Research Report: John Brown and Mary Dutton

[At one time, I probably had it in my mind to post regular reports about the research I was doing. This family in particular is one I had little concrete information about and I was excited to share my new discoveries. (Also, on a nerdier note, I was excited to write the original version of this page in a new technology, XHTML.) This is the only time I ever did this. Now, it is an historical artifact of the way I used to do and share research. Maybe I can start doing this again. –JTR, 2017/01/24]

I’ve been doing a lot of research recently on the descendants of Jarrard Dutton and Charity McDaniel—in particular, on the descendants of Mary Dutton, daughter of Jarrard Dutton, and her husband John Brown. I took my last big genealogy trip of the summer a few of weeks ago, to Itawamba County, Mississippi, to visit their graves, and to pursue some of their descendant lines. I’ve also been doing a lot of work on them recently at the libraries in Huntsville and Birmingham.

I wanted to give a full account of my findings, so I’ve been compiling this report whenever I’d had a spare minute over the past few weeks. I also wanted to ask some questions of those of you who are descended from John and Mary.

As I accumulate more data, I’ll update this page.

For anyone unfamiliar with these families, here is a brief outline.


Index to Records

Census

Cemetery

Marriage

Miscellaneous


Records

In the records that I’ve transcribed, I’ve concentrated mainly on the descendants of John Brown and Mary Dutton, but if I happened to come across any related families, I copied some of them as well— most notably Lollar, Irwin, Bickerstaff, and Hendrick families. Please note, however, that as I wasn’t expressly looking out for these families, I almost certainly didn’t copy all of them, so this will be an incomplete record of those families for each of the various sources.

I had a bit of a time finding John and Mary Brown on the census. They weren’t in Itawamba County, Mississippi, where I expected them to be, until the 1880 census.

1860 Federal Census – Tishomingo County, Mississippi

p.387 – Iuka P.O.

2594/2594
John Brown      36 M  Farmer        $464    Ala.
Pemelia         36 F                        Do. [Ditto]
Martha P.       15 F                        Ala.
Isaac           12 M                        Do.
William         10 M                        Do.
Levi             7 M                        Miss.

From this record, I would infer that the family moved to Mississippi between 1850 and 1853. I have yet to find them in the 1850 census.

This is apparently proof positive that Mary‘s middle name was Permelia.

I have from material from Margaret Kinsley that Martha‘s middle name was Jane. Is there any documentation for this?

1870 Federal Census – Chickasaw County, Mississippi

p.198A – Palo Alto P.O.

357/354
Brown, John       46 M W  Farm Laborer   $600   Alabama
  "    Mary       47 F W  Keeping House         Alabama
  "    William    21 M W  Farm Laborer   $200   Alabama
  "    Levi       18 M W   "     "              Miss.
Kitchen, John     16 M W   "     "              Alabama

John Kitchen is probably John Kitchens. William Brown, known to be the brother of John Brown, married Sarah Kitchens. Also, James Matlock Kitchens, progenitor of many of the Kitchens families in Lawrence and Walker Counties, Alabama, married Sarah Brown. I believe that she may have been a sister to our John Brown, and that Sarah Kitchens, wife of William Brown, may have been a sister to James Matlock Kitchens, but I have nothing else to back this up.

358/355
Davis, Joseph S.  36 M W   "     "       $400   Alabama
  "    Martha     25 F W  Keeping House         Alabama
  "    Houston     9 M W                        Alabama
  "    Gaba Ella   6 F W                        Alabama
Barrett, Victoria  6 F W                        Miss.
Davis, John H.  6/12 M W                        Miss.    b. Dec

According to Margaret Kinsley, Martha Brown married (1) Charles Barrett, and (2) Joseph S. Davis. Houston and Gaba Ella are apparently Joseph S. Davis‘ children by a previous wife. Victoria Barrett is Martha‘s child by her first husband. John H. Davis appears to be their child together.

Chickasaw County, Mississippi Marriage Bonds

Marriage Record Book No. 1, 1869

[Found online at http://www.rootsweb.com/~mschicka/1869marriages.html]

Groom: J. S. Davis
Bondsman: W. O. Bibb
Bride: Mrs. Martha Brown
Date: 5 Feb 1869

Groom: J. S. Davis
Bondsman: (no bondsman)
Bride: S. A. Knox
Date: 26 Dec 1869

I don’t know what to make of these. The first record is about the right time to be a record of Joseph S. Davis‘ marriage to Martha Brown, but her married name, at the time she married him, should have been Barrett. The presence of this second record further confuses me. It’s possible that there was more than one J. S. Davis running around. I really don’t know anything about the Davis family.

1880 Federal Census – Itawamba County, Mississippi

SD 1, ED 70, p.28 (p.438B)

259/260
Brown, John          W M 54                  Md. Farming       Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  -    Mary          W F 54    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  N.C.
Barrett, Victoria    W F 15    Grand Dau.    S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.

