The first of the two researchers who provided the information for David Brown is Marvin Ryan who descends from David Brown through David's son William Marion Brown of St. Clair County, Alabama and Marion County, Arkansas and his son Daniel Richard Brown of Marion County, Arkansas and Johnson County, Texas. James A. Brown who descends from David Brown through David's son Miller Brown of St. Clair County, Arkansas and Pontotoc County, Mississippi is the primary researcher. Judith Voran who descends from David Brown through William Marion and Daniel Richard Brown compiled the records in this form and added some of her own research. Marvin Ryan is deceased; his records have been microfilmed by the LDS Church and are in their microfilm collection under film #s 1035820 and 1035821. James A. Brown continues his research into the origins of David Brown as does Judith Voran.

Bill Maines has researched the genealogy of David Brown from Pendleton Dist., SC. This David Brown appears in the St. Clair County records from about 1819 until he moved to Rusk Co., TX in 1835. Information about him is published in this narrative of David Brown (d. St. Clair Co., 1868) to clearly distinguish between the records of the two Davids and for the convenience of researchers interested in David Brown (d. Rusk Co., TX, 1854). See "Four David Browns of St. Clair Co."

The following is an article written by James A. Brown researcher of the life and ancestry of David Brown and his descendents. It is reprinted here to give a succinct summary of the life of David Brown.

David Brown was born in North Carolina about 1783, according to federal land and census records. His parentage and exact birthplace are unknown, although his roots probably were in western North Carolina. He even may have been born in what today is Tennessee, since the lands claimed by North Carolina in 1783 extended west all the way to the Mississippi River.

Previous works have suggested that David Brown of Saint Clair County was the son of Jacob Brown (or "Braun"), a German immigrant who lived in Rowan County, North Carolina, or that he married a Sarah Miller in Rowan County in 1803. The writer believes the available evidence does not support these suggestions; moreover, he believes there are good reasons to reject them. In summary, it is the writer's opinion that the question of David Brown's precise origins in North Carolina must remain open for the time being.

David and family clearly were in Tennessee sometime before 1810 and were living near McMinnville, in Warren County or White County, by 1813. Federal military records show he served as a Private in the West Tennessee Militia during the Creek War (a theater in the War of 1812), from October 1813 until January 1814. His main duty station was Fort Strother, which was in the part of Mississippi Territory that later became Saint Clair County. This fort was on the Coosa River, about ten miles from David's future homestead. (David was under command of General Andrew Jackson. Another famous Tennessean in this 2000-man expeditionary force was Davy Crockett.)

David Brown must have liked the area of future Saint Clair County that he saw during military service because he soon came back and settled permanently. He and William Brown, perhaps a brother, seem to have been well established in Saint Clair at the time of Alabama statehood. Their exact date of migration is uncertain, but archives of the Mississippi Territory show that in 1816, there were two David Browns and two William Browns in Monroe County, which included the lands that soon would become Saint Clair County. Federal census records indicate furthermore that David's daughter, Lou Hannah, was born in Alabama (or Mississippi Territory) no later than 1817.

David purchased a large tract near Ashville from the federal land office in 1819, and he served on the County's first jury. He appears a number of times thereafter in the County records. David was a farmer his entire life and eventually acquired more than 700 acres in an area two to three miles north east of the Ashville courthouse, along present-day Highway 411.

The name of David's wife has not been proved, but legend has persistently known her as "Sarah". The writer has not located primary source material either to confirm or refute this legend, although the tombstone of David's son, Miller, in Mississippi, names Miller's mother as "S. Brown".

Some researchers have concluded that David took a second wife, Sarah "Sally" Battles, apparently on the sole evidence that Saint Clair court re cords show a marriage between Sarah (daughter of Samuel Battles) and a David Brown in 1831. Other records have convinced the writer, however, that Sarah Battles did not marry the same David Brown who is the subject of this article. In fact, another David Brown appears to have lived in the County in 1831, probably a nephew of this article's subject, and he seems likely to have been the David Brown who married Sally Battles.

