M#60 ROBERT AND M#61 SARAH BROWN

The Brown family in Taylor County goes back to when the county was a part of Monongalia County. In 1820 in the Eastern District of Monongalia were listed the families of William, Elias, Thomas and Robert Brown. A James Brown and his family were a part of this list in 1810, but failed to appear in the 1820 U.S. census. As 1850 was the first year of the census that lists families on the basis of given names, ages and other personal data, there was little in evidence for the kind of relationship.

Robert Brown, at age 54 in 1850, would have been born in 1796 (see ERRATA). According to the 1870 census, he was born in Pennsylvania. In the 1860, 1880 and other censuses, he was from Virginia. Sarah, at age 52 in 1850, would have been born in 1708. She was from Virginia. Unfortunately at this writing, this author has no further knowledge of Sarah's family (see ERRATA).

M#30 John and M#31 Deborah Brown are listed separately from Robert's family in 1850. While they named some of their children after Sarah, including daughters Sarah Melissa and Catherine, other of John's kin did likewise. However, the name of one of Robert's daughters survived to become the middle name of one of Robert's great-great granddaughters, Donna Lenora.

It is for these, among other, reasons that it is this author's opinion that M#30 John Brown's parents were M#60 Robert and M#61 Sarah Brown.

Several of Robert and Sarah Brown's children are documented by the U.S. census and county vital statistic records. Some, like M#30 John Brown, have not yet been documented to be their offspring. However, as of this writing, this author believes Robert and Sarah's children to be:

M#60.1 George Brown- b 1818, m to Miss Giddy, who was born about 1818 (see ERRATA). They had at least five children: M#60.1.1 Isaac Brown- b 1847, m 17 May, 1860 to Margaret Grow- b 1839 (see ERRATA). Isaac probably died before May of 1866. M#60.1.2 James W. Brown- b 1844, m 16 May, 1861 to Susan Matilda Norris (see ERRATA); M#60.1.3 John W. Brown- b 1846; M#60.1.4 Sarah Brown- b 1848, m 13 October, 1878 to William T. Dillon- b 1842 (see ERRATA); M#60.1.5 Anna Brown- b 1850, m 29 December, 1872 to John L. Neel (see ERRATA).

M#60.2 Samuel B. Brown- b 1820 (see ERRATA), m 1.) to Miss Dorcas- b 1819 (see ERRATA). She bore Samuel eight children: M#60.2.1 Loran Mason Brown- b 1840, m 3 March, 1859 to Anna S. Peters- b 1837 (see ERRATA), dau of John and Catherine Peters; at least two children: M#60.2.1.1 Wilford Brown- b 1867; M#60.2.1.2 Morgan Brown- b 1869. M#60.2.2 William Jasper Brown- b 1841, m 8 August, 1866 to Mary Jane Poe- b 1850, dau of James A. Poe; at least two children (see ERRATA): M#60.2.2.1 James H. A. Brown- b 1868; M#60.2.2.2 Dorcas A. Brown- b 1869; M#60.2.3 Sarah Jane Brown- b 1844, m 4 December, 1861 to Leander Trader- b 1825 (see ERRATA), son of James and Mary "Polly" Trader; at least five children: M#60.2.3.1 Laurah Trader- b 1866; M#60.2.3.2 Charles Trader- b 1868; M#60.2.3.3 Henry Trader- b 1871; M#60.2.3.4 Gilbert Trader- b 1876; M#60.2.3.5 Stella Trader- b 1878. M#60.2.4 Mary E. Brown- b 1845, m 21 April, 1868 to Lewis Price- b 1847 (see ERRATA), son of Isaac and Mary E. Price. M#60.2.5 Robert Brown- b 1846; M#60.2.6 Lydia W. Brown- b 1848 (see ERRATA); M#60.2.7 Roana Brown- b 1849, d 12 December 1860 (see ERRATA); M#60.2.8 Mr. O. S. Brown- b 1852. d 13 December 1860 (see ERRATA).