By 1880, Martha Brown has passed away,
and her now-orphaned child Victoria is living with her grandparents.

262/263
Loller, Henry J.     W M 23                  Md. Laboring      Ala.  S.C.
  -     Loviann      W F 23    Wife          Md. Keep house    Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -     John C.      W M  1    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
Ervin,  Ellen        W F 57    Mother-in-law Wd.               Ala.  Va.   Va.
  -     Francis      W F 27    Sister-in-law S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.

Ellen Brown, sister of John Brown, married Alexander Hart Irwin, son of William Irwin and Elizabeth Forester, and brother of Mary Irwin (who married James Dutton of Walker County, Alabama).

Lovey Ann Irwin, daughter of Alexander Hart Irwin and Ellen Brown, married Henry Joab Lollar.

SD 1, ED 70, p.29 (p.439A)

260/261
Ervin, Robert        W M 25                  Md. Farming       Ala.
  -    Marilda       W F 25    Wife          Md.               Miss.
  -    William F.    W M 10    Son           S   Labor on farm Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    David         W M  8    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Nancy         W F  6    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Lora(?)       W F  4    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Mary E.       W F 8/12  Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  [b. Aug]
  -    Thomas C.     W M 26    Brother       S

Robert Irwin and Thomas C. Irwin are the sons of Alexander Hart Irwin and Ellen Brown.

SD 1, ED 70, p.30 (p.439B)

266/267
Brown, William       W M 31                  Md. Farming       Miss.
  -    Elizabeth     W F 23    Wife          Md. Keep house    Miss. Ga.   Ga.
  -    Isaac B.      W M  6    Son           S                 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Dora          W F  4    Daughter      S                 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Willie        W F       Daughter
  [Marked out and written over]
  -    John          W M 8/12  Son           S                 Miss. Miss. Miss.

I have from Margaret Kinsley that
William Boyd Brown and
Sarah Elizabeth Hendrick
had the following children:

  1. Isaac Bolen Brown, born 10 Mar 1874, died 20 May 1897
  2. Willie D. Brown, born 7 Dec 1877, died 10 Aug 1878
  3. John Nevan (Noon) Brown, born 16 Oct 1879, died 8 Jun 1961
  4. Lona Ethel Brown, born 2 Mar 1882, died 14 Feb 1964
  5. Lee Roy Brown, born 11 Sep 1884, died 11 Sep 1885
  6. Daro Dean Brown, born 20 Jul 1886, died 27 May 1918
  7. Ossie Marie Brown, born 1884, died 1915
  8. Oscar Cullen Brown, born 17 Nov 1892, died Nov 1977
  9. Charlie Forrest Brown, born 10 Feb 1896, died 1 Sep 1956
  10. William Boyd Brown, born 27 Feb 1901/02, died 21 Nov 1968

Who is the daughter Dora listed on the census? Is she the same as Willie D.? Why was Willie listed, and marked through, when Willie D. died in 1878? If this death date is correct, is Dora a child that hasn’t been accounted for? From where do the dates for the children who died young come?

Given that they appeared on the 1900 census in Itawamba County, and that several of their children stayed in that area (according to the Social Security Death Index), I would assume that the family remained in or around Itawamba County. Where are William Boyd Brown and his family buried?

268/269
Ervin, William H.    W M 39                  Md. Farming       Ala.        Ala.
  -    Rilda         W F 36    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  -    Edwin H.      W M 16    Son           S   Labor on farm Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Simanthy      W F 13    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    William R.    W M  7    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Sallie W.     W F 10    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  [entire line marked through]
  -    Ralph S.      W M  3    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Thomas        W M 11/12 Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  [b. May]
Ware,  Edwin         W M 87    Father-in-law Wd.               S.C.
  -    Betsy         W F 49    Sister-in-law S                 Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  -    Sarah         W F 35    Sister-in-law S                 Ala.  S.C.  S.C.

William H. Irwin is the son of
Alexander Hart Irwin
and Ellen Brown.

SD 1, ED 70, p.42 (p.445B)

362/363
Bickerstaff, John R. W M 50                  Md. Farming       Ala.  Ky.   Ga.
  -    Charlottie J. W F 46    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  S.C.
  -    Margret A.    W F 17    Daughter      S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    William N.    W M 14    Son           S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Sarah A.      W F 10    Daughter      S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    David R.      W M  8    Son           S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.

John Russell Bickerstaff married Charlotte J. Lollar, daughter of John Anderson Lollar and Susan Gillen. Their daughter Sarah Ann Bickerstaff later married Levi Brown.

363/364
Bickerstaff, Robbert W M 24                  Md. Farming       Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Malinda       W F 19    Wife          Md. Keep house    Miss.       Ala.
  -    John D.       W M  1    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Miss.
Armstrong, Henry     B M 20                      Labor on farm Ala.  Ala.  Va.

