THE "ANCESTRAL DOCUMENT" OF MARTIN BROWNE
and what it has led to.


Sometime in the 60s I found the following ancestral document [hereafter “AD”] in a trunk at my mother’s home..She put it away and forgot it and did not remember where it came from. It was undated and typed on stationery of “Dr. W.T Neely, Chiropractor, Guthrie, Oklahoma.” I am now certain that it came from my father’s Aunt Della, youngest daughter of his grandfather, Lorenzo Dow Browne. Della was a spinster who lived in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The present Martin Browne was born at Leeds, in Yorkshire, Great Britain, was named after his father and grandfather Martin Browne, the son and grandson of George, their ancestor, who, after a lifetime of improper conduct was restrained to part from the parental estate, which lay near Bishop Auckland, in the Palatinate of Durham, and about sixty years ago was rented for Three Hundred Pounds. He then removed to Burnitop Hall, left but one son, who had two sons the male issue of whom are myself [the heir apparent] my brothers Francis and John, and my two cousins, John and Wade Browne.

A dissatisfaction from my father’s malusage of my small fortune intrusted with him determined my abode in America, which took place the Tenth January One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty, accompanied by my consort Mary, and eldest daughter Julyana.

The Arms of the Browne’s family are Three Lions Rampant, and those of the Brydges [my mother’s family who are ancient gentry] the same as Brydges Duke of Chandos.

My children I have given you this pedegrettical account, not through ostentation, but that in future times a distinction may be made between the Renegado set and a set that are sprung from ancient worthy's, ne'er an action of which I am this day ashamed of, and whose integer and Honorable Deportment will, I trust, be a stimulus to future progeny to practice and inforce every Godlike endeavour they may have occasion to encounter.

Written on the back was:

Eccentric Martin—-lies here still
And this the tenure of his will
That no man do molest a bone
Because he ne’er disturbed e’er one.

“The Golden Rule his fav’rit Theme,
He lived as though He ne’er had been.”

Research in the records of Leeds Parish Church, the Thoresby Society in Leeds, and elsewhere have confirmed most of the details of the AD. To date the Bishop Auckland residence is not confirmed. Considerable searching was done for me by the late Charles P. Neat of Sunderland, County Durham, in 1970. There were George Brownes in the neighborhood but they cannot be made to fit the known vital facts of our George Browne taken from the Leeds Parish Church records. No arms such as he alludes to are on record in the College of Arms, London, (but arms of the related Wade Browne family are, though containing no lions). Connection with the Chandos family is unproven, mostly because I cannot find a record of Martin's mother.

The facts that dovetail with the AD were found by a genealogist, David Barron, and me searching in Leeds. There was a “Burnitop Hall" in Leeds. “Old Hall,” Burmantofts, Old Hall and Gibson Streets, was built in 1696 and torn down in the 20th century. The earliest tenant listed was William Nevile, High Sheriff of the County, who lived there in 1710. Other tenants were listed in an article in the Bulletin of the Thoresby Society, none of whom was named Browne.

BROWNE vs BROWN
Before the Public Record Office was established in Great Britain in about 1837, vital informatin was kept in the records.of an individual's parish. Surnames were at the mercy of the Parish Clerk, who may not have known, or cared, how to spell. "Browne" and "Brown" were nearly interchangeable. The extra "e" didn't mean a thing. Browne seems to be more common in Ireland, but is not an indicator of Irish birth.
Our surname was always spelled with an "e" in England, and during Martin Sr.'s time. As they moved into the wilderness it disappeared along with their Anglican religion. The "e" came back in my great-grandfather's time. Anglicanism was caught by my father when he married my mother.
A very good example of eccentric spelling of surnames follows in John "Broone." .

JOHN BROONE [sic] OF HILLHOUSE-BANKS b ca 1632–1639

Birth not certain. There was a “John, son of George of Hillhousebanks” christened 9 August 1632, but there was a “John son of George of Hillhousebanks” buried 15 April 1639. There must have been more than one George Browne of Hillhousebanks; I have several infants from this parent christened from 1625 to 1656 but can’t sort them out. [see original data.]
The sure datum is “John Broone of Hillhousebanks married Agnes Preston, of Ipsa Pitts, 13 February 1655/6.” “Ipsa Pitts,” properly “Hybsabit,” is in Knowesthorpe. Their children were:
Sarah b 1659, d 1659/60
Xpo [Christopher] b 1661, d 1664
George b 1663
Matthew b 1665
Hannah b 1666, d 1670/1
Abraham b 1668, d 1673
Sarah b 1669, d 1670
Catherine b 1670
Burials of John and Agnes not found.
[from Leeds PC records]

GEORGE BROWNE OF BURNITOFTS

Born 22 November 1663, christened in Leeds PC 29 November 1663. Son of John Browne of Hilhousebanks and Agnes Preston. Married Jane Harper of Meadow Lane [Leeds] 9 September 1684 at Leeds PC. Children of George Browne “of Burnitofts:"

Martin b 15 January 1685/6
Ann b 12 July 1687
Margaret b 23 January 1688/9
Mary b 27 November 1690
Burials not certain. There are several
Georges and Janes to choose from.
[from Leeds PC records & LDS FGS]

MARTIN BROWNE [I] OF MEADOW LANE AND HOLBECK (1685/6–1760

The son of George Browne of Burnitofts and Jane Harper was born 15 January 1685/6 and christened 3 February. I have not found his marriage.
Children:

