James Brown of Western Nelson County

JAMES BROWN OF WESTERN NELSON CO. KY The following information is what I used to prove James Brown of western Nelson Co. KY, as a new Patriot for the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)

A. RESIDENTS OF NELSON CO. VA (NOW KY) RECORDED IN THE TITHABLE & TAX LISTS, VOL I, Margaret J. Schroeder

1785 Brown, James 1 tith, 6 males ,2 females, 1 male slave, l female slave. (6 males are sons under age) James Brown is listed 1786, 1787, 1788, 1790, and 1791. The names of the two Negroes are given in the tithable lists.. "Ruben and Diane" Note: Samuel Stigler is listed in this same tax district (List of James Rogers) for each year, as is James Brown

B. RESIDENTS OF NELON CO. etc., Vols. II, III, IV, Margaret J. Schroeder ` James Brown and Samuel Stigler, in same district as James Rogers, 1793, 1794, 1795, and 1796.

C. NELSON CO TAXPAYERS, 1793-1799, TLC Genealogy James Brown & Samuel Stigler listed all years except the missing 1798 tax list.

D. ABSTRACTS OF DEEDS 1785-1808 NELSON CO., KY, Nelson Co. Gen. Soc. Samuel Stigler 125 ac to James Brown, 6/7/90. The 125 acres of land on Buffalo Creek was listed in the years of tax for James Brown until his brother-in-law Benjamin Stigler sold him 12 acres in 1803 He now had 137 acres. Note: The continuous listing of same acres of land on Buffalo Creek in the yearly tax records and the names of the two Negroes, Ruben and Diane, appearing on the tax list are proofs that separates the James Brown Family from the other Brown Families in Nelson Co. James Brown lived in the western part of Nelson Co.

E. Microfilm Roll: Nelson Co. KY VA/KY 1792-1808. The sons of James Brown first appear on the yearly tax list with 1 tith/tax next to the listing of James Brown. Sons: Samuel in 1791, James, Jr. in 1793, William in 1797, Thomas in 1801, John in 1802, and Evan in 1808.

F. ABSTRACTS OF WILLS 1785-1820 NELSON CO., KY , Nelson Co. Gen.Soc. James Brown died intestate @ 1807. There are listings pertaining to the estate of James Brown that give the children "of age".

G. ADMINISTRATION, EXECUTORS & GUARDIAN BONDS, 1804-1813, Ina Williams. Guardianship records for the children "under age" are found in this volume.

H. FROM OUT OF THE DARK PAST THEIR EYES IMPLORE US, The Black roots of Nelson Co. KY, P Cravens & R. Pangburn. Brown, James: Nelson Co., KY "Will Book B/34, April Ct, 1808; Lucy @ L30, Charles @ L150, Sam @ L135, DINAH @L100, Hannah @ L90." (Note the name of Dinah, if age 16 in 1785, then @ 39 in 1808)

I. NELSON CO. KY 1850 FEDERAL CENSUS, Nelson Co., Gen Soc. John Brown (my ancestor) age 67 born, VA. His age agrees with the year he was first listed in the tax records .Armsted Brown, age 60, b KY, lived 8 families from John Brown. They both were sons of James Brown.

James Brown possibly had two wives. I am not comfortable with the idea of one wife or the idea of two. DAR accepted two wives.

Family of James Brown lst wife: name unknown Children: Please note these dates are an "estimate" based on the date the males appeared on the tax list and the females' date of marriage.

1. Samuel @ 21 in 1791 b @ 1770 Three marriages for "a" Samuel Brown in Nelson Co.: Brwon, Samuel & Carter, Tabitha, 1797 Brown, Samuel & McClarty, Rachel, 1799 Brown, Samuel & Hobbs, Henny, 1799

2. James, Jr., @ 21 in 1793, b @ 1772, d 1814, Nelson Co. KY. Married 1802, Nelson Co., Anne Edwards. Nelson Co. KY Will, named wife Anne, children: Cindrella, Haden Edwards, Samuel Stigler, and Sally Ann Brown

3. William @ 21 in 1797 b @ 1776, d 1810 Nelson Co., KY. Married Sally Simmonds, 1802, 1 son "orphan" James Brown (Guardian records)

2nd wife: Sally Stigler Daughter of Samuel Stigler. Proven by will of Samuel Stigler in 1798, Nelson Co. He named his daughter Sally Brown. In the full account of the original will James Brown was one of the Exec. of the will and named as " my son- in-law".

Children: 4. Elizabeth b @ 1778 m 1793, Nelson Co. KY, Jeremiah Brown. "consent in person: James Brown father of Elizabeth". Elizabeth age @16/17 at marriage? Believe there has been confusion with this Jeremiah Brown. Joshua Brown's will Stafford Co. VA 1780 lists: wife Alice (Luncford), sons, Jeremiah, James, dau m. Wm. Kindell (already in KY in 1780). sons under age. Jeremiah is found in Nelson Co. area living near James Brown in the tax lists. Jeremiah and his brother, James sold their land in Fairfax Co. VA in 1793. A Copy of the will, 1780, of Joshua Brown of Stafford Co. VA is in the Brown Family file in the genealogy section of the Nelson Co. Library.

5. Thomas, @ 21 in 1801, b @ 1780

6. John, @ 21 in 1803, b 1782. 1850 census listed as age 67. Married lst Anna Cotton, 1804, 2nd Matilda Kendell, 1839. both Nelson Co.

