Person:John Brownfield (2)

Re: Robert Brownfield of PA JEAN (View posts) Posted: 29 May 2005 3:59PM Edited: 30 May 2005 4:10AM

Robert Brownfield, Jr., son of Robert and Joan Brownfield, immigrants, is believed to have been born in Northern Ireland somewhere between 1705 and 1715. The family was in Chester County, Pennsylvania by 1737 and there is evidence that Robert, Jr., was married soon after to Jane Stewart (sometimes listed as Stuart), whose family also migrated from Northern Ireland in 1722.

Records show that Robert Brownfield, Jr. purchased a 59 1/2 acre farm one-half mile west of Russellville, Pennsylvania, which was a part of the 5,000 acre William Penn, Jr., manor. His tax assessment for 1739 in Chester County was ten shillings, nine pence.

Following the death of his father in September, 1738, and the removal of his mother (upon her request) from administrative duies in February 1739, Robert and his brother Charles assisted in the settlement of the estate.

After the 1740 tax assessment, the name of Robert Brownfield, Jr., disappears from Chester County records. However, family records indicate that all of Robert's children were born in Pennsylvania. This would mean that they remained there at least through 1757 and possibly later.

It is likely that in the 1760's the family took one of the major southern routes of Scotch-Irish migration through the Shenandoah Valley and into the Yadkin River Valley of North Carolina. The Brownfield name appears on public records in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in 1768, for the first time.

William and John Brownfield were witnesses to a deed made by John and Martha Henry to John, Robert, and James Bigham on the north branch of Steele Creek, dated December 23, 1768, in Mecklenburg County (Deed Book 7, pp 231, 232). This is the first indication of the family in North Carolina.

On May 3, 1769, William Tryon, Governor of North Carolina, authorized the granting of 300 acres of land to William Brownfield. The wheels of the monarchy turned slowly and in July, 1771, the grant was issued and it was for only 150 acres. The chainbearers for the survey were Robert Brownfield and Samuel Bigham (N.C. Land Grants, File #1863).

Robert Brownfield, Jr., had settled just southwest of the present city of Charlotte. This is believed to be the first settlement in the deep south to become saturated with Scotch-Irish Presbyterians and nearly all came from Southeastern Pennsylvania and its adjacent surroundings in Northern Maryland.

On Steele Creek, just south of Charlotte, one of the earliest churches was organized by 1760. In 1872 Pastor John Douglas wrote a history of the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church in which he indicated on page 7 that the congregation met for some time "under the widespread branches of some forest oak." He further stated, "In the course of time they (the Steele Creek Church) obtained a small piece of land, not exceeding two acres, from a Mr. Brownfield (or Brumfield as he was more commonly clled). It is unknown if this land was purchased or donated. The third published history of the Steele Creek Church in 1978 gives the following information on page 13:

"Apparently there were two tracts of land chosen for Steele Creek Church. The first was obtained from Robert Broomfield, whether it was purchased or was a gift is not known. The tract consisted of about two acres on the headwaters of Steele Creek."

The only purchase of land made by Robert Brownfield, Jr., that can be found was made January 7, 1771 (Mecklenburg Deed Book 5, pp. 328-330):

"William Bigham and wife Sarah of Mecklenburg County, planter, to Robert Brownfield, of same, planter, for 60 pounds proc. money ... 300 acres on branches of Beaver Dam Creek on west side of Hugh Parks, part of grant to Bigham made on 23 December 1763, four acres of said land, including the old and new meeting houses, the graveyard and the spring on the north side of said meeting houses, only excepted and exempted for the use of the congregation.

Witnesses: Robert Brownfield, Jr., and Samuel Bigham; signed: William Bigham and Sarah Bigham.

Robert Brownfield, Jr., was never referred to as "Junior" in North Carolina records. He was called Robert Brownfield, Sr., and the witness to the above deed was his son, the twenty-one year old Robert Brownfield, Jr, who will hereinafter be called Dr. Robert Brownfield.

The elder Robert was a planter whose 300 acre farm joined the 150 belonging to son William so that they had a joint estate of 450 acres. Following the American Revolution Robert and William sold a portion of that estate to neighbor, James Bigham. This deed for 200 pounds sterling was made October 10, 1783 for the sale of 262 acres (Mecklenburg Deed Book 17, p. 415), thus reducing the estate to 188 acres:

"being part of two tracts of land, one granted to Robert Brownfield by deed from William Bigham dated January 7, 1771; the other grant to Will Brownfield by patent dated July 12, 1771. Witnesses: James Hail and John Brownfield; signed: William Brownfield and Robert Brownfield (his mark)."

By 1790 when the first U. S. census was taken Robert Brownfield was an old man. He had been a vital part of an area which had produced its own Declaration of Independence (The Mecklenburg Declaration) prior to July 4, 1776 where virtually no Tories could be found among these Scotch-Irishmen.