Christopher b 1710, d 1710
Elizabeth b 10/19/1711, d 1720
Martin b 2/8/1713
Mary 12/9/1715
John b 1/21/1717-8, d 1781
Betty b 5/18/1721, d 19 April 1770, m Richard Mackley of York
Anne b 1723/4
[from Leeds PC records &LDS FGS]

References to Martin Browne were found in extracts from the Leeds Mercury as reprinted in Thoresby Society Vol. 24 p. 101;

“To be sold for the importer at Martin Brown’s, in Leeds, Good Red Port & Madera wines in five shillings per gallon.”[Tues. 17 Feb. 1735]
p. 80; “To be let to enter to at May Day next in Meadow Lane in Leeds, all or part of the House, Stable, and Garden now in possession of Philip Prince with Tenters thereto belonging. Enquire of Martin Brown in Meadow Lane.”
Vol. 26 p. 73; “This is to give notice that Martin Brown in Meadow Lane, Leeds, keeps a Raff yard and Shade, where is to be sold, dry and fit for present use, all sorts of single and double Deals and Poles at reasonable rates. ’[28 Nov. 1738]

Leeds Intelligencer; “On Wednesday last died Mr. Martin Browne, senior, many years an eminent packer in this town.” [16 Sept. 1760]
[Date of death was therefore 14 September, 16 Sept being a Friday.]

Thoresby Society Vol. 33 p.137 lists an inscription on a monument at St. John’s Church, Leeds; “and also Elizabeth wife of Martin Browne” but no date.

Leeds Intelligencer; “Last week died after a tedious illness, Mrs. Mackley, wife of Mr. Mackley, Proctor at York, and daughter of the late Mr. Martin Browne of Holbeck.” [Tuesday 24 April 1770] This is “Betty” b 1721, d 19 April 1770. Named “Betty” in Parish record because of second use of name “Elizabeth,” the sibling born in 1711 of that name d in 1720.

MARTIN BROWNE [II] OF MEADOW LANE (1713– )

Son of Martin Browne; born 2 August 1713 and christened 13 August. No record of marriage or burial. AD implies that wife’s name was “Brydges.” Leeds Intelligencer states “Friday died Mrs. Brown, the wife of Mr. Brown, Merchant of St. Peter’s Square in this town.” [15 April 1793]
Wife’s name possibly “Elizabeth Brydges.”

In parish records he is referred to as “Mr.” Martin Browne, a sign of respect, and at times of “Meadow Lane” and at times of “South Part.” Meadow Lane is in the south part of Leeds. Records of his children:

Edward Vernon b 12/15/1740-1, d 1746
Elizabeth b 11/10/1741, d 1742
Betty b 9/9/1745, d 1746
Thomas b 1/20/1747-8, d 1748
Martin b 9/3/1749, d 28 June 1834, Madison Co., Indiana.
Francis b 5/26/1751
John b 3/22/1755, d 1780, m. Betty Mackley (cousin), son, Mackley
[from Leeds PC records & LDS FGS]

His first born, named “Edward Vernon,” has the only middle name we encounter. It could have been a family name, or he could have named him after Admiral Edward Vernon [1684-1757], who had a distinguished naval career and in 1739 was in command of the West Indian expedition that in that year took Porto Bello. Edward Vernon Browne was born in early 1741 [our time]. At that time Admiral Vernon was campaigning unsuccessfully at Cartagena. Lawrence Washington was on that expedition and later named Mount Vernon after the admiral. [This information has nothing to do with anything but is interesting.]

Meadow Lane; from Ducatus Leodiensis, 1714, p. 98:
...The Meadow Lane, so called, no doubt, from the Champs desirabilis, as Meadow Lane in Canterbury, which Mr. Sumner, the noted antiquary, argues is from the Radix with the meads [p] though mis-printed Maiden-lane in the old map of that city instead of Meadow-lane. Here are several pleasant seats of the magistrates, etc., which Transamnesians had the Insignia Magistratus amongst them three years successively, viz. 1688, 1689, 1690, in the mayoralties of Thomas Kinchingman, William Massey, and Michael Idle, Esquires.

MARTIN BROWNE, (1749–1834), Known hereafter as “Martin Browne, Sr.” was born in the “South Part” of Leeds 3 September and christened 27 September 1749.

A marriage bond taken out 29 December 1774 says:
On which day appeared Martin Browne of Leeds in the diocese of York, merchant, aged 25 years + and a bachelor ... intends to marry Phebe Green of the same place, aged 24 years + and a spinster, in the parish church of Leeds. [s] Martin Browne

A fragment found by the searcher:
Know all men ... that we ...Martin Browne of Leeds in the county of York, merchant, & Mark Stead of the city of York, Cordwainer ...
Witness: John Browne
[s] Martin Browne
[mark of] Mark Stead

From the parish register of Leeds:
Married 3 January 1775: Martin Browne, of this Parish, Merchant, & Phebe Green of this Parish, Spinster, by License.
Witnesses: Geo. Beaumont, Thos. Atkinson

A pedigree chart received from cousin Arline Mosshammer, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, states that Martin Browne died 28 June 1834 in Madison County, Indiana. This important date and especially place of death I did not have. It explains why I could not find Martin’s grave [with the unusual epitaph] when I looked for it in the Kanawha Valley. The move to Indiana was later verified by records from there.