7. Evan @ 21 in 1808, b @ 1787 Marriage: Brown, Evan & Kendall, Nancy, 1811, Nelson Co.

8. Gideon b @ 1788

9. Daniel b @ 1790, d 1852, Meade Co. KY (Bible Records) Marriage: Brown, Daniel & Ross, Patsy, 1812, Nelson Co.

10. Armstead b 1791, KY age 60 1850 census. d post 1860 census.(1863) Marriage: Brown, Armstead & Coe, Nancy, 1815, Nelson Co.

11. Austin b @ 1793

12. Nancy b @ 1795

13. Bartlett b @ 1801

14. Stanislaus b @ 1803

James Brown and Sally Stigler may have married @ 1777. Sally Stigler b 1760 if age 16/17 when married in 1777. Reason that Sally Stigler may not be the mother of all of the children for James Brown is the 1810 Nelson Co. KY Census. The adult female (Sally) in the household of James Brooks, was over 45 and there are two male children listed under the age of 10. Another reason Sally could be a 2nd wife is that Samuel Stigler is a proven DAR Patriot. His birth is given as @ 1731. When working with an approx. date of marriage for Samuel Stigler, the approx. dates of births of his children (their marriages) etc., it appears that Sally would have been too young to be the mother of all of the children of James Brown. But who knows?

MARRIAGE, BOND, CONSENT BOOK OF NELSON CO. KY 1801-1816 Brooks, James & Brown, Sally (Mrs.), Bond: 21 Apr. 1808, married: 21 Apr 1808. The 1810 Nelson Co. Census James Brooks is listed with the 137 acres of land.

MARRIAGE, BOND, CONSENT BOOK OF NELSON CO. KY 1817-1832 Sally Stigler Brown Brooks was dead by 23 Dec. 1819, as James Brooks m 2nd Mrs. Celah Kendall, Nelson Co.

1827 Nelson Co. Deed Book 17, p 428: " James Brown heirs to Samuel Brown: Jeremiah Brown & wife, of Meade Co., Betsy Brown, James Brown, John Brown, Jacob Brown, Wm Brown & Armstead Brown, legal heirs of James Brown, decd. for the sum of $50 each do relinquish all right title and interest unto Samuel Brown, in the tract of land owned by James Brown, decd. and of which he lived and died, containing 137 ac on Buffalo Creek." Explanation of above names? I have not figured out all of the names.

1. Jeremiah Brown m Elizabeth Brown proven daughter of James Brown

2. Betsy Brown ?

3. James Brown was son of Wm Brown d @ 1810 (son of James Sr.) Guardian bond record gives son "James Brown".

4. John d 1856, proven son

5. Jacob son of a deceased son ?

6 Wm son of a deceased son ?

7. Armstead d 1863, proven son

Note: All paid an equal share!! $50 each. Samuel, proven son, bought above land. If born @ 1770, he would be @ 54 years of age. Or was this the Samuel Stigler Brown named in the will 1810, of James Brown, Jr? He would have inherited 1/4 of 1 share of interest in the land of James Brown. Or?

James Brown, Samuel Stigler and John Snider/Snyder all were from Culpeper Co. VA. When they moved to Nelson Co. VA(KY) @ 1784/5 they lived in same area etc.

The father of James Brown was Thomas Brown, Will, 1786, Culpeper Co. VA. A complete copy of the original will is needed to prove this relationship. Thomas Brown gave two Negroes to each of his sons. Stated in the will: " To my son James Brown: 2 young Negroes Ruben that he has already in possession of & Harry." In 1786 the son of Thomas Brown, James Brown was in Nelson Co. VA (KY) James apparently traded/sold Harry for Diane. Thomas Brown in his will gave Diane to son Gideon Brown. The sons listed in the will, 1786, of Thomas Brown of Culpeper Co. VA were John, Evan, Thomas, James, Gideon, and daughter Sally.

There were four James Browns listed in the 1783 tax list for Culpeper Co. VA. Samuel Stigler was listed in this tax record with 400 acres of land. Samuel Stigler and his wife Anne sold 400 acres of land near Piney Point in Culpeper Co. VA, 16 July 1784.

Talking with people in Culpeper Co. VA the comments on the Browns is that there were many Browns and too many with the same names etc. Apparently no one has separated the families. I figured out there were at least two different Brown Families. The Coleman Brown who settled early in Washington Co. KY was of one of the "other" family/families of Browns in Culpeper Co. VA.

The names found in the records in the various court records of Nelson Co. pertaining to Samuel Stigler and names of the adult children (named in the intestate records) of James Brown found in the guardianship records help prove the children of James Brown.

Samuel Stigler married 3 times. 1st to Sarah? Samuel Stigler & wife Sarah sold the 60 ac given to him by his father in 1764, in 1765 he bought 400 acres in Culpeper Co. VA.

2nd to Ann Wortham Wortham (lst m to Samuel Wortham, Bruton's Parish Registry, Williamsburg, VA) Ann had 4 children by her lst marriage. Two lived to adulthood, Charles and Lucy Wortham. Lucy stated that her mother (Anne) died July 1785 (Burned Records, Nelson Co.) Nelson Co. early records prove Samuel Stigler as the guardian for Charles and Lucy Wortham.

3rd to Sarah Pound 1789, Nelson Co., KY Marriages. "Signed the marriage bond, James Brown"

In working with the records of Culpeper & King George Counties, VA I realized that I could and did prove the mother of Samuel Stigler as a DAR Patriot. DAR accepted Mary/Martha Stigler as a new Patriot.

Appreciate corrections, comments etc.

My sincere THANKS to all the persons throughout the years in Nelson Co., KY who have worked and continue to work so hard to preserve, publish etc. those old court records. The books quoted enabled me to use Nelson Co. records without always returning to the county.
Submitted by Mary Ann Dickerson Shoemaker
Oakton, VA 2004

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