SD 1, ED 70, p.43 (p.446A)

369/371
Davis, Joseph S.     W M 47                  Md. Farming       Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  -    Sarah         W F 47    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  Ga.   Tenn.
  -    Huston        W M 19    Son           S   Labor on farm Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Gabiella      W F 16    Daughter      S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    John          W M  9    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Thomas        W M  8    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Isiac         W M  8    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Leona         W F  6    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.

Joseph S. Davis‘ 2nd wife Martha Brown has died, and he has remarried. The youngest four children—John, Thomas, Isaac, and Leona—are Martha‘s. According to the 1900 census, Joseph had no children by his third wife.

370/372
Davis, Robbert       W M 28                  Md. Labor on farm Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  -    Malinda       W F 25    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    John D.       W M  9    Son           S                 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Johaway(?)    W M  6    Son           S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Easter S.     W F  4    Daughter      S                 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    William R.    W M  1                                    Miss. Ala.  Ala.

SD 1, ED 70, p.47 (p.448A)

418/419
Brown, Lee           W M 28                  Md. Farming       Miss. Ala.
  -    Clerasy       W F 26    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ga.   Ga.   Ga.

Is this Levi Brown? Did he marry before he married Sarah Ann Bickerstaff? There is no mention of a previous marriage in the material that Margaret Kinsley gave me.

Levi Brown moved to Texas in the late 1880’s. Levi Brown and Sarah Ann Bickerstaff are the grandparents of Margaret Kinsley.

Update – 2002/09/24: Levi Brown states on the 1910 census that he’s only been married once, so this must not be him.

424/425
Hendric, Ballen(?)   W M 30                  Md. Farming       Miss. Ga.   N.C.
  -    Anna          W F 23    Wife          Md. Keep house    Ala.  Ky.   Ala.
  -    Joseph        W M 10    Son           S   Labor on farm Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    Eratus        W M  9    Son           S                 Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    Carrie        W F  6    Daughter      S                 Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    Daria         W F  5    Daughter      S                 Miss. Miss. Ala.
  [next two lines marked out]

This, I suspect, is the family (perhaps a brother) of Sarah Elizabeth Hendrick, who married William Boyd Brown.

1880 Federal Census – Walker County, Alabama

Township 15 Range 8

SD 1, ED 283, S 15A (p.91A) – 17 Jun 1880
Brown, Isaac         W M 32    Head          Md. Farmer        Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    M.            W F 34    Wife          Md. Keeping house
  -    W. F.         W M 12    Son           S
  -    R. L.         W M  8    Son           S
  -    M. S.         W F  6    Daughter      S
  -    Della         W F  4    Daughter      S
  -    Betty         W F  1    Daughter      S
Lollar, J. A.        W M 68    Father-in-law Wd.

After the Civil War, Isaac Brown returned to Walker County, Alabama. He married Margaret C. Lollar, daughter of John Anderson Lollar and Susan Gillen, and sister to Charlotte J. Lollar (who married John Russell Bickerstaff, and was the mother of Sarah Ann Bickerstaff, who married Isaac Brown‘s brother Levi Brown).

Itawamba County, Mississippi Marriage Records

Brown, Wm.              Hendrick, S. E.         11/06/1872  Book 7, Page 410
Barrett, Victory        Sanderson, J. A.        10/27/1881  Book 8, Page 517
Brown, Levi             Bickerstaff, Sallie     01/05/1885  Book 9, Page 339

1900 Federal Census – Itawamba County, Mississippi

The 1900 census of Itawamba County contains some of the worst handwriting that I’ve ever encountered. Not only is the writing sloppy, but it’s badly smudged in a lot of places.

Mantachie Precinct in Beat 2

SD 1, ED 38, S 3B (p. 164B) – 8 & 9 Jun 1900
53/53
Sanderson, Victory   Head     W F Dec 1864   35  Wd     Miss. Miss. Ala.  Farming
  [7 children, 5 living]
  -    Roy Y.(?)     Daughter W F Dec 1885   14  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    William J.    Son      W M Mar 1888   12  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Emm____(?)    Daughter W F Jul 1890    9  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Glover C.     Son      W M Nov 1893    7  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.

Victoria Barrett married James A. Sanderson, who died in 1897.

According to her obituary, Victoria Sanderson had five living children at the time of her death. There is still one that I haven’t accounted for, possibly an older daughter who married before 1900.

56/56
Davis, Jos. S.       Head     W M Feb 1834   66  M  18  Ala.  Ga.   Ga.
  -    Sallie        Wife     W F Mar 1839?  66  M  18  Ala.  Ga.   Tenn.
  -    John H.       Son      W M Dec 1869   30  S      Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Tomie W.      Son      W M Feb 1872   28  S      Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Robbert I.    Son      W M Feb 1872   28  S      Miss. Ala.  Ala.
Hill, Sallie         Servant  W F Mar 1880   20  S      Miss. Ala.  Ala.
Turner, George       Hirhand? B M Sep 1877   23         Miss. Miss.