Martin Browne’s Brother, John

John Browne, Martin’s brother, married his cousin, Betty Mackley, of York, had a son named “Mackley,” and died 18 October 1780, aged 26. His widow married Joseph Buckle of York.

“Richard Mackley admitted Proctor of all ecclesiastical courts of the Archbishop of York.” York Courant; 14 October 1770.

“Death of Mrs. Mackley [daughter of the late Martin Browne of Holbeck, nr. Leeds.” York Courant; she died 19 April 1770, reported 24 April 1770.

“Richard Mackley died 5 April 1775.” York Chronicle 7 April 1775.
“John Brown of York married Miss Mackley, daughter of Mr. Richard Mackley, deceased, on 25 March 1776 at Kildwick in Craven;” York Chronicle
John Brown, son-in-law of Richard Mackley, died 18 October 1780, aged 26.

York City Deanery Act Book:
11 April 1775 Admon. of the goods and chattels of Richard Mackley, late of the city of York, Gent., deceased, granted to Bettie Mackley, spinster, his daughter and only next of kin above the age of twenty-one years.
1 June 1781 ... I confirm this paper and my marriage articals as and from my last will and testament ... and therefore constitute my wife sole executrix ... and bequeath all my residue of my estate not disposed of by the above-mentioned part of my will to her my wife and my son Mackley or any other child or childrenI may have by my said wife. I desire my executrix will distinguish my intimate and old friend of Minskip and my good brother at Leeds with some little token of my affectionand regard, dated 3 Jan. 1778.
[s] John Brown

Know all men ... that we Bettie Brown of the city of York, widow, & Joseph Buckle of the same city, Gent. ...(she marries again)

MARTIN BROWNE COMES TO AMERICA


The searcher found no record of a burial of a Phebe Brown nor of the birth of a Julyana Brown. Martin says he came to America 10 January 1780 with his “consort” Mary and eldest daughter Julyana.
The Revolution was still going on then. New York was the only major port still in British hands. His whereabouts are unknown until 1810. Recent family records provided by Arline Mosshammer’s daughter state “came to Philadelphia 1780.” This is the same statement made by the researcher my mother hired in 1924, probably from the same unknown source. I now know that Cousin Arline Mosshammer passed on to her daughter documents from Della Browne “copied from Martin Browne’s handwriting.”
Kanawha County [W] Virginia tax lists have been published for 1806 and 1809 by Jonathan Sheppard Enterprises, Albany, NY, 1977. Martin Brown is not shown in 1806. In 1809 there is a Martin Brown with 1 white male >16, no slaves, 6 cows and horses. This was certainly our Martin.
[In January, 2003, I discovered that Martin Browne's papers from 1770-1806 are in the Southern Collection in the library of the University of North Carolina. This shows that he kept an ordinary, or tavern, in Frederick County, Va., outside Winchester until he removed to the Kanawha River Valley.]

A legal document in the MBP headed “London, 25th November 1778" dissolves the partnership between Richard Green and Martin Browne, haberdashers, in the Haymarket. “Richard Green is empowered to receive every debt and will pay all accounts respecting the said partnership.”

MB’s place of settlement at the head of the Shenandoah Valley is on one of the main emigrartion routes from Philadelphia.
If Philadelphia, the likely port of entry for Martin, was unavailable, and he says in the AD that he came in 1780, and if the first trace we find is in the Janawha Valley in 1809, how did he get into the country and where was he for nine years.?
The discovery of the Martin Browne Papers shows where he was after about 1787. Discovery of Julyana’s birth record solved the rest of the problem.
Search in the International Genealogical Index found the following record:

Juliana Browne
 female

Events:
Birth 06 Jan 1783
Christening 12 Feb 1783
Saint Matthew’s, Bethnal Green, London, England
Parents
Father MARTIN BROWNE
 Mother MARY

Certainly the parents would not travel with a new baby, so give a year or two, which allowed the Revolution to be over and travel permitted, and the “unknown residence” time becomes so short, between about 1785 and 1787, as to be counted travel time.
Confirmation of this record comes from the US Census of 1850 in which “July Hardy” of Fall Creek Twp., Madison County, Indiana, gives her age as “67" and in another her birthplace as “England.”
Of course, it also establishes that Martin was a bigamist. After the one lapse, Martin was a model of conjugal fidelity, living with Mary for 50 years
Mary was a weaver. Bethnal Green was a center pf the weaving industry at the time. Martin was a draper/haberdasher. I hypothesize that Mary and Martin met doing business. They began an affair which caused the Browne–Green partnership to break up in 1778. I suspect that Martin’s original employer-partner Robert Green was Phebe’s father and Richard was her brother.
We have not pinpointed the location of MB's tavern. We know from the MBP that he had interests in flour milling and exporting to Alexandria & Fredericksburg. Cousin Sunni Larsson found the following land dealings in “Northern Neck Land Grants, Virginia:"

T-533 – John Campbell, asne. of martin Brown 439 A (15, Jan. 1788) in Hampshire County, adj. Lord Fairfax’s Mill Lott, John Campbell 7, July 1789.

V-438 – T.W. 8267 = 27 Mar 1782 – Martin Brown 590 A (30 Nov 1790) in Hampshire County on Saw Mill Run of S. Br. and on Little Mt. 9 March, 1792.