Documented children of David Brown include Miller (born 1809; married Delinda Philips; died in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, 1862); Louisa (born about 1811; married Washington Langford; probably died in Saint Clair County, after 1880); William Marion (born 1813; married Elvira Dearman; died in Marion County, Arkansas, 1856); Lou Hannah or "Lehaney" (born about 1814 to 1817; married first Gillum Dearman, married second James Frazier; died in Marion County, Arkansas, 1880); Margaret (born 1820; married Evan Watkins, Jr.; died in Craighead County, Arkansas, 1882); Jasper (born 1822; married Elizabeth Cox; died in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, 1857); Rebecca (born about 1830; married the Reverend Jasper Sibert; died in Craighead County, Arkansas, 1891); Marion (born about 1831; married Margaret Catherine Dearman; died of measles in 1863 while serving as Lieutenant with the 51st Alabama Cavalry); Harriet (born about 1833; married William G. C. Lewis; lived in Noxubee County, Mississippi, in 1873; place of death unknown); and Unity (born 1834; married James Harkey Beason; died in Saint Clair County, 1910). All of these off spring except Marion and Harriet are known to have had children of their own, and genealogists have traced many descendants to the present day.

David Brown lived to be eighty-four, and he died in August 1868. Legend says he was buried on his farm in an unmarked family cemetery alongside his wife and three slaves. These graves are on land now occupied by his great-great granddaughter, Ruby Lee Beason (Mrs. Charles) Braswell, and her family. David's offspring, now spanning at least nine generations, have spread across America from Atlantic to Pacific. An exact count of his descendants probably can never be made, but with current information, we may safely estimate they number in the thousands.

Sources: Federal records, National Archives, Washington DC; territorial records, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson MS; Saint Clair land, marriage, and probate records; correspondence with Ruby Lee Braswell.

Copyright 1998 by James A. Brown, Jr.¹

MARRIAGE AND IDENTITY OF DAVID'S WIFE

David and his wife Sarah (?) were probably married in North Carolina. The date of marriage given here is approximate based on the birth date of David Brown's first documented child--Miller Brown 1809. However, if the David Brown whose estate was probated in 1828, is the first child of David and Sarah then the estimated marriage date will have to be revised to about 1807 at the latest.

Tradition has it that the first name of David Brown's wife was Sarah and that her last name may have been Miller. The most concrete piece of evidence to support the tradition of her first name is the inscription on the tombstone of Miller Brown, first documented child of David and his wife, reads "Son of D & S Brown".

From an email from James A. Brown:

"Actually, there are at least two other bits of evidence that weight in favor her being named "Sarah":

(1)There was a sale of land in the mid-1830's in St Clair Co AL from David Brown to "Gilton" Dearman. Almost surely the second party was the man we have otherwise known as "Gillum" Dearman, first husband of our David's daughter, Louhannah (or "Lehanney"). In connection with this sale, a relinquishment of dower was executed by Sarah Brown, wife of David Brown. Of course, it is certainly possible the seller was not our David, but rather David Brown "the younger" from the SC Brown family -- the husband of Sarah "Sally" Battles Brown. On the other hand, I think it is more likely that our David was selling this land in order to help a new son-in-law. So we I think have another vote in favor of his wife's name having been Sarah.

(2) The book on the Philips and Yarborough families of St Clair, which was written in 1928, refers to our David Brown's wife as "Sarah". Note that this publication date was only sixty years after David died, at which time there surely were a number of people in the county who had known him and/or his children personally. Ist seems reasonable to assume that during the course of their research, the authors of the P-Y booklet talked to informants in the county who knew the correct name for David's wife. Bottom line: I think it's more likely than not that the P-Y booklet was accurate in calling her Sarah."²

The fact that Miller Brown has Miller as his given name has been taken by some researcher to be an indication that the maiden name of David's wife was Miller. A David Miller was listed in the Warren County tax rolls next to the name of David Brown. However, James A. Brown writes: "Yes, a number of us have indulged in that conjecture over the years, but with age comes caution, and now I am of the opinion that this conjecture goes much too far out on a limb. It seems to have led some people to state as an established fact that he was a Miller. In my present state of mind, I prefer to stay away from this theory until we have at least a tidbit of evidence." (Brown rmail. 5/9/2000)

For an analysis of the reports that David Brown married Sally Battles as his second wife see " Sarah Battles Brown -- Second Wife of David Brown?" by James A. Brown at the end of this article.

