Hello Brown and Carter researchers in Kentucky...
I am a direct line descendant of James and Mary Matchett Brown and Samuel
and Susannah Carter, whose children, Joseph Brown and Susannah Carter,
married in 1808 in Hardin County, Kentucky. These Brown and Carter lines
have been a dead end for me and the countless genealogy cousins on these
lines that have helped me with their knowledge of the families over the
years.
I was entering some information about my Brown and Carter families into my
tree on Ancestry the other night and discovered some old emails from
genealogy cousins. Because of these emails, I decided to add Tabitha
Carter, daughter of Samuel and Susannah Carter to my tree. I then read
through my notes for Tabitha and read the following about one of her sons:
BIOGRAPHY:
Azariah D. BROWN is one of the oldest residents of Indiana and at one time
the owner of over a thousand acres, 600 he gave to his children, reserving
400 to which he has added 200. He is practically self-made, as he received
only $80 from his father's estate and has made everything he has by his own
unassisted efforts. He has given his children $4,300 each and has always
been found liberal in aiding churches and worthy enterprises of all kinds. *Mr.
Brown was born December 10, 1809 near Rolling Ford (mkf= Fork?) River,
Nelson County, Kentucky and is a son of Samuel and Tabitha CARTER Brown.
Grandfather James Brown emigrated from Ireland to the US with his parents
when a lad, settling on the Monongahela River, Pennsylvania where the father
died. He was one of the pioneers of Nelson County, Kentucky where he cleared
a farm. He participated in the war for independent and removed to Spencer
County, Indiana in 1816 where he resided until his death in 1822 aged about
90*. *He was a successful farmer and a great hunter and as fearless as
skillful in his pursuit of Indian depredators. His wife survived him a few
years and also attained the advanced age of 90. They reared a family of 4
sons and 5 daughters.* Our subject's father was a native of Kentucky and
during the War of 1812 hired a substitute as he was unable to leave home. In
1815 he entered land in Spencer County, Indiana and in the spring of the
following year moved upon his place, which comprised about 320 acres. His
death occurred while in the prime of manhood in 1822. He left a widow and 9
children: *Lydia, who became the wife of Silas Davis died in Missouri;
Squire died in Iowa; Daniel F. passed away in Hamilton, Illinois; Friend C.
died in Parke County; Silas B. died in Spencer County; Eliza Hadley lives in
Sangamon County, Illinois; Miles W. died in Kansas; Susan is the wife of
Jackson Gorden; Azariah completes the family*. The father was a member of
the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons. *Our subject's mother was born in
Kentucky (NC? = mkf). Her father was a native of Wales and served in the War
of the Revolution, his death occurring in Kentucky.* Mrs. Brown after the
death of her first husband married Christopher Kiger. Her death occurred in
Wabash Township, [Parke County, Indiana], of which she had been a resident
since 1824. Azariah D. Brown was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads
on his father's farm, having but meager educational privileges. At the age
of 18 he attended school for two winters in the old fashioned log
schoolhouse of former days. After his father's death he made his home with
his brother-in-law, Mr. Davis until reaching his 17th birthday when he
started in business for himself. Coming to this township in 1824, he lived
here for one summer, and in 1826 made a permanent settlement, working for $8
a month and cleared land for the munificent sum of $6 an acre. In 1832 he
entered 80 acres in Section 17, which he cleared and improved. His efforts
were blessed with an abundant success and in the course of time he found
himself possessed of 1000 acres of good land. Mr. Brown has been twice
married. His first Maria COX, who was born in Indiana, was a daughter of
Abner Cox, whose wife was a Miss Dietrich. He was native of the Keystone
State a millwright by occupation and erected the first grist mill ever put
up at Armiesburg. He was one of the founders of the village which took its
name from the fact of its having been originally an Indian camp and later
one occupied by Gen. Harrison's army. By his first marriage Mr. Brown had a
large family: Margaret, wife of John HIXON of Denver; Emily, widow of James
HAYTH of Missouri; Eliza, wife of G. H. BORDON; Silas, who served during the
war; William and John, residents of Kansas; and Martha, wife of D. Kimbell.