V-537: Adam Hall, asne of Martin Brown asne of Tarrence Popejoy 389 A (17 Feb. 1788) in Hardy County on S. Br. of Potowmack R. adj. Isaac Parsons, near mouth of Mill Creek, surv. of Lord Fairfax, Mucklewain, William Buffington (1 June, 1792)

X-277: T.W. 1272 = 10 April 1795 Elisha C. Dick 8250 A (29 Apr. 1795) in Hampshire County on R.R. & S. Br. of Potowmack adj. Andrew Woodrow, Robert French, Hender

son, Henry Kirkendall, Martin Brown, Hardy Co. line, George Gilpin, Little Mt., Isaac Vanmeter, Joseph Briggs, Stoney Run, Buffalo Run, John Decker, Saw Mill Run, John Goff, Piney Mt., Brs. of Horn Camp. 11 Oct. 1796 [Dl’d Thos Triplette 14 Oct 1796]

X-95: T.W. 19,599 = 26 Sept. 1783 – Lewis Vanderver 150 A (5 Nov. 1793) in Hampshire Co. on the Allegany Mt. near N. Br. of Potowmack adj. Myres, 21 Mar 1796 [Dl’d Mr. Brown 8 Dec. 1796]

X-122 – T.W> 18,364 – 6 Aug 1783 – Abraham Neff 56 A (19 Dec. 1792) in Hampshire Co. adj. Samuel Hauge, Andrew Redtruck, George Miller, John Hartley, Buffington 4 My 1796 [Dl’d Mr. Brown 8 Dec. 96]

asne: assign
T.W. – Treasury Warrant
adj. – adjacent, adjoining
Dl’d – delivered to

Lord Fairfax
 Thomas Fairfax, sixth Baron Fairfax of Cameron, descended from a distinguished family who were important generals and politicians at the time of the English Civil War, on the side of Parliament.
Thomas Fairfax succeeded to the title and lands on the death of his father. The Yorkshire estates had to be sold to pay debts. Fairfax came to America in 1746 or ‘47 to settle on vast lands in the Northern Neck of Virginia inherited from his mother, Catherine, heiress to the fortune of Lord Culpepper.
Fairfax lived for a while with his cousin, William Fairfax, at Belvoir, on the banks of the Potomic. Lawrence Washington married Anne Fairfax and brought her to live at neighboring Mouint Vernon. Fairfax took an interest in young George Washington, and in 1748, when George was only sixteen,, Fairfax entrusted to him the task of surveying and mapping the Fairfax lands in the Shenandoah Valley. Also involved was a man named Howell Lewis, whose names appears in some of the Land descriptions pertaining to Martin Brown.
Lord Fairfax eventually settled at Greenway Court, near Winchester. He was active in public causes and promoted the settlement and development of the district. During the Revolution he was a rabid Tory, but was spared the punishment meted out to Tories because of his friendship with Washington. He was confined to his own estate instead.
The downfall of the British cause at the hands of the man he had trained and moulded was a death blow, and he took to his bed and died in 1782,
After his death his vast holdings in the Valley were broken up and sold, which enabled Martin Browne to acquire and sell the parcels shown above.

Kanawha County, Virginia

When Kanawha County was formed in 1789 from parts of Montgomery and Greenbrier Counties it became one of the largest counties in the western portion of Virginia. In 1804 Mason County, named in honor of the Virginia statesman, George Mason, was created from the northwest portion of Kanawha. The area that remained as Kanawha County included all parts of what is now Cabell, Nicholas, Logan, Fayette, Jackson, Braxton, Boone, Gilmer, Putnam, Calhoun, Roane, Clay, and Lincoln Counties, West Virginia. It is likely that many of the early settlers in these counties were included in the Personal Property Tax List compiled by John Wilson in 1806.

The second list in this volume was compiled in 1809, after Cabell County was cut off from Kanawha. A comparison of names on both lists will serve as a rough indicator of those individuals who had arrived in the county in the previous three years as well as those who were living in the area that became Cabell County.

In 1806 most of Kanawha County was sparsely populated, with small settlements located on the principal rivers. Charleston, the county seat, was a small village serving the needs of the frontier farmers and woodsmen. Many of the settlers were newly arrived in the area, having come from the eastern parts of Virginia, from neighboring states, and in a few cases, from New York and New England.

A glance at the surnames on both taxlists reveals that, in many respects, Kanawha County was Western Virginia in miniature. The names reflect German, English, Scots, and Irish origins with an admixture of Frenchand Welch. In nearly every case, the names are still represented in Kanawha County and the surrounding area.
(Kanawha County Personal Property Tax Lists, Sheppard, 1977)

No record remains of the Virginia censuses of 1790 and 1800.


1810 CENSUS OF MASON CO., VA.
M<10 10-16 16-26 26-45 >45 F<10 10-16 16-26 26-45 >45
[1] 1 1 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 1
[2] 0 3 1 1 1 0 1 2 2 1
[3] 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
[4] 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

1 = Garrett McAllister
2 = Samuel Frazier
3 = Able (sic) Brown
4 = Martin Browne


1820 CENSUS OF MASON COUNTY, VA.
M<10 10-16 16-18 18-26 26-45 >45F<10 10-16 16-26 26-45 >45
0 3 0 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 1
5 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 0

1 = Martin Brown, Sr
2 = Abel Brown
3 = Martin Brown, Jr.