Fawn Grove Precinct in Beat 2

SD 1, ED 38, S 10B (p.171B) – 20 & 22 Jun 1900
181/187
Duvall, Willie      Head      W M Feb 1875   25  M   1  Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Lonie        Wife      W F Mar 1883   17  M   1  Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  [1 child born, 1 living]
  -    Mittie       Daughter  W F Oct 1899 7/12  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.

William Edward DuVall and Lona Ethel Brown (daughter of William Boyd Brown and Sarah Elizabeth Hendrick) are the grandparents of Nona DuVall Hill-Gold.

182/188
Brown, Willie B.    Head      W M May 1849   51  M  27  Ala.  Ala.  Ala.  Farming
  -    Sarah E.     Wife      W F Mar 1856   44  M  27  Ala.  Ga.   N.C.
  [11 children born, 7 living]
  -    Defeares(?)  Son       W M Jul 1886   13  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss. Farm Laborer
  -    Ossie M.     Daughter  W F Feb 1889   11  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Oscar C.     Son       W M Nov 1892    7  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  -    Charley F.   Son       W M Feb 1896    4  S      Miss. Ala.  Miss.
Esters, John C.     Laborer   W M Sep 1879   20  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.

This again is William Boyd Brown and Sarah Elizabeth Hendrick, with some of their younger children.

SD 1, ED 38, S 11A (p.172A) – 21 & 22 Jun 1900
188/192
Hendrick, Ballin     Head     W M Dec 1849   50  M  10  Miss. Ga.   N.C.
  -    Mattie        Wife     W F Oct 1856   43  M  10  Miss. Ala.  Miss.
  [3 children born, 3 living]
  -    Annie(?)      Daughter W F Mar 1886   14  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Clover(?)     Son      W M Jan 1892    8  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Loid          Son      W M Sep 1893    6  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Thomas        Son      W M Mar 1896    4  S      Miss. Miss. Miss.
Brooks, Mary         Aunt     W F Oct 1828   71  Wd.    Ga.   Ga.   Ga.

1900 Federal Census – Walker County, Alabama

Precinct #9 – Oakman

SD 6, ED 144, S 7A-7B (p.134A-134B) – 8-9 Jun 1900
155/157
Lollar, Wm. H.       Head     W M Feb 1870   30  M   9  Ala.  Ala.  S.C.
  -    Sarrah C.     Wife     W F Dec 1869   30  M   9  Ala.  Ga.   Ga.

156/158
Brown, Wm. F.        Head     W M Aug 1867   32  M  10  Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Corneilia A.  Wife     W F Nov 1870   29  M  10  Ala.  N.C.  Ala.
  [5 children born, 5 living]
  -    Gorrin B.     Son      W M Nov 1891    8  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Walter L.     Son      W M Nov 1893    6  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    James C.      Son      W M Dec 1894    5  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Willie M..    Daughter W F Jan 1897    3  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Isac H.       Son      W M Feb 1899    1  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
SD 6, ED 144, S 8B (p.135B) – 12 Jun 1900
179/181
Brown, Issaac        Head     W M Mar 1842?  58? M  34  Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Margret C.    Wife     W F Mar 1844   56  M  34  Ala.  N.C.  Ala.
  [7 children born, 7 living]
  -    Marry S.      Daughter W F Oct 1873   26  S      Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Francis E.    Daughter W F Jun 1879   20  S      Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    John H.       Son      W M Dec 1882   17  S      Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Queenie J.    Daughter W F Jan 1885   15  S      Ala.  Ala.  Ala.

180/182
Brown, Richard L.    Head     W M Jun 1871   28  M   5  Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Nancey B.     Wife     W F Sep 1872   27  M   5  Ala.  S.C.  S.C.
  [3 children born, 3 living]
  -    Berry B.      Son      W M Feb 1896    4  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Cleramie H.   Daughter W F Oct 1897    2  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Brooks        Son      W M Feb 1900 3/12  S      Ala.  Miss. Ala.
Davidson, Walter     Boarder  W M Sep 1881   18  S      Ala.  Ala.  Ala.

181/183
Lollar, Benjamin F.  Head     W M Nov 1841   58  M  27  Ala.  S.C.  Ala.
  -    Nancey J.     Wife     W F Aug 1848   51  M  27  S.C.  S.C.  S.C.
  [8 children born, 8 living]
  -    Marry C.      Daughter W F Jul 1878   21  S      Ala.  Ala.  S.C.
  -    Charles L.    Son      W M Jan 1882   18  S      Ala.  Ala.  S.C.
  -    Issaac P.     Son      W M Jan 1884   16  S      Ala.  Ala.  S.C.
  -    Thomas N.     Son      W M Mar 1887   13  S      Ala.  Ala.  S.C.
  -    Franklin A.   Son      W M Dec 1889   10  S      Ala.  Ala.  S.C.

