Isaac Brown

My 4th great grandfather, Isaac Brown, was born about 1760 in Virginia.     He married my 4th great grandmother, Mary "Polly" (maiden name unknown) about 1783, in Virginia.     Mary "Polly" was born about 1762, in Virginia.  

At this time we have very little information about Isaac Brown.    The earliest record we have of him is when he first appeared in Wythe County, Virginia personal property tax records in 1794.     With the exception of 1798, Isaac Brown appeared on each tax list from 1794 through 1828.     Isaac was assessed with 2 white male tithables in the years 1811 (probably son John), 1814 (probably son James), 1816, 1817, 1818, 1820 and 1823 (son Aaron - sons James and John were listed on the tax lists).    

   Isaac's family appeared on the 1810 Wythe County, Virginia census.   The census shows one male 45 & over (b. 1765 & bef); one male (John) 16-25 (b. 1785-1794); 2 males (James & Aaron) 10-15 (b. 1795-1800); one female 45 & over (b. 1765 & bef); 2 females 16-25 (b. 1785-1794); 2 females 10-15 (b. 1795-1800) and 3 females under 10 (b. 1801-1810).     Seven daughters are listed on the 1810 census with Isaac.     The oldest daughter, Mariam had already married and left home, so this shows that Isaac had at least eight daughters born prior to 1810.    When Isaac prepared his will in 1827, only seven daughters and three sons were living.  

The 1820 Wythe County census shows Isaac Brown, a male 45 & over (b. 1775 & bef); one male (Aaron) 16-25 (b. 1795-1804); one female 45 & over (b. 1775 & bef); and 4 females 16-25 (b. 1795-1804).    

Listed next to Isaac on the 1820 census was his son James Brown, a male 16-25 (b. 1795-1804); one male under 10 (b. 1811-1820); and one female 16-25 (b. 1795-1804).    

Listed next to James on the 1820 census was Isaac's eldest son, John Brown, a male 26-44 (b. 1776-1794); two females under 10 (b. 1811-1820); and one female 16-25 (b. 1795-1804).   

On March 21, 1828, Isaac Brown was listed for the last time on the Wythe County personal property tax list.

Isaac Brown died about July 1828, in Wythe County.    Isaac's will was probated in August 1828.    

On March 27, 1829, Isaac's widow Polly Brown, daughter Nancy Brown, and sons John Brown, James Brown and Aaron Brown were listed on the Wythe County personal property tax list .

The 1830 Wythe County tax list does not list Polly, Nancy or James Brown.     Only John and Aaron Brown appear on the 1830 tax list.   

The 1830 Wythe County census shows Polly living with her youngest son Aaron Brown.    The census shows Polly as a female 60-69 (b. 1761-1770).    

Polly Brown died about April 1835, in Wythe County.    Polly's will was probated in May 1835.  

(Note: The exact birth order and birth year of the children is unknown to us at this time.    Following is our "best guess".)

Children of Isaac Brown and Mary "Polly"

1. Mariam Brown was born about 1785, in VA.     She married William Bridgman.      (my line) 

2. Hannah Brown was born about 1787, in VA.     We believe she was one of the two females listed as 16-25 years old (b. 1785-1794) on the 1810 Wythe Co census with her father Isaac Brown.    She married Jacob Harrell prior to 1827, probably in Wythe Co.     Jacob Harrell was born about 1778, in VA.     Many researchers indicate that Jacob was first married to Nancy Gray in Wythe Co in 1809, by whom he had several children.     These researchers indicate that Hannah was Jacob's second wife.     At this time all that know is that Hannah was married to Jacob prior to Mar 2, 1827, at which time she was listed in her father's will as Hannah Harrell.     Jacob appears on the 1810 and 1820 Wythe Co census.     Hannah was listed as Hannah Harrell  in her father's will, in 1827, to receive a cow & calf.    The 1830 Wythe Co census shows Jacob Harrell with 4 sons and 3 daughters.     Hannah was named in her mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar.    The 1850 Wythe Co census shows Jacob Harrell, 72, a stone mason; Hannah, 62; and sons John, 21 and James, 19 years old.     Researchers indicate that Jacob Harrell died 1853, in Wythe Co.    We did not locate Hannah in 1860.     Children of Jacob Harrell and Hannah Brown included: (1) John Harrell, b. 1829, Wythe Co, VA; and    (2) James Arthur Harrell, b. 1831, Wythe Co, VA  

3. Elizabeth "Betsy" Brown was born about 1790, in Wythe Co, VA.     We believe she was one of the two females listed as 16-25 years old (b. 1785-1794) on the 1810 Wythe Co census with her father Isaac Brown.     She married Robert Black in 1819, in Wythe Co.    The 1820 Wythe Co census shows Robert Black, a male born 1795-1804; Betsy as a female born 1795-1804; with one son born 1811-1820.     Betsy was listed as Betsy Black in her father's will, in 1827, to receive one dollar.    She was listed in her mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar.     The 1830 Wythe Co census shows Robert Black, a male born 1791-1800; Betsy as a female born 1791-1800; with two sons born 1821-1825; and one son born 1826-1830.     We believe Robert was a brother to Andrew Black, James Black, and Samuel Black, and the son of John Black.  