Search Of Mason County Land Records, State Archives, Charleston

Book C, p 233; 150 Acres Kanawha River:
3 January 1814, Thos Stribling & Elizabeth, his wife, to Martin Brown, for consideration of one dollar. Beginning at Howell Lewis’s, upper corner on the lower bank to Mr. Thomas Stribling’s land and part of said Stribling’s survey and with Howell Lewis’s survey North 30 poles to three pines on a ridge and leaving the same South 48 poles to an elm and sugar on the bank of the river and with the same down by its meanders and bending thereon 39 poles to the beginning, containing 150 acres.
Witness: Robert Alexander, William King, William Tucker

Book G, p 400; 3/8 interest 25 mile creek:
4th day September 1829 between Martin Brown and Susannah, his wife, and Garrett McAllister and Elizabeth, his wife, and Robert Wiley, and Mary, his wife, heirs at law of Garrett McAllister, deceased, of the first part, and John Jones, of the second part, for consideration of one dollar. 3/8 ths part of a 250 acres patent dated 18 March 1818, beginning at a pine and white oak on a point of a ridge near a drain waters of the 25 mile creek, a branch of the Kanawha River, and a NE course from the house of the said Garrett McAllister thence N62 W240 poles to a point stake by a hickory and five dogwoods on a point by a drain waters of Little Guyandotte, a branch of theOhio River, S30 and W44 poles to a dogwood on a point at a ridge S53 and W68 poles to two white oaks and two hickories in the head of a hollow and thence to N? W145 poles to the beginning
Signed: Martin Brown, Garrett McAllister, Robert Wiley, Susannah Brown, Elizabeth McAllister, Mary Wiley

Book 24, p 307 [1871]; Arbuckle Twp., L.D. Brown to John M. Gates
Book 29, p 257 [1876]; Arbuckle Twp., L.D. Brown to Benj. Day
Book 30, p 357 [1878]; L.D. Brown to J.H. Brown
Sims Index to W Va Land Grants

1-297 1791 John McAllister, 1000 acres, mill creek
1-341 1818 Susanna Brown, heirs, 250 acres 25 mile creek
1-341 1818 James McAllister, heirs, 250 acres 25-mile creek
1-417 1826 Garrett McAllister, 100 Acres, 18-mile creek
1-431 1826 Garrett McAllister 50 acres, 18 mile creek
1-433 1826 Garrett McAllister, 200 acres, 18-mile creek
1-436 1826 Garrett McAllister, 118 acres, Hurricane Creek
1-449 1826 Thos & John McAllister, 200 acres Teases Valley
1-483 1828 James McAllister, 100 acres, 16-mile creek
1-527 1832 Thos & John McAllister, 155 acres 25-mile creek
1-534 1833 Samuel McAllister, 100 acres 25-mile creek
2-111 1847 James McAllister, 100 acres drains 16-mile creek

The Child Bride
In 1814 Emily (Amelia), daughter of Martin and Mary Browne, married William Tucker though not yet aged 14. In connection with an application for a widow’s pension the following affidavit was filed:

Thomas M. Tucker says that William Tucker, late husband of Emily Tucker, was his brother, that Emily was the daughter of Martin & Mary Brown an English family who settled in the Kanawha Valley at an early day. I became acquainted with the family before the War of 1812, resided within one mile of them, was well acquainted with their daughter Emily who was married to my brother William on the 31st day of August 1814. They were married at Mr. Brown’s house. They were married by a Justice of the Peace by the name of Burnagh [Bernaw], a near neighbor. Brother William was some three years younger than I am. I was born in 1789, he in 1792. EmilyBrown I understood from my first acquaintance with her was born in 1800 in the month of September. A short time before my brother and Emily were to be married, I was at Brown’s house, and he and his wife Mary entered into a conversation respecting my brother William and their Emily about to be married and I found they were very much opposed to their daughter’s being married, their principal objection to it was their daughter being so young. Said she would not be fourteen years of age until the third of next month. I had this talk with Mr. Brown & wife at the request of my brother William in order that they might be reconciled, this talk was in August, 1814, several days before William & Emily were married. I had seen Emily’s birth record in her father’s old English Bible (yet in existence) & I know she was not yet 14 years old when married. I am certain the marriage was the last day of August, 1814, the part I acted in obtaining Brown & wifes consent has kept the date fresh in my memory & I am not interested in this claim.

[s] Thomas M. Tucker
Notarized 13 November 1873 by John B. Downing of Meigs Co., Ohio

Thomas Tucker and Elizabeth Hickenbotham residents of Mason County West Virginia Say that Wm Tucker and Emily Brown (Sometimes called Amelia) were joined in marriage by Mr Bernaw a Justice of the Peace in and for Mason County Virginia on the 31st day of August in the year of 1814 Said Marriage took place at the House of Martin and Mary Brown Parents of Said Emily a Short distance below Red House Shoals on the Kanawha River in said County of Mason. Affiants say they were present at the marriage and Eye Witnesses of the Same, that Said Wm Tucker died near Red House Shoals 16 Nov 1837, that said Emily Tucker has not remarried since the death of her said husband and that they are not interested in this claim."
Wit
L W Worley [s] Thomas M. Tucker
James Williamson Elisabeth {X}
Hickenbotham
her mark

Notarised 2 November 1872 by John B. Downing, Meigs Co., Ohio

Julia Ann Tucker was bornd January 5th 1816. Elary P. Tucker was bornd Oct 27th 1818.
Mary C. Tucker was bornd April 17th 1821.
Martin B. Tucker was bornd Aug the 3rd 1823. Amelia Tucker was bornd March the 19th 1826.