1900 Federal Census – Rockwall County, Texas

Justice Precinct No. 4

SD 6, ED 87, S 20 (p.87A) – 23 Jun 1900
348/352
Brown, Levi                Head     W M Dec 1853   46  M  15  Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Sarah A.            Wife     W F Mar 1869   31  M  15  Ala.  Miss. Ala.
  [8 children born, 4 living]
  -    Jesse L.            Son      W M Aug 1886   13  S      Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    James R.            Son      W M Jul 1888   11  S      Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    John M.             Son      W M Nov 1893    6  S      Tex.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Ethel E.            Daughter W F Jun 1896    4  S      Tex.  Miss. Ala.
Bickerstaff, Charlotte J.  M-in-law W F May 1834   66 Wd      Ala.  S.C.  Ala.
  [9 children born, 7 living]

From Margaret Kinsley, I have that Levi Brown and Sarah Ann Bickerstaff had the following children:

  1. Jesse Lee Brown, born 20 Aug 1886, died 17 Jan 1964
  2. James R. Brown, born 1888, died 1909
  3. John Monroe Brown, born 13 Nov 1893, died 13 Aug 1965
  4. Ethel Eugenia Brown, born 31 Jan 1896, died 26 Jan 1982
  5. Joseph Boyd Brown, born 25 Jun 1900, died 19 Nov 1982
  6. Lottie May Brown, born 12 May 1903, died 20 May 1978
  7. Bascom Boyd Brown, born 1909

1910 Federal Census – Itawamba County, Mississippi

Mantachie Precinct

SD 1, ED 16, S 6B (p.56B) – 20 Apr 1910
107/107
Sanderson, V.        Head     F W   44 Wd.   Miss. Ala.  Ala.   Farmer
  [4 children born, 3 living]
  -    Emma          Daughter F W   19 S     Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Grover        Son      M W   17 S     Miss. Ala.  Ala.

108/108
Sanderson, G.        Head     M W   22 S     Miss. Ala.  Ala.   Farmer

110/110
Sheffield, R. W.     Head     M W   39 M1 19 Miss. Miss. Miss.  Farmer
  -    Leona         Wife     F W   36 M1 19 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  [9 children born, 7 living]
  -    Annie         Daughter F W   18 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Hassie        Daughter F W   16 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Bertha        Daughter F W   14 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Elzie         Son      M W   12 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Hoeller(?)    Son      M W    9 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Joe           Son      M W    6 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    C. L.         Daughter F W    3 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Lissie        Sister   F W   31 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.

This Leona Sheffield, I believe, is Leona Davis, daughter of Joseph S. Davis and Martha Brown, as seen on the 1880 census. I’m sure she’s probably nearby on the 1900 census, but I didn’t know to look for her at the time I viewed it, as I discovered this connection after the fact while viewing some 1910 census pages that I copied.

111/111
Davis, J. S.         Head     M W   76 M4    Ala.  Ala.  Ala.   Farmer
  -    Celia         Wife     F W   70 M1    Miss. Ga.   Ga.

Joseph S. Davis has married for the 4th time.

113/113
Davis, W. T.         Head     M W   38 M1  4 Miss. Ala.  Ala.   Farmer
  -    Ella          Wife     F W   24 M1  4 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  [3 children born, 1 living]
  -    A. A.         Son      M W 3/12 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.

114/114
Davis, I. R.         Head     M W   38 M1  7 Miss. Ala.  Ala.   Farmer
  -    Corry         Wife     F W   27 M1  7 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  [4 children born, 4 living]
  -    Evie          Daughter F W    6 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    C. L.         Daughter F W    5 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Willie        Daughter F W    3 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Roger         Son      M W 9/12 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.

W. T. Brown and I. R. Brown are the twin sons of Joseph S. Davis and Martha Brown.

SD 1, ED 16, S 8A (p.58A) – 22 Apr 1910
Bates, C. S.         Head     M W   30 M1  4 Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Roy           Wife     F W   24 M1  4 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  -    Chester       Son      M W    3 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.
  -    Elmer         Son      M W    1 S     Miss. Miss. Miss.

I believe that this Roy is Roy Sanderson, daughter of James A. Sanderson and Victoria Barrett. Her tombstone indicates that her maiden name was Sanderson.

1910 Federal Census – Rockwall County, Texas

SD 5, ED 183, S 1A (p.77A) – Apr 1910

4/4
Brown, Lee           Head     M W   57 M1 25 Miss. Ala.  Ala.
  -    Sarah         Wife     F W   41 M1 25 Ala.  Ala.  Ala.
  [12 children born, 6 living]
  -    Jesse         Son      M W   23 S     Miss. Miss. Ala.
  -    John          Son      M W   16 S     Tex.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Ethel         Daughter F W   16 S     Tex.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Joe           Son      M W    9 S     Tex.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Lottie        Daughter F W    6 S     Tex.  Miss. Ala.
  -    Bascom(?)     Son      M W 6/12 S     Tex.  Miss. Ala.

See the list of Levi Brown‘s children.

Lottie May Brown is the mother of Margaret Kinsley.

