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Alexander Brown, of Hampshire Co., [W]VA
Facts and Events
Conflict
Some researchers believe that Alexander Brown's wife was Winney Ann Warren, others claim it was Mary Bradford, and some believe that Alexander Brown may have had multiple wives. Additional research and records need to be found to establish who are the wife or wives of Alexander Brown.
Will Abstract
- Will of Alexander Brown of the County of Hampshire and State of Virginia
- Names Son Adam Brown, Son Samuel Brown, Son Isaac Brown, Daughter Jane Brown otherwise Pugh, Daughter Polly Brown or Claton, Daughter Elizabeth Brown, Son Mathew Brown, Son John Brown, Son David Brown, Daughter Nancey Brown or Day and her son William Day.
- Names "Trusty friend George Sharf, Daniel Carmichal, John Candy Executors".
- Dated 14 August 1816.
- [Signed} Alex Brown
- Wit: John Malick, John Forrance, Wm. Forrence
- Proven 16 September 1816
- Teste: Jno. B. White CMC
Will Transcript
- Will of Alexander Brown Be it Remembered that I, Alexander Brown, of the county of Hampshire and State of Indiana, being weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God, calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is Appointed for all men once to Die Do make and ordain this my last will and Testament that is to Say 'Principally and first of all I Give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of the Almighty God that Gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the Decresion of my Execotors, nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the Same Again by the mighty Power of God and as touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life, I Give Devise and Dispose of the Same in the following manner and form.
- I Give and Bequeath to my Son Adam Brown after my Dec' d. the Negro Boy Bill to be his.
- I Give and Bequeath to my Son Samuel Brown after my Dec'd. Negro Gierl Sinty to be his.
- I Give and Bequeath to my Son Isaac Brown two Hundred Dollars one Hundred of them he has had.
- I Give to my Daughter Jane Brown otherwise Pugh Two Hundred fifty Dollars of them She has had.
- I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Polley Brown or Claton two Hundred Dollars fifty dollars she has Received.
- I Give to my Daughter Elizabeth Brown Three Hundred Dollars, Likewise bed and Beding.
- I give to my Son Mathew Brown Two Hundred Dollars after Setteling the Book acc't. that I have against him.
- I Give to my Son John Brown two Hundred Dollars after Setteling the Book acc't that I have against him.
- I Give to my son David Brown two Hundred Dollars.
- I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Nancey Brown or Day her children five Dollars each as the Last of Mr. Thos. Lewis ~onds is Got and to her son William Day the Smith Tools' that I set up his father with that is one anvill one Vice one Belleses two Large Hammers & After my decease I which my Execotors to Sell my Plantation and Devide the Money as above Described provided my Property should come to more than I have willed the Overplush to be Equally Devided Among. My Children & Also I will that my Trusty friend George Sharf, Daniel Carmicall, John Caudy Execotors of this my Last Will and Testament all and other Testaments wills Legaces, Bequests by me in any wise Confirming this to be my Last will & testament in witness whereof I have, hereunto Set my hand and Seal this fourteenth Day of August in the Year of our Lord one Thousand and Eight Hundred and Sixteen 1816.
- {Signed] Alex. Brown
- Signed sealed published and Declared by the said Alex Brown as his Last will & Testament in the presents of us have subscribed our names. John Malick, John Torrance, Wm Torrance
Image Gallery
References
- West Virginia. Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985.
Name: Alexander Brown
Residence Place: Hampshire, Virginia
Will Date: 14 Aug 1816
Probate Date: 16 Sep 1816
Probate Place: Hampshire, West Virginia, USA
Inferred Death Year: 1816
Inferred Death Place: West Virginia, USA
Item Description: Wills, Vol 1-2, 1756-1835
- Genealogy.com.