Nancy C. Tucker was bornd May 1 1828.
Mary M. Tucker was bornd November the 4 1830. William Tucker the son of James Tucker and Penelope his wife was born Feb 20th 1792.
Amelia Tucker the Daughter of Martain Browne [sic] and Mary his wife was born Sept the 21st 1800.
William Tucker married to Amelia Browne 31st August 1814.

State of Ohio County of Meigs
Amelia Tucker (usually called Emily Tucker) being duly sworn says that the foregoing is a true & correct copy of our Family record fully copied from our Family Bible. The record was made by my husband’s own hand, except the entry of his birth and that of mine, and that was made by his Brother Thomas M Tucker Some time after at the request of William Tucker my husband, hehaving a lame hand. I will further State that at the time I made application for Land Warrant our marriage was made one year too late, and after the papers were made out, it occured to me that the date & year of my marriage was incorrect, and I so stated it to my son in Law Thomas Dunn who was attending to the business for me. I was told that it was a matter of no consequence, that you are the lawful widow of Wm Tucker is all that is required, the witnesses by whom I proved the marriage then, was JohnCraig & another man whom I have forgotten. Craig died some years since. I should remember thedate of our marriage if there was no record, as my parents were much opposed to our marriage on account of my being so young, not quite 14 years of age. That I was married to said William Tucker on the 31st day of August 1814, I am as confident as I am of my existence. Julia Ann, my eldest daughter, died some 25 years since. only three of my children are living. Thomas M. Tucker Brother of my husband and Elizabeth Hickenbotham are the only persons known to me to be living who are personally knowing to my marriage. Elizabeth Hickenbotham one of the witnesses to my Marriage is & has been for some time very low with Sickness.

 Ira Graham Emily X Tucker Annie H. Miller [her mark]

Notarised by Ira Graham 20 November 1873. Certifies that he has examined the record in the Family Bible

Cemetery record:
This Emily Tucker is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Portsmouth, Ohio, Lot 8 Section 7. She died 17 January; burial was on 27 January 1887.

Children of the marriage of William Tucker, son of James and Penelope Tucker, born 20 February 1792, and Emily Tucker, born 21 September 1800:

Julia Ann 5 January 1816 died ca 1848
Elary Perry 27 October 1818 married Mary M Summers
Mary C. 17 April 1821
Martin B. 3 August 1823
Nancy C. 1 May 1828 married Thomas Dunn
Mary M. 4 November 1830 married Peter Strong
Amelia 19 March 1826 married James Wilson
Cpl. William Tucker’s pension application by his widow further states that he died 11 November 1832 “at the home of Martin Brown of that [Mason] County.”

Miscellaneous data from local records:

Mason County 1850 Census
160-161 Peter Strong, Cooper, b. Va. aet 23
Mary [see above] Va. 18

163-164 Emily Tucker b. Va 50
Emily Tucker jr. Va. 24
Emily Blake Va. 9
Nancy Alexander Va. 60
Thomas Dunn Ireland 30
Nancy Dunn [v.s.] Va. 22

From “History of Mason & Putnam Counties,” by Hardesty ;

Hannan District, early settler Garrett McAllister, in the lower part of district.
Putnam County formed 1848; Matthew D. Brown senior justice & president of court.
Civil War; Co. A 36th Va. Infantry; Wm. W. Brown, Samuel Frazier, Alfred Frazier.
Winfield Charles Brown, 400 acres of land deeded to Charles P. & Talleyrand P. Brown.
Red House, fifth postmaster was Talleyrand P. Brown, merchant.
Buffalo trustees, Matthew D. Brown, Ervin McCoy.
Buffalo Dist., Thomas Atkeson, Crawford Brown, Irvin McCoy.
Frazier’s Bottom; Richard McAllister, Samuel Frazier, later came Robert & William Frazier.
Thomas Atkeson m. Virginia Brown, dau. of Wm. W. & Mary Harris Brown.

Ervin McCoy, born 1814, Jefferson Co., Indiana, returned to [W]Va. and married Emmatell Hardy daughter of Samuel & Julia Ann Brown Hardy. [this is daughter of MB born 28 June 1791]

Samuel Frazier m. Virginia Brown.

