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Author: robertorell51
Surnames: Wilson, Blackburn, Janney, Chapman
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
No record of Brown Wilson and family has been discovered before 1830, except his marriage
record to Susannah Blackburn in 1815 in Clark County IN. All of his later census records
list his birthplace as Berks County, PA. Interestingly, his birthplace is often listed as
Kentucky or Virginia in the census records of his children. Our family bible lists his
birth date as Dec. 26, 1786.
Once he appears in Edgar County, IL in 1830, he is found there for the remainder of his
life. He died Feb 26, 1872 in Paris, Edgar, IL. He is buried at Edgar Cemetery. His will
lists five children as heirs - James Wilson, Sarah B. (Wilson) Janney, Caroline (Wilson)
Chapman, Joseph A. Wilson and Robert Blackburn Wilson (executor).
It is very likely that Brown lived in Kentucky around the years 1817-1820 based on the
fact that two of his children, James Wilson and Sarah B. Wilson, were born during this
time and consistently listed their birthplace as Kentucky in later census records.
No connection can be found between Brown and another Brown Wilson (born in England abt
1774) that emigrated from England about 1807, lived in Butler County OH, married Mary
Burns, and died there in 1823.
It is most likely that our Brown Wilson is related to one of the following family groups:
1. The family of Thomas Wilson and Nancy (Unknown Last Name)
This is likely because this family settled in Edgar County by 1821 per "History of
Edgar County", a few years before Brown Wilson appeared in Edgar County records. They
lived very close to Brown Wilson - Thomas's son, J. Reason Wilson bought land adjacent
to Brown's land just a year before Brown's purchase:
WILSON, REASON W2SW 19 14N 10W 2 09/25/1830 EDGAR COUNTY
WILSON, BROWN W2SW 12 14N 11W 2 05/23/1831 EDGAR COUNTY
Source: Per Edgar County Land Records at
http://www.ilsos.gov/GenealogyMWeb/PublicLandSalesNameServle...
J. Reason had several Wilson siblings who settled or married in early Edgar County,
including Greenup Wilson and Sarah Wilson. Thomas's wife, Nancy, died in Edgar County
April 5, 1852. The primary source of information we have aboutThomas Wilson and his family
is Wayne Raschdorf (kwrasch(a)jps.net). He notes:
Thomas's parents are unknown.
Before 1775 Thomas Wilson was born in KY
Abt 1797 he married Nancy ____ , almost certainly in Bourbon or Fayette KY (she died Apr 5
1852 Edgar County)
Abt 1798 in Fayette KY had son James D. Wilson
Jan 17, 1799 in Fayette County KY had John Wilson (who is the father of Greenup (born1832
in Edgar County), Willis, and Newton
Abt. 1800 in Bourbon County, KY had Sarah Wilson (she married William Smith Aug 28, 1826
in Edgar County)
Sep 25, 1805 in KY had J. Reason Wilson (married Rebecca Henderson Mar 14, 1828 in Edgar
County)
Abt. 1807 in KY had Greenup Wilson (married Anna Knight Nov 7, 1833 in Edgar County, later
they moved to IA and MO)
Abt. 1812 in Franklin County KY had Perry Wilson
Abt. 1819 in ___ had Liberty Wilson
1820 Census, Pike, Clark County, IL
Near Knight and Ewing families - this is certainly the same Thomas Wilson & family
(and they should be there per "History of Edgar County")
Thomas Wilson b. bef. 1775
1f b. bef. 1775 Nancy
2m b. bet. 1795-1804 James, John
2m b. bet. 1805-1810 J. Reason, Greenup
1f b. bet. 1805-1810 Sarah
2m b. bet. 1811-1820 Perry, Liberty
2f b. bet. 1811-1820 both died?
By 1821, the family had settled in Edgar County, according to "History of Edgar
County".
Thomas also owned 160 acres at Big Creek Clark IL (near Marshall, IL, across river from
Vigo County, IN).
In 1839, Thomas Wilson died in Edgar County.
Friends (Executors): Andrew B. Ray, John W. Reeds, G.B. Shelledy. The will gives no clue
as to Thomas's parents.
Note: G.B. Shelledy lives 10 houses from Brown Wilson in 1830 Edgar Census.
2. The family of John Wilson (born 1790 Scott County KY) and Margaret Newcomb (born 1853
Nicholas County KY)
According to "Newcomb Family History", they are the parents of the other
prominent Wilson family group in early Edgar County, many of whom lived near Brown Wilson
in Hunter Township (see 1865 IL State Census, Edgar County). Furthermore, also according
to "Newcomb Family History", John is the son of Richard Wilson, a man described
as "close kin to James Wilson, signer of the Declaration of Independence" (our
oral family history [Alice Wilson] cites Brown Wilson as an unrecognized son of this James
Wilson). Research suggests Richard may have been born in Cumberland County, PA (where
James Wilson practiced law for several years in Carlisle).
The children of John Wilson (born 1790 Scott County KY) and Margaret Newcomb (born 1853
Nicholas County KY):
William born1816 in KY, married Margaret _____ in1822
Elizabeth
Catharine
Isaac O. (or C.) born1825 in IL, married Elizabeth______ in1845
Robert T. born 1827 in IL, married Jane ______
John M., Jr. born 1830 in IL, married Emily M. _______
Mary Jane ?
3. The Wilsons of Hopewell Meeting, Berkeley Meeting, and Winchester Meeting communities
of Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland- Quaker communities
Brown's daughter Sarah B. Wilson married William S. Janney, a Quaker with roots in the
Virginia-area Quaker communities at Hopewell and later Berkeley. Numerous Wilsons appear
alongside Janneys in these Quaker records. William S. Janney appears in Berkeley Meeting
(actually held in Charles Town, Jefferson County, VA) records in March, 1810 - along with
a Thomas Wilson. Related Berkeley Meeting records of this time include other Wilsons
including Samuel Wilson and David Wilson.
?
4. The Wilsons of Menallen Meeting and Warrington Meeting of York County, PA - Quaker
communities
This may be likely as Brown's first wife, Susannah Blackburn, descended from
Pennsylvania Quakers from Menallen, PA and several of her close ancestors married Wilsons.
Brown Wilson joined the Presbyterian Church only after his second marriage to Mary
Somerville, before this it is quite possible hehimself was a Quaker.
?
Lastly...
Several branches of Wilson families of Pennsylvania and Virginia are known to have headed
to North Carolina during and after the Revolutionary War, often to escape harassment for
their Tory sympathies or their accompanying religious beliefs. These Wilsons ended up in
Rowan County, Guilford County, and several other counties. It's quite possible that
Brown's family was part of this migration and that he or his family migrated through
Tennessee to arrive in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois as a number of Wilson families did
in the early 1800's.
Any help would be appreciated! I can be reached at robertorell(a)gmail.com
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