I am trying to identify the first wife of my gggg grandfather, Alexander Brown.The death record of her oldest son, Adam Brown, states that her name was Winney and/or Ann.Her name may have been Winifred or Winifred Ann.Other researchers state that her maiden name was Warren.She and Alexander Brown had two sons:Adam andSamuel by 1770, both born in Ireland.A third son, Isaac Brown, may have been a full or half brother to Adam and Samuel.There were also several other children born to Alexander, but they are believed to have been by a second wife.Samuel Brown, my ggg grandfather, married Hannah Taylor, daughter of Harrison Taylor and Jane Curlet in Frederick County, Virginia in 1796.Both Adam and Samuel Brown and their families moved to Ohio County, KY in the early 1800s.Alexander Brown died in Hampshire County, VA (now WVA) in 1816.The other children of Alexander Brown moved to Perry County, Ohio after their father's death.
Any information on any of these persons will be greatly appreciated.
Doug Foster
https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/warren/6955/
- Wikitree.com.
Little is known about Alexander Brown, born in Ireland, he apparently married several times. Conjecture is that one wife was Mary Bradford. This has been repeated by many recent researchers.
Grace Kelso Garner, author of Early Settlers of Western Frederick and Eastern Hampshire County wrote that Nancy was the daughter of James Caudy, Jr. She stated that Nancy married 30 October 1781 to George Alexander Brown establishing a home in Hampshire where George Alexander Brown died in the year 1816. She then cites the children of our Alexander Brown. However, this researcher has not found any document of Alexander's utilizing the name George in Hampshire County. In 1995, author, Wilmer L. Kerns wrote in Frederick County Virginia Settlement And Some First Families of Back Creek Valley that Garner was erroneous.
At least three of Alexander's sons were said to have been born in Ireland. Adam was born 16 August 1767. Samuel was born about 1770 and Isaac Newton Brown who was born 16 April 1771. In all Alexander had ten children.
In 1791 Alexander Brown purchased property from William Linegar. He settled at the mouth of the North River of the Great Cacapon on the wagon road leading from Romney to Winchester. It is not clear how Wilmer Kerns ascertained that Alexander was a blacksmith unless through directives in his will.
Alexander wrote his will on the fourteenth day of August 1816. No wife is mentioned in the will. He gave a slave each to son Adams and Samuel. He left blacksmith tools for his grandson William Day stating that these were the tools that he had set up William's father with. Alexander then requested that his plantation be sold and the sums divided among the children.
The children of Alexander Brown appointed son Isaac, living in Perry County, Ohio as their sole attorney to act in their behalf.
Children of Alexander Brown
i. Samuel Brown, born about 1770 in Rieland, married Hannah Taylor. Resided in Ohio County, Kentucky.
ii. Jane Brown, died 19 September 1824.
iii. Elizabeth Brown
iv. David Brown
v. Nancy Brown, married (1) Ambrose Day; married (2) Thomas Henderson.
vi. John Brown
vii. Adam Brown, born 16 August 1767 in Ireland. Resided Ohio County, Kentucky.
viii. Isaac Newton Brown, born 16 April 1771 in Ireland; died 01 March 1853 in Perry County Ohio; married (1) Mary Clayton 27 October 1795; born 18 February 1777 in VA; died 27 January 1822 in Perry County Ohio; married (2) Eleanor Chenoweth 27 March 1823 in Perry County Ohio; born 07 March 1796; died 01 March 1872
ix. Mary Brown, born February 1779 in Frederick County VA; died 28 August 1858 in Clayton Township, Perry County Ohio; married John Calvin Clayton Abt. 1799.
x. Rev Matthew Brown, born 16 June 1786 in Frederick County VA; died 27 October 1884 in Bowling Green, Wood County Ohio; married Mary Constance Queen 14 April 1811; born 1788 in Loudon County, VA; died 1865.
Bible Record: Alexander Brown (born in Ireland and died September 1816 in Romney, Virginia) married Winnay (1) or Ann (2). They had ten children.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brown-49237
- Heritage Consulting. Millennium File. (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2003).