DuVall Cemetery, Fawn Grove, Itawamba County, Mississippi

Mary
Wife of
J. Brown
Born 1824
Died
Aug. 28, 1886
[Stone was at one time broken; epitaph is illegible. I'm not sure if the
    section showing the death date was lost when the stone was broken, and
    later found, or if it's a very good reconstruction.]

In memory of
John Brown
Died
March 12, 1881
Aged
57 yr's., 1 mo., 10 d's
The pains of death are passed
Labor and sorrow ceased
Life's long warfare closed at last
His soul is found in peace.

Martha
Wife of
J.S. Davis
[Stone was broken at this point, and repaired;
    the name 'Davis' is now illegible]
Born 1841
Died July 11, 1876
Not lost blest
    thought
But gone before,
Where we shall
    meet
To part no more.

Infant
daughter of
J. A. &
    Victoria
Sanderson
Born June 20 &
Died June 29, 1885
Asleep in
    Jesus.

Walton Cemetery, Itawamba County, Mississippi

James J. Sanderson
Born May 17, 1859
Died Aug. 29, 1897
Another link is
    broken
In our household
    band
But a chain is
    forming
In a better land.

John T.
Son of
J. A. &
    Victoria
Sanderson
Born Oct. 7, 1895
Died Sept. 23, 1898
We will meet
    again.

Victoria
Wife of
Jim Sanderson
Born Dec. 25, 1865,
Died Oct. 26, 1923.
Rest mother, rest, in quiet
sleep,
While friends in sorrow o'er
thee weep.

Walton Cemetery
Transcription from Cemetery Markings – Itawamba County, Mississippi
Betty Burton-Cruber
The Amory Advertiser, Amory, Mississippi

[Found online at http://genforum.genealogy.com/ms/itawamba/messages/5547.html]

I didn’t see these tombstones firsthand—I didn’t know to look for them when I was there. There are some obvious errors in this transcription. I plan to go back and verify the dates someday.

John H. Davis     12/26/1860   10/26/1914
    [Birthdate probably 12/26/1869]

Sarah Davis       11/16/1838   08/15/1900
+ m.
J. S. Davis       02/06/1834   04/03/1916

This appears to be Joseph S. Davis, his third wife, and his oldest son by Martha Brown, John H. Davis.

Columbus Steven Bates               11/16/1879       05/25/1959
     s/o Henry Jordon & Mary Lou Hood Bates
+ m.
Elizabeth Roy Sanderson Bates       12/18/1884       12/23/1951

I believe that this Elizabeth Roy Sanderson is the daughter of James A. Sanderson and Victoria Barrett.

Florence Leona Sheffield       2/17/1874       11/06/1929

I believe that this is Leona Davis, daughter of
Joseph S. Davis and
Martha Brown.

W T Davis "Tom"       02/29/1872      04/08/1936
+ m.
Ella Hughes Davis     09/16/1885      1972        d/o John & Isbell Moore Hughes

Rander Davis                1900      1912        s/o W. T. & Ella Hughes Davis

Infant Davis          09/10/1900      09/19/1900  s/o W. T. & Ella Hughes Davis

Anna Davis                  1907      1908        d/o W. T. & Ella Hughes Davis

I believe that this is W. Thomas Davis, son of Joseph S. Davis and Martha Brown, and his family.

Itawamba County News – Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi

Volume 20, Number 5 – Thursday, December 13, 1923

Mrs. Victoria Sanderson
     The Death Angel has visited the home of Mr.
G.C. Sanderson and taken from them their mother.
     Mrs. Sanderson was born Dec. 25, 1865, and
departed this life Oct. 25, 1923 and was 57 years
and ten months old. She had been ill for several
long months with dropsy and leakage of the heart. She
was willing to go. She told her children that death
had no fears for her.
     She leaves five children, two brothers and one
sister and a host of friends to mourn her death.
She was laid to rest by the side of her husband and
infant son in Walton Cemetery, Bro. Betterton, her
former pastor, conducting the last sad service.
                                S.C.D.

Providence Cemetery, Oakman, Walker County, Alabama

Margrate C.
Lollar Brown
Mar. 18, 1844
Dec. 19, 1923
Gone but not forgotten

Isaac Brown
Mar. 15, 1846
Apr. 8, 1915
An honest man's the
noblest work of God.

Betty Brown
1878 - 1925

BROWN
Belle R. Brown        Sep. 27 1873    Sep.  8, 1950
R. Lee Brown          June 28, 1871   Apr. 15, 1952

BROWN
Della R.              June 11, 1897   Feb. 18, 1982
Berry B.              Feb. 13, 1896   Apr.  1, 1953


BROWN
John H.               1882 - 1951
Mabel                 1892 - 1974


W. Frank Brown
1867 - 1940
At rest

C. A.
Wife of
W. F. Brown
Nov. 18, 1871
May 20, 1921
The faithful are cer-
tain of their reward.

Hollis Brown
1899 - 1955

BROWN
Savilla Sherer        Jan. 5, 1899    Jan. 5, 1941
Walter Lee            Nov. 14, 1893   Dec. 21, 1940
[Footstone]
Walter L. Brown
Alabama
Pvt. 1 Cl. 324 Inf. 81 Div.
December 21, 1940


John A. Lollar
Born
Jan. 30, 1810
Died
May. 11, 1888
[Masonic emblem]

Susan Lollar
Born
Sept. 1811
Died
Jan. 4, 1874

Confederate Pension Application of Mrs. Margaret C. Brown (Widow of Isaac Brown), Walker County, Alabama

[Text in black is the printed application; text in blue is handwritten.]