The mother of these children died March 18, 1869 aged 53. She was a
consistent member of the United Brethren Church. In 1872 Mr. Brown wedded
Mrs. Olive, widow of Michael Plaster. She was born in this township February
2, 1830, being a daughter of John and Margaret GIVINS UNDERWOOD, native of
Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. The former came to this county in
1827 and bought a farm which he improved. In 1833 he sold out and purchased
one in Fountain County, where he farmed and ran a saw mill until his death
in March 1845. He was politically a Whig, and was a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. His widow still survives. By her first marriage she had 3
sons and 4 daughters. Two of the former served in the late war: James
enlisted in 31st Indiana and died at Nashville, Tenn. The mother afterward
became the wife of William JOHNSON. Mrs. Brown had four children by her
first marriage: Jane, wife of Alex Montgomery; John, deceased leaving two
children: Charles of this state and Mary wife of Louis Shoemaker of Page
County Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are worthy and honored citizens of this
community, in which they have both dwelt for many years past. In his
political belief Mr. Brown is a staunch ally of the Republican Party, which
he joined on its organization, prior to which he was a Whig. He was opposed
to slaver and has always been a devoted member of the United Brethren
Church. - *Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain
Counties, Indiana: Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893, Page. 334*
Now, we all know that this is "hearsay" evidence and sometimes things are
not always 100% in these biographies. However, it is a good starting
place...
We know there were THREE James Brown's in the Nelson County area at the same
time. James Brown, who married Sarah Stiegler (sp?), died in 1807. James
Brown, who was killed in the battle of Blue Licks, and our James Brown, who
bought Eli Gerrard's land on the Rolling Fork. The last evidence we have of
him was a court case in 1822. He was NOT in an 1820 census that we have
found.
It appears to me that this bio answers a couple of questions that we have
had:
BROWN LINE
1. Did James and Mary Matchett Brown have a son named Samuel? (We
suspected so because of tax records but did not have the proof before this.)
YES
2. Was the Samuel Brown who married Tabitha Carter the same Samuel as we
suspected was James Brown's son (and the same one directly under James in
the tax records 1795, 1796, 1799)? YES
3. Where was James Brown born? PA/VA - probably what is now WVA or where
Fayette County, PA is now.
4. Where did James Brown die? We suspected he was buried with his wife and
his tombstone is a large field stone that is lying flat on the ground on his
former farm, where his wife and other relatives are buried. (Carolyn W.
went to that cemetery and saw it and is the real expert on the Kentucky
Brown family.) [ Brown and Thomas Cemetery, as transcribed by Edward
Benningfield] We found no evidence of a probate for James Brown in Larue
County, where he lived or Hardin or Nelson Counties. We now have a lead to
look in Spencer County, Indiana and I will do that forthwith!
5. Tabitha and Samuel lived in Spencer County, Indiana until Samuel died in
1822. Tabitha remarried and moved to Parke County, Indiana. Some of her
children married while still in Spencer County.... These children did:
Lydia Brown, Silas Burke Brown. What about Daniel F. Brown? Is he the
Daniel who married Margaret Grass/Gross?? According to the bio above,
Daniel died in Hamilton County, Illinois. I have found most of Tabitha and
Samuel's other children.
CARTER line
Tabitha was born approximately 1776. Since I had not found her father,
Samuel, in Nelson County, KY before 1800, I assumed she and her siblings
were born in North Carolina, which is the prevalent thought about where
Samuel Carter moved from. Does anyone know differently?
If anyone has any further information that can help unravel this family
further, please let share with us.
PS - I am still looking for a direct BROWN male ancestor of James Brown to
do a DNA test - to see if we can connect this family to others in the Brown
DNA study. There are about 600 Brown males that have been tested so far.
Some fall into families. Some do not. My grandmother, Mary Idaho Brown,
was beginning of the Brown family for me. She was born in Kingston, Idaho -
northern Idaho.
Kathie
--
M. Kathleen Felsted
mkfelsted(a)gmail.com
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