WARREN COUNTY TENNESSEE 1808 - 1814

The following land grant is believed to have been the one received by our David Brown in 1809. Evidence for this is based on the fact that the tract of land described in this land entry is near that of David Miller and Thomas Langford. Tradition has it that David's wife was Sarah Miller, and one of David's daughters married Washington Langford in St. Clair County. McMinnville is in east central Tennessee. Fred Smoot has begun the development of a plat map which shows some of the land holdings in the area around McMinnville. Fortunately, David Brown's land is shown on that map, but Mr. Smoot has not extended the map to include Thomas Langford's and David Miller's land at this time.

The State of Tennessee No. 890.

 To all to whom these presents shall come, Greetings:

Know Ye, That - by virtue of part of warrant No. 1190 (or 1120), dated the 10th of July 1784 issued to John Nelson by John Armstrong entry officer of claims for the North Carolina Western Lands, and entered on the 31st day of August 1807 by No. 254 as an occupant claim. . . . There is granted by the said state of Tennessee, unto David Brown. . . . . . assignee of the said John Nelson. . . . . .a certain tract or parcel of land, containing two hundred acres, lying in Warren County in the third District, and thirty fourth Section, beginning at two black Oaks one of them marked D B, thence south one hundred and seventy eight and eight tenths poles to a stake in the Barren forks of Collin's river, thence North one hundred and seventy eight and eight tenths poles to a white Oak and a black Gum on the west bank of the river, then west one hundred and seventy eight and eight tenths poles to the beginning. Surveyed April 22nd 1808.

With the Hereditaments and Appurtenances --- to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land, with its Appurtenances to the said - David Brown. . . . . and his Heirs for ever --- in witness whereof John Sevier Governor of the said State of Tennessee, hath hereunto set his hand, and caused the great seal of the state to be affixed, at Knoxville, on the first day of March, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nine, and of the independence of the United States, the Thirty Third.

By the Governor, John Sevier

R. Houston, Secretary in 1809 at Warren, TN.³

MILITARY SERVICE IN THE WAR OF 1812

David Brown began military service on 4 Oct. 1813 at Fayetteville, TN as a member of the company commanded by James Cole in the 1st Regiment of militia commanded by Col. Winn. The following declaration made in 1851 prepatory to entering a land claim verifies the dates of military service for David Brown for the War of 1812.

The State of Alabama

County of St. Clair ~ SS

On this Seventeenth day of July A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid, David Brown aged sixty-seven years, a resident of St. Clair County in the State of Alabama, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical David Brown who was a private in the company commanded by Captain James Coal in the Battalion 1st Regiment of Militia commanded by Col. Winn in the war against Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812. --that he was drafted at Warren Co. Tenn. on or about the 4th day of Oct. A.D. 1813 for the term of three months and continued in actual service in said war for the term of three months and was honorably discharged at Fayetteville Tennessee on the 10th day of January A.D. 1814, on account of Term Expiring as will appear by the Muster Roll of Said Company.

He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which he may be entitled under the "Act granting Bounty Land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States," passed Sept. 28th,1850.

his

Sgd. David X Brown

mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me, the day and year above written. And I hereby certify, that I believe the said David Brown to be the identical man who served as aforesaid, and he is of the age above stated.

Daniel E. McCurry (seal) J.P.

Justice of the Peace.

State of Alabama, St. Clair County.

I, Irby Woolly, Judge of the Probate Court of the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify, that Daniel E. McCurry is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly commissioned and qualified; that his commission was dated on the 14th day of May, A.D. 1850, and will expire on the first day of March, A.D. 1853, and that this signature above written . . . .

Given under my hand, and the seal of Said County, the 16th day of July 1851.⁴

David Brown ended military service on 10 January 1814 at Fayetteville, TN.⁵

SALE OF LAND IN WARREN COUNTY -- 1814

The following is a deed of David Brown's land in Warren County, TN to Abraham Joseph and Daniel Alexander in 1814.

Brown, David to A. Joseph and D. Alexander

Indenture, Made Feb. 2 1814. Between David Broan (sic) of Warren county Tennessee and Abraham Joseph and Daniel Alexander of Smith Co. Tenn. Witnesseth for a consideration of four hundred and thirty-five dollars Brown sold to Abraham Joseph and Daniel Alexander a certain tract of land in Warren Co. Beginning at two black oaks one of them marked D.B. south one hundred seventy-eight and eight tenths poles to a poplar east one hundred and seventy-eight and eight tenths poles to a stake in the barren fork of Collins River north one hundred seventy-eight and eight tenths poles to a white oak and black gum on the west bank of the river thence one hundred seventy-eight and eight tenths poles to the beginning, containing two hundred acres more or less, being a tract granted to David Brown May 1, 1809. No. 890 and is the same land where Thomas Adams now lives,. To have and to hold, etc. David Brown (Seal) Witnesses Armstead Stubblefield, Robert Arcar, Thos. Johnstone, John McLean, Isham Perkins.

State of Tennessee Warren County April session 1814

Acknowledged in open court Jos Colville, Clerk Sept. 5 1814

Registered November 1, 1814⁶

ARRIVAL IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY -- SOMETIME BETWEEN 1814 AND 1819

" . . . Andrew Jackson's Tennessee Militiamen . . .opened a road called Jackson Trace, which led from Columbia, TN through Fort Deposit on the TN River, about eight miles west of present day Guntersville, AL, into the Upper Creek County of Alabama. Alabama history states that the Greasy Cove area of Chandlers Beat, St. Clair Co., was settled by soldiers from Andrew Jackson's army after they fought the Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814. The reason for the name Greasy Cove (still known as that today) was the soldiers camped there and butchered hogs on their way back to TN.)⁷

"The first land entry for my David Brown is also in 1819. I have no idea whether settlers who were in the county before 1819 were there as "squatters" pr whether they had some type of land grants that preceded the formal establishment of the federal system of ranges, townships and sections. But it's logical to assume that formal land entries were made only after the federal authorities had finalized the land system in St Clair if, even though some settlers clearly were there earlier."⁸

There were four David Browns in St. Clair County from about 1819 to c. 1838 when the "other" David Brown moved to Rusk Co., TX. For a timeline of the four Davids, proof of the separate identities of David of St. Clair and David of Rusk Co., and the pedigree of David Brown of Rusk Co., TX see "Four David Browns of St. Clair County" at the end of this article.

The following are a record of the land patents received by David Brown that are either on record with the Judge of Probate of St. Clair County or with the United States Bureau of Land Management or both. All are in Twp 13 S, Range 4E.⁹

In the years that he lived in St. Clair County, David Brown laid claim to about 680 acres of land. Except for the two parcels of land which he acquired in 1823 and which he later sold to Gillum Dearman, the land is in a checkered arrangement just a few miles northeast of the town of Ashville. Notice that the parcel of land on which he says he was residing in 1858 is not part of the listed land patents. He may have purchased this land outright or it may be in a land patent yet to be published before 1820 at St Clair, AL.

1820 CENSUS FOR ST. CLAIR COUNTY

The 1820 census¹⁰ for St. Clair County lists two David Browns and one William Brown. The first entry for David Brown appears to be the David Brown of this paper. In this entry all known children of David Brown can be accounted for except for David Brown, Jr. This supports the conclusion that the David Brown Jr who died in 1828 and whose estate was administered by David Brown Sr. is not the son our David Brown.

D Brown 1 white male over 21 (David), 2 white males under 21 (Miller and Wm. Marion); 1 white female (David's wife) 3 white females under 21 (Louisa, Louhanna and Margaret) 1 free person of color.

