University of Virginia Library

BROWN.

The Browns of Brown's Cove were a Hanover family. Its
head, Benjamin, and his eldest son Benjamin, patented a large
area of land in Louisa County, both before and after its
establishment in 1742. They began to obtain grants in
Albemarle also soon after its formation. From 1747 to 1760
they entered more than six thousand acres on both sides of
Doyle's River. Benjamin Sr., married Sarah Dabney, who
according to Dr. Charles Brown's will, was descended from
the Jennings that left the enormous estate in England, which
such a multitudinous posterity in this country has coveted,
and which prompted Dr. Charles to cross the great sea twice
in his old age. Benjamin died in 1762, leaving eleven children,
Benjamin, William, Agnes, Barzillai, Benajah, Bernard,
Bernis, Bezaleel, Brightberry, Elizabeth, the wife of John
Price, and Lucretia, the wife of Robert Harris. Passing
these names under review, one can imagine the delight of the
old gentleman in the iterating alliteration of B. B., and how
assiduously he searched the Scriptures and the Lives of the
Saints, to attain his pet ideal.

Benjamin and William were their father's executors, and
appear to have had their portions and residence in Hanover
or Louisa. Barzillai sold out in Albemarle, and settled in

Shelby County, Kentucky, in 1809. Benajah also disposed
of his interests, and removed to Buckingham.

Bernard had his home at the foot of Buck's Elbow, not far
from Whitehall. He was the first of the family to depart
this life, dying in 1800. He and his wife Elizabeth had
twelve children, Robert, Reuben, Bernard M., Charles,
Thomas E., Ira B., Asa B., Benjamin H., Bezaleel, Francina,
the wife of John Rodes, Lucy, the wife of Nathaniel
Thompson Sr., and Sarah. Robert and Reuben emigrated
to Sumner County, Tennessee. Bernard M. married Miriam,
daughter of David Maupin, and had nine children, among
whom were Thompson Brown, Sarah, the wife of Clifton
Browa, and Pyrena, the wife of Tilman Maupin. Charles
practiced medicine in Charlottesville in the early part of the
century. He lived where Dr. W. G. Rogers now resides
till 1822, when he removed to the farm on the waters of Ivy
Creek which he bought from Crenshaw Fretwell, and on
which his son Ezra still resides. He married his cousin
Mary, daughter of Bezaleel Brown, and had six children.
He died in 1879, having attained the remarkable age of
ninety-six years. Thomas H. married first Mildred Brown,
and secondly Lucy, daughter of Horsley Goodman. By his
first marriage he had a daughter Emaline, who was the wife
of W. G. Fretwell. Ira B. married Frances Mullins, and
had six children, among them Burlington D. Brown. Benjamin
H. married Judith, daughter of Hudson Fretwell.
Bezeleel married Elizabeth, daughter of John A. Michie, and
his children were Cynthia, the wife of William H. Brown,
Frances, Addison, Williamson, Mary, the wife of George
W. Kemper, Martha, the wife of Charles H. Parrott, and
John A. M. He was cut off in the prime of his days in 1825.
The family of Bernard Brown was remarkable in one respect.
He and his three sons, Charles, Thomas H., and Ira B.
were magistrates of the county, and two of them served as
Sheriff, Charles in 1841, and Thomas H. in 1849.

Bernis was one of the early Methodist preachers in the
county and country, entering the ministry some years
before the close of the last century. He married Henrietta,

daughter of John Rodes, and died in 1815, leaving
eight children, Sarah, the wife of Thomas Jones, Henrietta,
the wife of John Ruff, Ann, the wife of John Dickerson,
Bernis, Tyree, Benjamin T., who married Lucy Richards,
Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Carthrae, and John R.

Bezaleel was an officer in the Revolutionary army at Yorktown,
was a magistrate of the county, and served as Sheriff
in 1805. He died in 1829. He and his wife Mary had six
children, William T., Bezaleel, Elizabeth, the wife of Jesse
Garth, Lucy, the wife of her cousin Reuben, Bernard's son,
Sarah, the wife of Charles Parrott, and Mary, the wife of Dr.
Charles. William T. married Mary, daughter of James Jarman,
and died in 1877. His children were Lucy, Sarah, the
wife of John R. Early, and Mary, the wife of Dr. William E.
Bibb. Bezaleel was appointed a magistrate in 1835, was a
member of the House of Delegates from 1844 to 1847, and
died in 1878.

Brightberry and his wife Mary had five sons, Horace,
Clifton, William, Nimrod, and Brightberry. He died in 1846.
Horace lived at the head of the Cove, just beneath Brown's
Gap, and his house, on account of its bracing air, quiet seclusion
and generous fare, was a favorite resort of the Methodist
clergy during the heat of summer.

This family of Brown, from their early settlement, their
prominent part in public affairs, the high character generally
prevalent among them, and the lasting impress they have
made on the natural scenery of the county, is one of the
most noted in its history.

A numerous family of the same name began with Andrew
Brown, who in 1789 bought land in North Garden from John
Everett. He lived in a house which is still standing, about
a quarter of a mile west of North Garden Depot. He died
in 1804, and the place was well known for many years after
as the residence of his wife Mary. His children numbered
thirteen, Elizabeth, the wife of Joel Yancey, John, James,
Anderson, Nancy, Lucy, the wife of Ralph Thomas, Sarah,
the wife of Absalom Johnson, Nelson, Mary, the wife of Martin
Moore, Margaret, the wife of James Kinsolving, Williamson,

Maurice and Damaris, the wife of Benjamin W.
Wheeler. John married Martha, the widow of John P.
Watson, who had devised to her his real estate, nearly five
hundred acres lying east of North Garden Depot; she however
in 1816 joined with her second husband in a deed to
James Leigh, that it might be reconveyed to him. He died
in 1845, and his children were John A., William, Catharine,
the wife of Jerome B. Wood, Sarah, the wife of John M. Carr,
Ann, the wife of George W. Rothwell, Charles, Martha, the
wife of Benjamin F. Ammonett, and Marietta, the wife of
Elijah J. Bettis. Anderson and his wife Susan had ten children,
among whom were Sarah, the wife of D. C. Rittenhouse,
Mary Jane, the wife of James A. Watson, and the late
Andrew J. Brown, of Charlottesville.

A Benjamin Brown was associated with David Ross in the
purchase of a large number of lots in Charlottesville, when
they were originally sold. He died about 1799, and John
Brown, of Louisa, was his executor. It is probable Benjamin
lived in Louisa, and he may have been the eldest son of Benjamin
Sr., of Brown's Cove.

Another Benjamin Brown was a lawyer of the Albemarle
bar at the beginning of the century. He was the owner at
different times of the plantations of Meadow Creek and
Mooresbrook, at which latter place his son, Robert M., a
prominent attorney of Amherst, was born. He married Sarah
E. W., daughter of Colonel Charles Lewis, of North Garden.
After selling Mooresbrook to R. B. Streshley in 1812, he
removed to Amherst County.

Matthew Brown, who it is said was not related to the last
mentioned Benjamin, married Ann, the sister of Benjamin's
wife. For a few years subsequent to 1804, he resided on a
thousand acres which he purchased from John M. Sheppard,
of Hanover, and which were situated in North Garden on the
north side of Tom's Mountain. He also removed to Amherst.
At a later date he was a contractor for erecting the buildings
of the University. He was the grandfather of Judge Thompson
Brown, of Nelson.