4. John Brown was born about 1793, in Wythe Co, VA.     John was probably the male listed as 16-25 years old (b. 1785-1794) on the 1810 Wythe Co census with his father Isaac Brown.   John first appeared as a white tithable with his father on the 1811 Wythe Co personal property tax list.    He appeared in his own right on the 1816 Wythe Co tax list.     John appeared on the 1820 Wythe Co census as a male born 1776-1794; with a female born 1795-1804; and two daughters born 1811-1820.    John was listed in his father's will, in 1827, to receive the plantation on the northeast side of Reed Creek where John had formerly lived.    The remainder of his father's estate not mentioned in the will was to be divided between John, James, Aaron, Nancy and his mother, Polly.    John was listed next to his brother Aaron on the 1830 Wythe Co census.     The 1830 census shows John as a male born 1791-1800; with a female also born 1791-1800; one daughter born 1816-1820; one daughter born 1821-1825; two sons born 1821-1825; one son born 1826-1830; and one daughter born 1826-1830.    John was listed in his mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar.    We found a John Brown listed on both the 1840 and 1850 Wythe Co census, but could not determine that he was the same as our John Brown.  

5. Polly Brown was born about 1795, in Wythe Co, VA.     Her proper name was probably Mary.     We believe she was one of the two females listed as 10-15 years old (b. 1795-1800) on the 1810 Wythe Co census, and one of the 4 females listed as 16-25 years old (b. 1795-1804) on the 1820 Wythe Co census with her father.    She married ____ Davis prior to 1827, probably in Wythe Co.     Polly was listed as Polly Davis in her father's will, in 1827, to receive one dollar.     We found several Davis families in Wythe Co on the 1830 census, but could not identify Polly's family.    Polly was named in her mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar. 

6. James Brown was born about 1796, in Wythe Co, VA.     James was probably one of two males listed as 10-15 years old (b. 1795-1800) on the 1810 Wythe Co, VA census with his father.     James first appeared as a white tithable with his father on the 1814 Wythe Co personal property tax list.    He appeared in his own right on the 1816 Wythe Co tax list.     James appeared on the 1820 Wythe Co census as a male born 1795-1804; with a female born 1795-1804; and one son born 1811-1820.     James was listed in his father's will, in 1827, to receive a bed and furniture.     The remainder of his father's estate not mentioned in the will was to be divided between James, John, Aaron, Nancy and his mother, Polly.     The last record we found of James was his name listed on the 1829 Wythe Co personal property tax list.     He did not appear on the tax list the followiing year.    James was named in his mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar.

7. Jane Brown was born Jan 16, 1797, in Wythe Co, VA.     Jane married Hezekiah Bridgman.     Many researchers and family members list her as Sarah Jane.    She was listed merely as Jane in the wills of both her mother and her father.     She was listed as Jane in transcribed marriage records.     Jane had a sister who was listed as "Sally" in both Isaac and Polly's wills.     Since "Sally" was a common nickname for Sarah, it calls into question whether Jane's name was Sarah Jane and, if so, why did she have a sister also named Sarah.  

8. Aaron Brown was born about 1799, in Wythe Co, VA.     Aaron was probably one of two males listed as 10-15 years old (b. 1795-1800) on the 1810 Wythe Co, VA census with his father.    Aaron first appeared as a white tithable with his father on the 1816 Wythe Co personal property tax list.     He appeared in his own right on the 1819 Wythe Co personal property tax list.    Aaron appeared as a male 16-25 years old (b. 1795-1804) on the 1820 Wythe Co census with his father.     Aaron was listed in his father's will, in 1827, to receive the plantation where his father lived, reserving 1/3 of the front for his mother, Polly, during her lifetime, and was to pay his brother, James, one hundred dollars in 12 months after his father's death.     The remainder of his father's estate not mentioned in the will was to be divided between Aaron, John, James, Nancy and his mother, Polly.     The 1830 Wythe Co census shows Aaron, a male born 1801-1810; another male also born 1801-1810; two females born 1801-1810 (one was his wife and the other was his sister, Nancy); one daughter born 1826-1830; and one female born 1761-1770 (his mother, Polly).     The other male on the census was probably a relative.    Aaron was named in his mother's will, in 1835, to receive 1/2 of the sheep, one feather bed, one bedstead, one poplar chest and one arm chair.    Aaron was also named executor of his mother's will.    

9. Sally Brown was born about 1801, in Wythe Co, VA.     She was probably one of the three females under 10 years old (b. 1801-1810) on the 1810 Wythe Co census, and one of the four females 16-25 years old (b. 1795-1804) on the 1820 Wythe Co census with her father.     Sally married _____ Pierce prior to 1827, probably in Wythe Co, VA.     Sally was listed as Sally Pierce in her father's will, in 1827, to receive one dollar.     Although we located several Pierce families in Wythe Co on the 1830 census, we were unable to identify Sally's family.     Sally was named in her mother's will, in 1835, to receive one dollar.    

10. Unknown Daughter Brown was born about 1803, in Wythe Co, VA.     She was one of the three females under 10 years old (b. 1801-1810) on the 1810 Wythe Co census, and one of the four females 16-25 years old (b. 1795-1804) on the 1820 Wythe Co census with her father.      It appears she died prior to 1827, as she was not mentioned in her father's will dated Mar 2, 1827.         

11. Nancy Brown was born about 1805, in Wythe Co, VA.     She was one of the three females under 10 years old (b. 1801-1810) on the 1810 Wythe Co census, and one of the four females 16-25 years old (b. 1795-1804) on the 1820 Wythe Co census with her father.     Nancy was listed as Nancy Brown in her father's will, in 1827, to receive one gray horse, household and kitchen furniture divided equally between her and her mother, Polly; and 5 beds to also be divided between her and her mother.    Nancy also was to receive two cows.    The remainder of her father's estate not mentioned in the will was to be divided between  Nancy, John, James, Aaron and her mother, Polly.    Nancy appeared on the 1830 Wythe Co census as a female born 1801-1810, living with her brother Aaron and his family.     Nancy was still single when she was named, in 1835, in her mother's will to receive household and kitchen furniture; and various goods and chattles.