APPLICATION FOR PENSION
OF WIDOWS OF DECEASED SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES

(This blank should not be used where the widow’s husband died after April 24, 1911—Use blank under Section 8, Law of 1915, if widow’s husband died after that date.)

STATE OF ALABAMA,
Walker County.

TO THE STATE BOARD OF CONFEDERATE PENSION COMMISSIONERS:

The following answers to the queries propounded are respectfully submitted in support of my application for a Confederate pension under Act of the Legislature of Alabama, approved Sept. 25, 1915, vis.:

(1) Q. What is your full name? A. Margaret C. Brown

(2) Q. What is your present post-office address? A. Oakman R1

(3) Q. What is your exact age? A. 73 Years 1 One Months 28 Days

(4) Q. How long have you lived in the state? A. All my life

(5) Q. What date did your husband enlist in the service of the Confederacy? A. 1863

(6) Q. What branch of the service was he in? A. Cavalry

(7) Q. What was his rank? A. Private

(8) Q. Company? A. Co. D

(9) Q. Regiment? A. Ashcroft’s Cavalry Mississippi

(10) Q. How long did he see actual service? A. 1863 to surrender 1865

(11) Q. Was he ever wounded? A. no

(12) Q. How badly? A. [check]

(13) Q. Was he ever taken prisoner? A. no

(14) Q. Under what circumstances was he released? A. [check] Paroled

(15) Q. Was he paroled? A. Yes

(16) Q. If not attached hereto, do you know where his parole is? A. Lost or destroyed

(17) Q. If he was not paroled, do you know under what circumstances he left the service of the Confederacy? A. [check]

(18) Q. What was your husband’s full name? A. Isaac Brown

(19) Q. When did you marry him? A. Mch 20, 1866

(20) Q. What is the actual value of your property? A. nothing (Schedule attached)

(21) Q. Have you any income whatsoever? A. [ditto]

(22) Q. If so, what does it amount to annually? A. – none

(23) Q. If you have any children living at the present time, give their names, and what each one is doing. A. Wm. F., R. Lee, Elizabeth, John H., Della Day, Mrs. Queenie Fuller – Farming

(24) Q. Have you any children living with you upon whom you depend for support? A. Yes, two daughters, Miss Elizabeth and Mrs. Queenie Fuller

(25) Q. Did your husband belong to a Camp of Confederate Veterans? A. Yes

(26) Q. If so, which? A. Camp Hutto, Jasper, Ala.

(27) Q. Have you ever made application for a pension before and been turned down? no

(28) Q. When? A.

(29) Q. Why, and by whom? A.

(30) Q. With whom are you living at the present time? A. my two daughters, Miss Elizabeth Brown & Mrs. Queenie Fuller

I hereby solemnly swear that I have answered the foregoing questions truthfully and fully to the best of my knowledge and recollection, and that I have not remarried since the death of my husband.

Mrs. Margaret C. Brown
(Applicant sign here.)

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16 day of May 1917
E. W. Long
A Judge of Probate in and for said State and County.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF HUSBAND OF APPLICANT BY A CONFEDERATE VETERAN

(31) Q. Do you know of your own personal knowledge that the husband of the applicant performed service for the Confederacy as stated? A. Yes

(32) Q. Do you know positively that the husband of the above applicant concluded his service as stated? A. yes

(33) Q. What was your company and regiment? A. Co. B. 10th Ala.

(34) Q. Do you draw a pension from the state? A. Yes

(35) Q. Do you belong to a Camp of Confederate Veterans? A. Camp Hutto. Yes

(36) Q. If so, give name and location? A. Camp Hutto, Jasper, Ala.

(37) Q. What is your post-office address? A. Jasper, Ala.

R. T. Knight
(Confederate Veteran sign here.)

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16 day of May 1917
E. W. Long
A Judge of Probate in and for said State and County.

AFFIDAVIT OF TWO RELIABLE CITIZENS OF THE PRECINCT WHERE
APPLICANT RESIDES

We, J. L. Sartan and G. S. Douglas our post-office addresses being Oakman R1 Ala., and Oakman R1 Ala., respectively, do solemnly swear that we have known Mrs. Margaret C. Brown whose name is signed to the fore- going application 45 years and 60 years respectively, that we consider her to be a truthful and reliable person and do not believe that she would make a false statement for the purposes of securing a pension.

J. L. Sartain
G. S. Douglas
(Two citizens sign here.)

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19 day of May 1917
E. W. Long
A Judge of Probate in and for said State and County.