[above not known to be related but copied for the record in case]

HISTORY OF RED HOUSE
[The Putnam Democrat, 28 July 1983, by Charles Ray Harper]

Red House is the oldest community on the Kanawha River with the exception of Point Pleasant. It was named by the early pioneers who went down the Kanawha River, and seeing Red Rock, which at the time had roughly the formation of a house and was reddish in color, gave the name “Red House” to the locality.
Red Rock is located to the rear of the town of Red House, rising almost perpendicularly. It is a precipice towering to the height of 456 feet. The summit is crowned with lofty pines and cedars, and has one of the best views of the state. It is the first object which the traveler beholds
when ascending the river that suggests mountain scenery. Just behind Red Rock is the famous Red Rock Caves which, like Red Rock, according to mountain lore, was used by the Indians.
The village of Red House, Putnam County, is located on the land grant made by George III to George Washington, 1 December 1773, for his service in the French & Indian Wars. The land grant at the time contained 7,276 acres, and extended from Buffalo Creek to Poca River. George Washington stated in his will that William Augustine Washington and others were to have this property in the Kanawha Valley. This will was probated in Fairfax County, Virginia, 20 January 1800. This land was later alloted to Lawrence A. Washington, who was one of the first justices of the peace of Putnam County, and the first postmaster of Red House Shoals.
In the year 1819 the sidewheeler Robert Thompson tried to ascend the Kanawha River so it could pick up a cargo of salt and test the navigability ofthe river. Thompson got to Red House Shoals and tried for two days and two nights to get through the treacherous shoals. They finally gave up and returned to the Ohio River. The result of this voyage was reported to the Virginia legislature and a bill was passed 17 February 1820 for the first attempt at improvement in the Kanawha River, made in the early part of 1822. Chutes at least 40 feet wide were dug.
After the failure of 1819, the Andrew Donnaly succeeded in navigating the shoals and reached Charleston. The work on the shoals was not completed until 1828. The Red House/Winfield Dam, a roller-type dam, was completed in 1937.
The vicinity known as “Riverside”, where the Browns, Montagues, Giles’s, Cramers, Morrises, Blakes, and Cozart families resided, played a prominent part in the life of Red House.
 First settlement of Red House Shoals was made before 1806. Early settlers were James A. Payne, Sydenham Hereford, Adison Wolfe, Dudley S. Montague, Matilda Bayes, Thomas Harmon [who made the first settlement of Red House at Little Guano Creek, John A. Harmon, S.W. Harrison, Jonathan Hill, John Jividen, John Jeffers, E. Jividen, George Harmon, William Augustine Washington, Lawrence A. Washington, John Harmon, Ebenezer Dixon. The first school was built ca 1830 and was taught by John Armstrong.
On the Brown farm Union soldiers under the command of Col. Lightburn camped some three or four days in their retreat in October of 1862. The property was then owned by Alfred Brown. [Martin Browne had a son, Alfred, born 23 Oct. 1804] While in camp, the soldiers used around 22,000 wooden rails for camp fires, about 800 bushels of corn and several tons of hay. Col. Lightburn could not draw supplies at the time from U.S. Depots. The money value of the supplies furnished him was $1,871.00 and was paid by the United States

THE 1988 FIND
On 20 September 1988 I got a letter from Joy Day, daughter of Arline Mosshammer. Joy Day is my 2nd cousin, common ancestor, Lorenzo D. Browne. Her mother had received copies of letters and papers from Aunt Della Browne, copied from Martin Browne’s handwriting.

Children Of Martin Browne, Senior
Martin Browne, Senior, born in Leeds in Yorkshire, England, —— died 6-28-1834 in Madison County, Indiana
Mary——, his wife, born in England,——-

Children

Julyana born in England [AD]
Abel October 6, 1786 Married Polly Frasier
Elizabeth April 12, 1788 Married Robert Muse
Martin May 26, 1790 died June 28, 1790
Ann [prob “Julia Ann”] June 28 1791 married Sam Hardy (Wrong: confused with Julyana. Another source [Hoppes] says she married John Howard. )
Martin Jan. 13, 1794 married Susie McAllister
Friend March 4, 1796
A girl October 22, 1797 died in infancy
Mary (called Polly) August 29 1798 married John Custer
Amelia September 21, 1800 married William Tucker 1814
Nathan Jan 10, 1802 died Feb. 9, 1802
A boy August 9, 1803 died in infancy
Mahala March 24 1804 died Sept. 15, 1804
Alfred Oct. 21, 1805
Thomas Stribling Dec. 9, 1807 married Nancy— , died Aug 7 1832
[these sound like excerpts from a Family Bible]

Exact Copy Of Notice Of Sale In Handwriting Of Martin Browne, Senior

“The subscriber holds his place for sale consisting of one Hundred and Eighty acres of Military land, at Six Hundred Dollars,—Situate upon the Big Kanawha River opposite the Big Hurricane, Mason County Virg. The site is pleasant and healthy and buildings good and convenient, and from its midway situation between Point Pleasant and Charles Town deemed eligible for Store Keeping.”

1st January 1830 Martin Browne, Senior
&Ma&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;&Mac176;

“Exact copy of a letter in Martin Browne’s handwriting which I have in my possession.” [Della Browne]

Our Dear Children:-Robert and Betsy Muse. [Elizabeth Browne b 1788 & husband]

