I'm knee deep in West Virginia genealogy today researching my husband's Brown family. He lost an uncle to cancer this week, and the cousins have been sharing photos and memories on Facebook. All this serves to pique my interest in his maternal ancestry. I was up until 2:00 a.m. clicking away on Ancestry dot com and the Familysearch site. Very happy to find photos and stories that researchers have shared of Clay County residents 130+ years ago.
Did you know my husband's fourth great-grandfather Alexander Brown fought in the War of 1812? I thought not. He served with Yancey's regiment in the Virginia militia.
Alexander and his wife, Mary (Polly) Foster, lived in Monroe County, Virginia. One researcher reports that Alex and Polly had 16 children (gulp). Before marrying, Alex and his father in law posted a marriage bond on November 14, 1805 for a then HUGE sum of money. See a researcher's transcription below:
We Alexander Brown and Isaac Foster acknowledge our __ indebted to John Page ___ Governor of Virginia and ___ therefore in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars with condition that there is no legal cause to obstruct a marriage intended to be solemnised between the said Brown and Polly Foster of this county with our hands and seals this 14th day of November 1805 Alexander Brown (Seal) Isaac his X mark Foster (Seal) John Hutchison
Bob Legg wrote: "This appears to be a marriage license, where Alexander Brown and Polly Foster's father, Isaac, had to promise to pay a $150 fee. (Equal to about $2100 today) John Page was a former member of the 1st US Congress who was later Governor of Virginia from 1802 to 1805." I appreciate Mr. Legg for sharing this document.
Among the alleged 16 children were a couple of sons trained as physicians. I found a colorfully worded bio for a grandson of Alexander and Polly. I too look forward to passing the psalmist's span of three score years in good health.
Source: The History of West Virginia, Old and New. Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 538.ANTHONY R. BROWN, M. D., of Clay, judicial center of Clay County, has passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, but is still engaged in the active and successful practice of his profession, in which he has made a record of faithful and effective service, the while he has broadened the province of his work to include also practice as a veterinary surgeon.Doctor Brown was born in Nicholas County, West Virginia, February 15, 1848, and is a son of John and Susan (Neal) Brown, both likewise natives of that county and both representatives of pioneer families there. John Brown was born in the year 1812, was reared on a pioneer farm, and he eventually became one of the successful practicing physicians in his native county, where he remained until 1855. He then removed to Clay County, where he built up a large and substantial general practice, in connection with which he manifested a high sense of personal and professional stewardship. He became a loyal supporter of the cause of the republican party, and both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Of the nine children only two are now living, the subject of this sketch being the younger, and the elder brother, Dr. George W., being engaged in the practice of medicine at Lizemores, Clay County.Dr. Anthony B. Brown was reared on the home farm and attended the schools of the locality and period. He was a lad of sixteen years when his youthful patriotism led him to enter the Union service in the Civil war, and as a member of a West Virginia regiment of volunteer infantry he continued in service until the close of the war. Thereafter he studied medicine under effective private preceptorship, and after thus duly qualifying himself he engaged in the practice of his chosen profession, in which his success attests alike his technical skill and his unqualified personal popularity. He has maintained his residence in the Village of Clay since 1902, and in his professional service he has ever been ready to minister to those in suffering or distress, no matter how great the labor involved, how inclement the weather or how difficult the incidental traversing of muddy or unimproved roads. He has thus gained the gratitude and appreciative regard of those whom he has thus unselfishly served, and he is one of the substantial and honored citizens of Clay County. He is a republican in politics and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic.As a young man Doctor Brown wedded Miss Elizabeth D. Jarett, and her death occurred in 1908. Of the six children of this union four are living. In 1909 Doctor Brown married Miss Ella Taylor, who was born in Braxton County, July 1, 1887, the three children of this union being William R., Ardelle M. and Naomi V.
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West Virginia became a state in 1863. This family had earlier moved from a pro-Confederacy part of Virginia to a rural area more friendly to Yankees. I know not whether politics was a reason for the move. I've not yet run the many names through Civil War databases to see who enlisted on which side. What led whole families to up and relocate? Perhaps it was merely a need for more land. More space for large families. Do you ever wonder how birth control might have changed history if made available centuries ago? Mothers would have lived longer. Husbands would have had fewer wives.
My husband's Great-Aunt Jessie (Monroe's sister, to those familiar with this family) married a grandson of Anthony Brown. This same grandson is mentioned in a Kindle book on a popular midwife of 100 years ago. Author Vickie Brown paints a vivid description of life in West Virginia's beautiful mountains. Belle (Brown) Neal, daughter of Dr. Brown, delivered some 3,000 infants. When called for help, Belle walked the hills of Clay County at all hours with a medicine bag, a lantern and a shotgun. She often wasn't paid. She frequently spent a couple of days with a family to help cook, clean and insure the mother and infant were healthy. She kept birth records that were later recorded at the courthouse. Many of these records are now online via the state of West Virginia. Take a peek at the book. Amazon makes it easy to sample the first few chapters of a book for free, hint hint:
