary
or Polly
BROWN, b. 1790, d. 1876, married James Stephens BROWN on August 31,
1855, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
3. Nancy BROWN,
b. 1792, d. 1870, married 1)
James NEWBERRY on October 3,1843 in Nauvoo, Illinois; 2) William CRITCHLOW on
November 6, 1852, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
4. Susan BROWN
JACKSON, b. 1793, d. bef. 1850, married Sion or Siren JACKSON about
1818 in Rowan County, NC.
5.
Martha
or Patsy
BROWN BOSS, b. 1794, d. 1869, married David BOSS on November 25, 1821
in Rowan County, NC.
6.
Williams
BROWN, b. 1796, d. 1884, married Frances or Fanny WARREN on June 10,
1820 in Johnston County, NC.
7.
Obedience
BROWN BOSS, b. 1799, d. 1850, married Philip BOSS about 1818 in Rowan
County, NC.
8.
[Captain] James BROWN, b. 1801,
d. 1863, married Martha STEPHENS
on March 2, 1823 in Davidson County, NC.
9.
Daniel BROWN, b. 1804,
d. 1875, married
Elizabeth STEPHENS on October 8,
1823 in Davidson County, NC.
Mary's two prior children are Margaret
EMMERSON, bc. 1782,
and John COMSTOCK, bc. 1785.
Mary or Polly WILLIAMS was married before to
John EMMERSON who was killed during the Revolutionary War, and they are the parents of Margaret EMMERSON, bc.
1782. Mary or Polly WILLIAMS EMMERSON also had an illegitimate
son, John COMSTOCK, bc. 1785, before marrying James BROWN in approximately 1786.
Mary or Polly WILLIAMS EMMERSON, John EMMERSON, their daughter, Margaret
EMMERSON, and Mary's son, John COMSTOCK are all named in the
Moroni Brown's 1891 Record Book.
Mary's two
children may have taken the BROWN
surname for a a period of time after James BROWN married
Mary or Polly WILLIAMS EMMERSON. We do not know any thing
more about them.
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.
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Their Descendents
Their descendents that we know of are the children of
#8 James
BROWN and his wife, Mary or Polly WILLIAMS EMMERSON.
See
Their Children
See Prominent Descendents
Their Parents and Ancestors
We do not yet know who the parents of William and
Margret
are.
Their Siblings
We do not yet know who their siblings are.
Thank you for using our Brown Family History Library and
Center!
Come Back Soon!
Visits to our Library/Center:

Acknowledgment: Gratitude is expressed to the Lord who inspired
this work, and to my dear wife, Karen, and to our eternal family for their
wonderful support of it. I love them all forever.

Dedication: This Web
site is dedicated to God and to His holy
purposes
and works in our individual lives and families, and in all the families of the
earth.
We are all His children.
Families are Forever.
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