This is the entry for the other David Brown who is possibly the father of the David Brown Jr. who died in 1828.

David Brown 1 white male over 21; 8 white males under 21; 1 white female over 21; 3 white females under 21 and 5 slaves.

The William Brown listed in the following entry might be a brother or uncle of our David Brown.

William Brown 2 white males over 21; 3 white males under 21; 1 white female over 21; 3 white females under 21 and 2 slaves.

1830 - - 1850 ST. CLAIR COUNTY CENSUSES

The 1830 St. Clair County, AL census:¹¹

David Brown: 1 male 5-10 (Jasper); 1 male 15-20 (William Marion); 1 male 20-30 (Miller); 1 male 40-50 (David). 1 female under 5 (Rebecca), 2 females 10-15 (Margaret & Louhannah); 1 female 15-20 (Louisa) 1 female 30-40 (David's wife).⁸

The 1840 Alabama census for St. Clair County has the following entry for David Brown:¹²

David Brown: 1 male 5 - 10 (Marion); 1 male (15-20) (Jasper); 1 male 50-60 (David); 2 females 5 - 10 (Unity and Harriet); 1 female 10 - 15 ((Rebecca); 1 female 40 - 50 (David's wife).

The 1850 Alabama census for St. Clair County has the following entry for David Brown:¹³

David Brown: David Brown is listed in household #154, age 66; birthplace, North Carolina; occupation, farmer; real estate valued at $300; can neither read nor write. Daughter Harriet: age, 17 years; birthplace, Alabama, occupation, housekeeper.

DEATH AND DISTRIBUTION OF ESTATE -- Estate settlement papers

David Brown died in 1868 sometime before the first date of his estate papers, which was 1868. He apparently did not leave a will, but the estate settlement papers¹⁴ of his estate run to approximately 100 pages. These papers are an excellent example of how legal documents can link parents to children and grandchildren because all of David's children and grandchildren (where the parent has died) as well as where they were living in 1868 are listed in the estate paper. Jim Brown is beginning the transcription of these pages and they will be added to the page for the links above as they are completed. This is a very difficult task and Jim is to be thanked for his meticulous work in transcribing these pages on the David Brown estate.

"Legend says that he [David Brown] was buried on his farm in an unmarked family cemetery alongside his wife and three slaves. These graves are on land now occupied by his great-great granddaughter, Ruby Lee Beason (Mrs. Charles) Braswell and her family." The following is from a history of St. Clair Co.

"When his estate was settled his land was sold so as to make distribution to such a large number of descendants. Years later his farm was mortgaged to Judson College, Baptist Girls School, at Marion, Ala. to secure the cost of the owner's daughter's education. When the debt was not paid Judson College foreclosed on the mortgage and sold the land at auction. It was bought by Euel Beason, whose wife and children live on it now (1969).¹⁵

When his daughter Ruby Lee married Charles B. Braswell, her father gave them 4 acres of land on which to build their home. They cleared away a "thickety" place for the house. Soon after its completion they began to find places sinking around and under the house. Upon inquiry they learned that hill was an old burial place of a man named Brown. Further search proved Euel Beason had bought his great-grandfather David Brown's old farm unknowingly and had given his daughter her great grandfather's burial ground as a homesite. So David Brown's great grandson and daughter are growing up on his resting place. p. 373.

PERSONAL NOTES ON DAVID BROWN

The following is from an email from Morris Simon to Jim Brown and Judy Voran(16/12/20000 whose wife is a descendent of Washington Lank(g)ford. This excerpt from the email is published here by permission.

My wife is a Lankford descended from Washington Lank(g)ford and Louiza
Brown. Her father (still alive) is the grandson of James Marion
Lankford, one of Washington's sons. Washington & Louiza lived on and
near David Brown's estate during his lifetime, and Washington attempted
to administer the estate after David died. Because Washington himself
was essentially landless, it was very difficult for him to maintain the
required bonded status as the administrator of such a large estate.
After Washington's death, Louiza lived for several years with two
different sons in St. Clair County, and then very likely moved to Texas
with one of them, where she died sometime after 1880. I am still trying
to track her movements after Washington's death and will post what I
find as soon as I feel confident about the information.
         