CERTIFICATE OF TAX ASSESSOR AS TO VALUE OF APPLICANT’S
PROPERTY

I, C. W. Stubbfield the tax asssesor of Walker County hereby certify that I have examined the tax books of Walker County and that I find that the attached schedule of property, amounting to $ nothing is the actual value of the above applicant’s property.

C. W. Stubbfield
Tax Collector Assessor Walker County.

[Letter attached to application]

The State of Texas
Johnson County

Personally appeared before the undersigned authority W. R. Bounds who upon oath says that he is now sixty-two years of age and resides in the City of Cleburne Johnson County Texas and that he was born and raised in Itawamba County Mississippi and that he enlisted in Company D, Ashcroft’s regiment of Mississippi Cavalry Confederate States Army in the year 1863. And that Issac Brown enlisted about the same time in said Company and remained with said Company until it was consolidated with ____ Company in the Spring of 1865 and that while he cannot state it as a fact he is almost certain that the said Issac Brown remained in said army until the war closed.

W. R. Bounds

Sworn to and subscribed to 5th day of April 1904
B. S. ________ [bottom of page torn, and name obscured]
Notary Public of Johnson County.

[Stamp on back of application]

Order Number 6341
Date Jun 8 1917

WIDOW’S ORIGINAL APPLICATION

Walker County Co. D
APPLICATION OF Widow of Isaac Brown to be placed on Alabama Pension Roll, under Act approved Septemeber 25, 1905.
Class No. 3
Filed in my office this 19th day of
May 1917
E. W. Long
Judge of Probate

We, the members of the Confederate Pension Commission of Alabama, order that the within application be granted, applicant’s name being placed in class No. 3
Date 6/5/17
W. L. Martin
Chrm Alabama Pension Commission


Links

WorldConnect

Here is a list of links to user-contributed family trees at RootsWeb’s
WorldConnect Project which pertain to some of the families above. They are of varying
degrees of quality and reliablity, and I can’t vouch for their accuracy, but they’ve
proven very useful to me, and I wanted to pass them along to you. Most of them do not
have sources cited. Use them as guides,
but don’t put undue faith in them until you’ve contacted the submitters of the trees
and verified their sources.

Isaac Brown – Margaret C. Lollar

John Russell Bickerstaff

John Anderson Lollar

Alexander Hart Irwin


To-Do List

  • Find John Brown and Mary Dutton on 1850 census, either in Alabama or Mississippi.
  • Find Joseph S. Davis on 1860 and earlier censuses.
  • Find Isaac Brown and Margaret C. Lollar on 1870 census, probably in Mississippi.
  • Determine where and when Martha Brown married Charles Barrett.
  • Find Charles Barrett on the 1860 and earlier censuses.
  • Verify that the marriage bond in Chickasaw County, Mississippi is for the marriage of Joseph S. Davis and Martha Brown.
  • Find Leona Davis Sheffield on 1900 census.
  • Find older children of William Boyd Brown on 1900 census.
  • Find Levi Brown and family on 1900 census—in Fannin County or Delta County, Texas? [Completed 2002/09/23]
  • Find William Boyd Brown and family on 1910 and 1920 censuses.
  • Find Isaac Brown and family on 1910 and 1920 censuses, in Walker County, Alabama.
  • Continue tracing any and all descendants.

Questions

  • Where are William Boyd Brown and family buried?
  • Where are Levi Brown and family buried?
  • Who is the missing child of Victoria Barrett Sanderson?
  • John Brown’s middle name is reported to be Burnside, and I’d like to document the source of that. Where did this information originate?

Do you have any questions?


[I don’t know what of the “to-do” items I ever finished. I was still naïve enough to think that every person could be located in every census!

Regarding the “questions,” I did eventually answer them to my satisfaction:

  • Levi Brown and his family are buried in Pecan Gap Cemetery in Pecan Gap, Delta County, Texas. I would visit this cemetery on my grand Texas genealogy trip in summer 2003.
  • William Boyd Brown and his family are buried in the New Laodicea Cemetery at Lafayette Springs, Lafayette County, Mississippi. I would visit this cemetery and transcribe it for FindAGrave in January 2011, during my first year in graduate school at the University of Mississippi in nearby Oxford. I often felt, when I passed by Lafayette Springs on the way to and from Oxford, that the Browns were there to welcome me.
  • I nudged out the “missing” child of Victoria Barrett Sanderson just now as I was translating this report to the new site. Thanks to Google and an archived posting to the Itawamba County RootsWeb mailing, I identified her as Maude. Reviewing the 1900 census listing of Victoria Sanderson’s family, I found Maudie Sanderson Spearman, born August 1882, living “next door” to Victoria, having just married (zero months ago) to Willis C. Spearman.
  • There probably isn’t any real documentation of John Brown’s middle name being Burnside. But the name is so widely reported among descendants, and from an early date, that I feel comfortable enough with it.]

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