Name: Alexander Brown
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 1741
Birth Place: Ireland
Death Date: Sep 1816
Death Place: Hampshire, West Virginia, USA
Spouse: Mary Bradford
Children: Isaac Brown
- Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).
Name: Alexander Brown
Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Hampshire, Virginia
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
Numbers of Slaves: 3
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 8
- .
Alexander Brown - A wee bit Irish
Alexander Brown, was born in Ireland, according to son, Rev. Matthew Brown, family stories, and children’s census records. At least three sons were born in Ireland: Adam Brown born 8 April 1766, Samuel born about 1770, and Isaac Newton Brown born 16 April 1771.
Both Adam and Samuel migrated from Ireland to Hampshire County, Virginia, where their father settled, then on to Ohio County, Kentucky. When Adam Brown died in Ohio County, 10 August 1853 from flux, the death register listed his father Alexander and mother as Winney Brown. Winney is most likely short for Winifred an old English/Welsh given name. DNA, for this compiler, indicates that Adam is a ½ brother to later siblings, confirming, what earlier researchers suspected, that Alexander had more than one wife.
In a published sketch, it is stated that Samuel Brown immigrated to America with his father when he was twelve years old[i]. If this statement is accurate then Alexander and family migrated to America in 1782. According to one researcher[ii] Winney Brown died in Ireland before the migration.
The first confirmed documentation of Alexander Brown is in Frederick County, Virginia on the personal property tax of 1782 with 10 white and 1 black within the household. From experience, this compiler believes that Alexander actually arrived in America about 1781 to be established in Fredrick and paying taxes by 1782. Historically the Irish Volunteers had organized and in December 1781 had met at a meeting place of the Presbyterian Synod of Ulster. The Brown children appear in later Presbyterian records in America. As they settled in America they were faced with talk of the Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina and the surrender at Yorktown.
Conjecture repeated by some researchers say Alexander had a wife Mary Bradford. Grace Kelso Garner[iii], wrote that Nancy Caudy daughter of James Caudy, Jr. married 30 October 1781 to George Alexander Brown. She then cites the children of our Alexander Brown. In 1995, Wilmer L. Kerns wrote in Frederick County Virginia Settlement And Some First Families of Back Creek Valley that Garner was erroneous. A deed and mortgage involving Alexander and Thomas Lewis written a year prior to Alexander’s death indicates that his wife was named Ann.[iv] To date it is not clear who the mother of nine of Alexander’s children was.
Alexander was active in Frederick County and was witness to the will of John Buckanon in January 1789. In 1791 Alexander Brown purchased property from William Linegar in Hampshire County, Virginia. He paid 120 pounds for 223 acres on the North River at Great Cacapon. He settled at the mouth of the North River of the Great Cacapon on the wagon road leading from Romney (Hampshire County) to Winchester (Frederick County). The state road was completed from Winchester to Romney in 1786. Brown was involved in a Chancery court case involving Isabel Feeley in 1795.[v] By March 1792 he was established in his new home and appears in a list of letters remaining at the post office at Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia.[vi]
Kern’s surmised that Alexander Brown was a blacksmith because he gave grandson William Day blacksmith tools in his will. Alexander wrote his will on the fourteenth day of August 1816. Alexander Brown stated these were the tools that he had set up William’s father with. William Day was one of the children of Alexander’s daughter Nancy Brown. Nancy had three children with Ammery Day[vii]. William’s siblings were John Day and Larkin Day. In 1798 Thomas Henderson was cited as living in adultery with Nancy. The Day children later utilized the Henderson surname. Thus it is unclear, at this writing, if Brown set up blacksmith tools for Ammery Day or for Thomas Henderson. Alexander references daughter Nancy as Day in his will so it is “assumed” the blacksmith tools were for Day. There is documentation that Alexander Brown paid tax on a grist mill in 1814 and the property he sold to Thomas Lewis has a “merchant” mill which is mentioned further in this report. He would be paying tax on a mill if it was on his property. As of this report it is unclear if he is the miller.