My father-in-law was taught to refer to David Brown as "Gransir Brown"
("Grand Sire") and he described David's gravesite to us very precisely,
referring to "a grove of cedars" on what is now Highway 411 just before
you reach Ashville. When we went to the St. Clair Co. Archives and
learned about the Beason-Braswell house, we also read an old account
which placed the graves in what is now a rose garden. The site was easy
to find, and we took pictures of both the garden and the old cedars
which were part of the "copse" mentioned on Bruce & Judy's web site. I
will try to scan the photographs and share them with all of you.

 

Bibliography

 

Alabama Census Returns: 1820 Abstract of Federal Census of Alabama, ed. by Marie Bankhead Owen. Reprinted from the Alabama Historical Quarterly: Volume 6, Number 3, 1944. Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967. From a microfilm roll: Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, U. S. #962, Item 2..

Brown family records including anecdotal correspondence. Compiled by Marvin Ryan. Records taken from the Federal Archives, land records of Warren Co., TN, Census records of Alabama, Arkansas and Texas, Cope Cemetery, Retta, TX, Secretary of State records of Arkansas, and correspondence with James A. Brown., various dates, The Brown family records were compiled by Marvin Ryan over a number of years and were collated and filmed by the LDS Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City. They are on two rolls of microfilm., Genealogical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1830.

Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1840.

Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1850.

Records compiled by James A. Brown from the Federal Archives; Warren Co.,Tennessee land records and tax list (1812); land entry records for St. Clair Co., Alabama; and marriage, probate, and census records for St Clair County., various dates, These records were compiled by James Brown over a number of years and include email posts from 1999-2000..

Tennessee General Grants., n.d..

United States. Bureau of Land Management. Land patents for the State of Alabama., Various dates..

 Endnotes

1 James A. Brown. Published in the "Heritage Book" of St. Clair County, AL. 1998.

2 Email from James A. Brown to J. Voran, Sept. 5, 2000.

3 Tennessee General Grants., n.d., No. 890. Book B, p. 42. Transcribed from a record in the Tennessee State Archives by Hermione D. Embry, Genealogical Reference Librarian in a letter to James A. Brown, August 9, 1963.

4 James A Brown Family records, Transcript of declaration of military service to obtain land grant, National Archives, Washington, D. C.

5 James A Brown Family records.

6 TN Land Grant, Book B, p. 42. Transcription of the land record, n.d.

7 Email from James A. Brown to Grace Thornton; forwarded to J. Voran, Jan. 12, 1999.

8 Email from James A. Brown to Grace Thornton, March 10, 1998.

9 United States. Bureau of Land Management. Land patents for the State of Alabama. Downloaded from the Bureau of Land Management web site at http://glorecords.blm.gov, 15/9/2000.

10 Alabama Census Returns: 1820 and Abstract of Federal Census of Alabama, 1830,. ed. by Marie Bankhead Owen. Reprinted from the Alabama Historical Quarterly: Volume 6, Number 3, 1944. Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967. From a microfilm roll: Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, U. S. #962, Item 2., p. 164.

11 Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1830., No Township listed. p. 228.

12 Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1840., Ashville Township, p. 243.

13 Federal Population Schedule. Alabama, 1850. , Household 154, District 39, 27 Nov. 1850, pg. 299.

14 Brown family records including anecdotal correspondence. Compiled by Marvin Ryan. Records taken from the Federal Archives, land records of Warren Co., TN, Census records of Alabama, Arkansas and Texas, Cope Cemetery, Retta, TX, Secretary of State records of Arkansas, and correspondence with James A. Brown., various dates, The Brown family records were compiled by Marvin Ryan over a number of years and were collated and filmed by the LDS Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City. They are on two rolls of microfilm., #s 1035820 and 1035821 Genealogical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

15 James A Brown Family records.

16 Ibid., Email from James A. Brown to J. Voran, 12/1/99.