Samuel B. Brown m 2.) 4 August 1856 to Anna Lake- b 1852(see ERRATA), dau of George and Mary Lake. Anna bore Samuel at least four more children: M#60.2.9 Miss S. C. Brown- b 1858; M#60.2.10 Martha Ellen Brown- b 1859, m 31 May, 1875 to George E. Kiger- b 1851 (see ERRATA); M#60.2.11 Thomas A. Brown- b 1861; M#60.2.12 Samuel W. Brown- b October, 1864, m about September, 1886 to Miss Prudence E.- b March, 1862; at least five children: M#60.2.12.1 William L. Brown- June, 1887; M#60.2.12.2 Harvey N. Brown- b February, 1889; M#60.2.12.3 Miss Jessie L. Brown- b May, 1892; M#60.2.12.4 Bessie L. Brown- b November, 1898; M#60.2.12.5 Lena Brown- b 1905.

It is most likely at Samuel and Anna Brown's home that M#15 Sarah Melissa Brown and M#14 Philip Ramsey were married on 30 December 1874, as entered in the Taylor County marriage record book.

M#60.3 John Brown- b 1821, m about 1842 to M#31 Miss Deborah; at least ten children.

M#60.4 William Brown- b 1823 (see ERRATA), m 1844 to Emily Wright- b October, 1827; at least nine children: M#60.4.1 Clarissa Brown- b 1845, m 21 February, 1867 to David O. Goodwin- b 1846 (see ERRATA), son of Seth and Sarah Goodwin; M#60.4.2 Catherine Brown- b 1846, m 2 January, 1866 to James B. Templeton- b 1844, son of Jackson and Experience Templeton; M#60.4.3 Christopher C. Brown- b September, 1844 or 1848, m to Mary E. Zumbro- b May, 1848, dau of William H. Zumbro. Christopher and Mary had at least one child, who died young. M#60.4.4 Robert M. Brown- b November, 1850 (see ERRATA), m 21 December, 1874 to Ellen J. Boner- b July, 1856; at least seven children: (see ERRATA); M#60.4.4.1 Minnie E. Brown b 12 October 1875; M#60.4.4.2 Ona D. Brown- b November, 1878; M#60.4.4.3 William B. Brown- b January, 1881; M#60.4.4.4 Maud Brown- b July, 1885; M#60.4.4.5 Carrie G. Brown- b November, 1887; M#60.4.4.6 Waitman T. Brown- b September, 1889; M#60.4.4.7 Ralph E. Brown- b December, 1891; M#60.4.4.8 Jessie M. Brown- b July, 1895; M#60.4.5 George W. Brown- b 1853, m 15 June, 1873 to Nancy A. Green- b 1854, dau of James W. Green; M#60.4.6 James W. Brown- B 1856; M#60.4.7 Sarah E. Brown- b 1859; M#60.4.8 Isaac F. Brown- b 1862; M#60.4.9 Emily M. Brown- b February, 1864, m about May, 1890 to Rogers Edgerton; at least two children: M#60.4.9.1 Gerry M. F. Edgerton- b February, 1891; M#60.4.9.2 Charles F. Edgerton- b September, 1896.

M#60.5 Catherine Brown- b 1827 (see ERRATA), m 22 November 1854 to Perry Hilyard- b 1828 (see ERRATA), son of Matthias and Prudence Hilyard. As of the 1880 U.S. census, at age 53, Catherine listed no children in the census.

M#60.6 Robert Brown, Jr. - b 1829, m about 1848 to Miss Elizabeth A.- b 1836; at least five children: M#60.6.1 Andrew J. Brown- b 1849, m 1.) 25 January, 1874 to Olive S. Curry; m 2.) by 1880 to Miss Nettie M.- b 1858. Andrew and Nettie had at least two children: M#60.6.1.1 Mabel Brown- b 1877; M#60.6.1.2 (unnamed)- b 1880; (see ERRATA); M#60.6.2 Sarah V. Brown- b 1858, m 24 October, 1878 to James W. Harr (see ERRATA); M#60.6.3 Susan A. Brown- b 1863; M#60.6.4 Martha M. Brown- b 1867; M#60.6.5 Fannie B. Brown (?)- 1867.