No wife is mentioned in Alexander Brown’s will. He gave a slave each to son Adam and Samuel. Alexander then requested that his plantation be sold and the sums divided among the children. He appointed “trusty friend” George Sharf, Daniel Carmichael and John Caudy to be executors of the estate. The appraisement was June 1817.
The estate lingered in court. The Winchester Gazette announced a trust sale 19 Oct 1822 for 124 acres by subscriber Thomas Lewis for payment of a certain sum due to George Sharf and Daniel Carmicheal, executors of Alexander Brown. The land was to be sold at the tavern door of said Lewis upon the premises to the highest bidder. The land described as on the road leading from Winchester to Romney including a Merchant Mill[viii] and an excellent stand for a tavern having been occupied as such for several years. It appears the property did not sell at that time. Instead it was leased to John Martin & Nicholas Baker with John Brown acting as trustee prior to John’s migration to Perry County, Ohio. They failed to make their payments.[ix] In October 1828 Matthew Brown, David Brown, John Clayton & Polly late Brown his wife, David Pugh and wife Jane late Brown, Samuel Rusk and Elizabeth nee Brown his wife appointed Isaac Brown of Perry County, Ohio to act as their attorney-in-fact.[x] It was not until April 1834 that Adam and Samuel Brown both of Ohio County, Kentucky also appointed Isaac Brown to act as their attorney-in-fact.[xi] Isaac Newton Brown finalized the sale of the property to John Wolford in 1837.[xii]
The will, as well as tax records, prove that Alexander Brown was a slave owner. Son Matthew Brown was interviewed, in Bowling Green, Ohio, as the oldest man in the county. He said that when a lad he saw his father sell a woman who had two little children and saw the frantic mother begging to intercede for permission for her to come back some time and see her children.[xiii] This left a deep impression on Matthew who became a devout minister.
Children of Alexander Brown
i. Adam Brown born 8 April 1766. Married Marry Baldwin. Resided Ohio County, Kentucky.
ii. Samuel Brown, born about 1770 Ireland, married Hannah Taylor. Resided in Ohio County, Kentucky.
iii. Nancy Brown birth estimated 1766-1784. M. Ammery Day, associated with Thomas Henderson. Resided in Hampshire County, Virginia.
iv. Isaac Newton Brown, born 16 April 1771 in Ireland; died 01 March 1853 Perry County Ohio; married (1) Mary Clayton 27 October 1795; born 18 February 1777 in VA; died 27 January 1822 in Perry County Ohio; married (2) Eleanor Chenoweth 27 March 1823 in Perry County Ohio.
v. Jane Brown birth estimated between 1775 – 1794. Married David Pugh. Jane died 19 Sep. 1824 Perry County, Ohio.
vi. Mary Brown, born February 1779; died 28 August 1858 in Clayton Township, Perry County Ohio; married John Calvin Clayton Abt. 1799. Died Perry County, Ohio. She is the ancestor of this compiler.
vii. Elizabeth Brown born between 1785 & 1794. Married Samuel Rusk. Resided Perry County, Ohio.
viii. Rev Matthew Brown, born 16 June 1786 Frederick County VA; died 27 October 1884 Wood County Ohio; married Mary Constance Queen 14 April 1811.
ix. John Brown born 1791 – 1792. Hampshire Co., Va. 1810. Said to marry 1. Polly Skinner. John 1830 in Pike Twp., Perry Co., OH with female b 1790-1800. Marries Mary Meddleton in Perry County, Ohio in 1836. Rev. Matthew Brown performed marriage. Migrated to Knox Co., MO between 1850 & 60. He names a son Isaac. (Isaac Newton Brown s/o Alexander also bore a son John Brown in 1798 Hampshire County. Caution researchers to not confuse records).
x. David Brown born about 1793 Hampshire County, Virginia. Migrated to Pike Township, Perry County, Ohio.
https://easternkentuckygenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/01/?m=0
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