Robert had seen all three sons serve as officers of the Revolution and had lived long enough to be a part of the new nation whose liberties his sons and sons-in-law had helped to achieve. Oldest son, William, was likely the only one of the children still living nearby when Robert died in the 1790's. According to a great granddaughter, Jane Wilson, he was interred in the Steele Creek Church graveyard. There is no marker there today designating the site of his burial.

Source: Brownfield Gleanings, Volume 6, Issue 4, March 1985

1. ↑ Hunt, Royce Miller. Descendants of Robert Brownfield
   [1].

   JOHN BROWNFIELD, JR. was born 1718 in Marple, Chester, PA. He married PRUDENCE GRAY Abt. 1741 in PA, daughter of WILLIAM GRAY and JANE. She was born 1727 in Westmoreland County, PA, and died 1769.
   
   Notes for JOHN BROWNFIELD JR.:
   
   John Jr. was taxed 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia in 1739 and 1740. Chester tax records are missing from 1741 to 1748 so John's whereabouts are uncertain until 1751. In September 1751 he was living six to eight miles northwest of Gettysburg. Arounf 1767 the family went west into Cumberland Valley. Here they were taxed in several townships. In 1769 John bought 300 acres about 12 miles southeast of Pittsburgh which he returned from over the mountains in 1772 to sell to a McKee. The land is now part of McKeesport.
   
   In 1774 John settled with sons James, Daniel and Robert in Westmoreland County about one
   mile east of Mount Pleasant in what was part of old Bedford County. In 1778 it is recorded that he owned one horse and two cattle. In 1779 he owned 100 acres, three horses, three cattle and a negro servant. In 1780 he had 300 acres, four horses and two sows. He was also taxed here in 1783 and 1790. He may have gone to Kentucky with his son Robert around 1798. Of his seven sons, six served in the Rev. War and five reared families.
   
   Children of JOHN JR. and PRUDENCE GRAY are:
   
   i. JOHN BROWNFIELD III, b. 1742, Cumberland County, PA; d. 15 Sep 1788, Cumberland County, PA; m. ELIZABETH CLARK, 01 Dec 1766, Cumberland County, PA.
   Notes for JOHN BROWNFIELD III: John served in the Rev. War as a private of the Pennsylvania Line.
   
   ii. WILLIAM BROWNFIELD, b. Abt. 1747; m. MARGARET BREYENS, 01 Jan 1769.
   Notes for WILLIAM BROWNFIELD:
   William served in the Rev. War. He and Margaret had six children.
   
   iii. JOSEPH BROWNFIELD, b. Abt. 1749.
   
   iv. JAMES BROWNFIELD, b. Aug 1751, Adams County, PA; d. 1829, Westmoreland County, PA; m. MARTHA TAYLOR, Abt. 1772.
   Notes for JAMES BROWNFIELD:
   James served in the Rev. War.
   
   v. CHARLES BROWNFIELD, b. 09 May 1754, Adams County, PA; d. 27 Aug 1776, Long Island, NY.
   Notes for CHARLES BROWNFIELD:
   Charles died in the battle of Long Island in the Revolutionary War., the same as his younger brother Daniel.
   
   vi. JEAN BROWNFIELD, b. Abt. 1755, Adams County, PA; d. 26 Sep 1760, Adams County, PA.
   
   vii. DANIEL BROWNFIELD, b. 22 May 1757, Cumberland County, PA; d. 22 Aug 1776, Long Island, NY.
   Notes for DANIEL BROWNFIELD:
   Soldiers of the Revolutionary War from Westmoreland County. - A Brilliant Honor Roll.
   The following list of soldiers who enlisted from this county, is as nearly perfect and complete as the limited records enable us to make:
   p. 368
   Roll of Captain Joseph Erwin's Company.
   This company was raised in Westmoreland County, joined the regiment at Marcus Hook, subsequently included in the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Regiment, then in the Second, and finally discharged at Valley Forge, January 1, 1778, by reason of expiration of term of enlistment. Engagements were Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Quibbletown, Brandywine and Germantown.
   Privates - ... Brownfield, Daniel, missing since the battle, Aug. 27, 1776.
   
   viii. ROBERT J. BROWNFIELD, b. 04 Jun 1760, Cumberland County, PA; d. 17 Jun 1841, Somers Township, Champaign, IL.
   
   ix. ELIZABETH BROWNFIELD, b. Abt. 1761, Cumberland County, PA.
   
   x. JONAS BROWNFIELD.

2.   Joyce Rohrbacher Doss Family Tree on Ancestry.com
   [2].

   John and Prudence Gray (1727-1769)
   
   Children:
   
   William Brownfield (1741-)
   
   John Brownfield (1742-1788)
   
   Joseph Brownfield (1749-1814)
   
   James Brownfield (1751-1829)
   
   Charles Brownfield (1754-1776)
   
   Jean Brownfield (1755-1760)
   
   Daniel Brownfield (1757-1776)
   
   Robert Brownfield (1760-1841)
   
   Elizabeth Brownfield (1761-1766)