M#60.7 Sarah Ann Brown- b 1831, m 26 February, 1854 to Philip Z. Trader- b 1826; at least two children: M#60.7.1 James Trader- b 1855; M#60.7.2 Elizabeth A. Trader- b 1857.

M#60.8 James Brown- b 1834, m to Miss Sarah E.- 1841; at least two children: M#60.8.1 Charles C. Brown- b 1861; M#60.8.2 Henry W. Brown- b 1865.

M#60.9 Elizabeth E. Brown- b 1837, m 23 April, 1857 to William H. Keener- b 1838 (see ERRATA), son of Samuel and Mary Keener; at least three children: M#60.9.1 Sarah J. Keener- b 1859; M#60.9.2 Mary C. Keener- b 1861; M#60.9.3 Lavina M. Keener- b 1864.

M#60.10 Sabina (Sabrina?) Brown- b 1839, m 1 July, 1858 to Freeman Wilson- b 1830 (see ERRATA), son of Charles and Catherine Wilson; at least ten children: M#60.10.1 Mary C. Wilson- b 1859; M#60.10.2 Robert Wilson- b 1859; M#60.10.3 Lavina or Lurina Wilson- b 1862; M#60.10.4 Sarah Wilson- b 1866; M#60.10.5 Alice Wilson- b 1868; M#60.10.6 Francis Wilson- b 1870; M#60.10.7 Isaac Wilson- b 1872; M#60.10.8 Sabina Wilson- b 1875; M#60.10.9 Harriet Wilson- b 1878; M#60.10.10 Bertha Wilson- b April, 1880.

M#60.11 Lenora (or Lavina) Brown- b 1842, m 23 December, 1866 to Andrew J. Childress- b 1847 (see ERRATA), son of Thomas J. and Adaline Childress; at least one dau: M#60.11.1 Sarah E. Childress- b 1868.

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It was this author's initial judgment that M#60 Robert Brown's parents were Thomas (b 1776) and Susan (b 1784) Brown -- especially since they lived in relatively close proximity. However, Susan Brown would have been only twelve years old when M#60 Robert was born. Possible, but unlikely! Then, too, Susan could have been a step-mother, but if European tradition of honoring elders were upheld, there was a curious lack of the given name, Thomas, assigned to any of Robert's or his son John Brown's offspring. The name seems to appear only in the family of Samuel Brown.

There was, however, a William, a Samuel W., and a Robert in Samuel Brown's family; a James W. and a Robert M. in the family of William and Emily Brown; at least a Robert and a James in Robert and Sarah's family; and a William A. in John and Deborah Brown's family. This author would bet on William or Samuel as Robert's father, although James Brown, the eldest, leaving the census records after the 1810 census as being in the age bracket of 26-45 years old, was also a good candidate. Thomas Brown might have been a younger brother to Robert's father. Other collateral family of Thomas's could have included Garret, Samuel, Elias, William, James, and Samuel Brown.

It has been said that members of the Brown family immigrating from England to America came by way of New England or Philadelphia. Future researchers of this line of the Brown family might turn an interest toward the north.

The Browns were also one of those surnames to be found in Ulster, Ireland. The name was one of the forty commonest names, and among the most popular. Its centers were in Counties Derry, Down and Antrim in Ulster. The great majority of Ulster Browns were of English or Scottish descent, the English name deriving from Old English "Brun" or Norman "Le Brun," meaning "the brown," or one of brown hair or complexion. The Norman Le Brun assimilated and became one of the "Tribes of Galway."

The Scottish name is most likely of Gaelic origin, Mac a'Bhruithainn, "son of the brehon, or judge"; and the name Mac Ghille Dhuinn, "son of the brown lad".

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