We received your letter under date of the 10th August 1829,-only last week, the old man, (Harrison you call him) had been a long route by his own account. He may pass under half a dozen names for anything I know, neither does it import me in the least. He introduced himself to our acquaintance under the sanction of delivering your letter in the first place and as he apparently boards upon the publick, the more acquaintance he procures the better chance for a good living —- such a roving life in my estimation is a singular choice, but every one to their fancy as the old woman said when she kissed the cow—He meets kind usage and attention with us as long as he chooses to tarry because his situation seems to call for it.
It is very kind of Robert & you to offer us an asylum if we wanted it but so long as Stribbling [ Thomas Stribbling Browne b 1807] continues to do his duty to us [note Stribbling d 1832 may be reason MB moved to Indiana in 1832] and we should not meet an opportunity of selling our place we most likely shall continue there it consists of 150 acres of Military land. Title indisputable with sufficient good buildings and about 20 or 25 of it open—price six hundred dollars and situation remarkably healthy,—If Stribbling should give out, we should be obliged to rent and take up our quarters with son Martin on a house he designs to build for us in his yard where we should choose to have it fixed and provide for us. He is doing well-he gave 358 dollars for a Many improvement [sic] of 160 acres with 20 acres opened eight acres of which sow’d downin wheat and was lately offered One Thousand Dollars in hand for the same which he refused-He says he expects he reap’d sixty Bushels to the acre off his corn land.
[son Martin was in Hancock Co., Indiana by then]
We should be happy indeed to see your family of Children but it seems deny’d us on account of poor Nancy’s situation, tho we are under expectation that her disorder is graduating as she has not had one single Fit in the day time for these three or four months and aremuch less frequent in the night and weaker.
Your Mother is very desireous to know the number and names of your children. Polly [MB’s daughter b 1798] and her husband John Custer are living in our yard they have two very fine boys and lost one other boy that was chokk’d.
We were sorry to hear of the premature step taken by Edward Sovette Nancy’s husband-for it certainly was Edward Muse’s intention that the advantage of the negroes left his brother Robert should be apply’d to the good bring up of his Robert’s children - and tell your lawyer from me that so long as the youngest is not come of age they cannot (in the eye of the law) be said or construed to be brought up educated & according to the tenor of the will. Now Betsy for coming out this fall to see us and then we can relate all the passages by word of mouth. [possible: MB’s daughter Elizabeth married Robert Muse; the unfortunete Nancy may have been their daughter]
Abel has ten children seven sons and three daughters and is preparing to get out into the Indiana where Martin lives. [Abel b 1786= MB’s oldest son]
Julyana your sister has nine children, seven girls and two boys. Old Kynsy was out to see us all last summer and I thought made Sam [Hardy] a very great offer— how it will turn out I know not — He owns half a section of very good land ten miles from Zanesville — He gave Singleton his youngest son 50 acres out of the 340 - Sing is a proper money making fellow not worth less than 1000 Dollars, — his wife Becka is up early in the morning on the road to Zanesville one hour before day sells her Butter at the very highest price (having obtained the premium one year) and then home that night. Sing, her husband, works hard all day in the plantation and at night sits down and makes a pair of shoes. Jack the middle son turned out tricky with regard to the old man went down the River towards New Orleans and never heard of since.
Emily Tucker (the finest hearted woman the world ever produced) [MB’s daughter b 1800] has five children living two sons and three girls and resembles in feature very much like what you yourself were when young.

I wish you to come out in a Carry all and take Nancy back with you - You must have Robert Muse’s approbation before you start - Nancy once fixed it would not be long before your Mother & self were fixed in our destination. I am really tired of writing - farewell.

Your affectionate father,

Martin Browne, Senior”

THE 1994 ADDITION
Fifth cousin 1/r Dr.Wayne McCallister, of Anderson, Indiana, sent copies of part of a book published in 1925 titled History of the Hoppes Family and Our Ancestry including some of the better known families in America by Lester C. Hoppes, of Corbin, Kansas.
The part he sent deals with the related Brown family. There are many errors but it still contains valuable information not previously obtained.

Chapter 10 The Brown Family in America:

“Our particular branch of the Brown Family was founded in America by Martin Browne, who was born in England about the year 1760 [1749 HSB]. Of his ancestry or nationality we know nothing but take it for granted that he was of English stock. He became dissatisfied with his surroundings and when only a lad he ran away from home and came to America,settling in the mountainous region of southern Virginia, afterward he probably went over into North Carolina, for we find that at least part of his children were reared in that state [there is no evidence for this HB]
He married in Virginia [Leeds, HB], and was the father of five [8 OR 9] children: Abel, Friend, Martin, Jr., Mary, who married Thomas McAllister, and Betsy, who married John Hardy [see pedigree chart HB]. In 1832 Abel, the oldest son, moved to Indiana, and the succeeding year Martin and his other two sons, Friend and Martin, Jr., followed. [Martin, Jr. went in 1829; Martin, Sr., Abel & Friend followed in 1832-33 HB].
Martin, Sr., made his home with his son, Martin, until his death, which occurred at an advanced age. Martin Brown, Sr., was a man of strong personalities and was not without his peculiarities, some of which are still remembered by his great-grandson, Alfred Brown (Abel’s grandson), who now (1925) resides in San Bernadino, Calif., and who has so kindly helped us with the Brown family history.
To the end of his life Martin, Sr. wore the old-fashioned colonial knee breeches with buckles and ate his meals from a lap-board by himself.”
The MB family made a wholesale migration to Madison County, Indiana, Fall Creek Township. Martin, Jr., received bounty land for service in the War of 1812. He went first, in 1829. The rest of the family followed in 1833.
Martin died 28 June 1834 and was buried in the Hardy-Culp Cemetery. Cousin Sunni Larson has been over the ground, and that cemetery is covered by a development. Mary's death date is uniknown.
Update, May 2004: The Madison County Cemetery Commission is cooperating in restoring the integrity of the Hardy-Culp Cemetery. The Family hope to attend a reunion/redidication/re-consecration soon.
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