Three Revolutionary War Era Jonathan Browns, can you help sort them out? [closed]

Question

Looking for help sorting / merging these three Jonathan Browns who may have served in the Revolutionary War.

Comments

1. Jonathan Brown (1716-1799) of Massachusetts, son of John Brown and Mary (Elva) Brown - DAR #A015665 (the other two profiles don't reference DAR)
2. Jonathon Brown Sr (1716-1799) of Massachusetts, son of Thomas & Sarah (Randall) Brown (datafield says born in MA but text says Connecticut)
3. Jonathan Brown (1702-1799) of Massachusetts, son of Bartholomew Browne and Susanna Maule

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Thanks Liz, these are the ones.

Questions that need proper sourcing.

Which one married Abigail Russell?

Which one died 26 Sep 1799?

What are the death dates of the others?

Who are the other wives in any?

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Just realized that since I'm emeritus now, I can't add tags... you might want to add 1776 and Massachusetts as tags, to get attention from folks in those projects (I tend to stick to southern profiles, so I won't be much help).

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Thanks Liz, so provided.

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The linked Jonathan Brown currently shows as a distant cousin. In looking at that, I found problems in the PGM John Proctor profile (his and the attached wife) which I will notate.

Answer 1

Regarding #3. Jonathan Brown b. 1702.

1. No evidence provided for the birth of this Jonathan Brown b. 1702.

2. The Maule Genealogy evidence makes no mention of Jonathan Brown or a Susanna Maule who married a Bartholowmew Brown.

3. The Ancestry profile provided is an unsourced family tree and does not link this Jonathan to Abigail Russell or her children.

I propose removing Abigail from this profile as it's claims are not supported by any evidence and is contrary evidence privide on the other Jonathan's.

In fact this profile has no verifiable evidence to support it.   I do not support merging this profile until the parents are resolved, birth date resolved and verifiable evidence has been provided.

Comments

Incorrect and unsupported dates and locations should be removed as well to futher prevent Merge attempts.

Answer 2

Regarding #2, Jonathan Brown b. May 1716 with parents Thomas and Sarah.

There appears to be one source that places his birth in Hebron, CT, with father Thomas, mother not named.   But no evidence is given for Westfield, MA location.

The difference seems to fall on which Jonathan Brown married Abigail Russell.

The key question is identifing the correct Jonathan Brown who married Abigail Russell.   I have not yet found any direct evidence that gives a birth date for the Jonathan Brown who marries Abigail.

However, The Essex Antiquarian and other unsourced genealogical works support that the Jonanthan Brown who married Abigail is the Jonathan Brown whose parents are John Brown and Mary Elsy).  These historical types of works have been used as sources when direct evidence is absents.  But care must be taken as they too can be incorrect.  In one of these sources incorrectly applies the Revolutionary War service of Jon. Jr. to his father, Jon. Sr.

I will work on developing the profile of Jonathan Brown #1 with the sources provided on that profile.

Also, there is a difference in who the children are.

I believe their is enough evidence to support the list John and Abigail's children, which I will provide as well.

Finally the DAR supports Jonathan Brown #1 b. Dec 1716 as the husband of Abigail, If correct, we do have a birth record of his parents.

Comments

If there is evidence to support a Jonathan Brown with parents Thomas and Sarah and a slightly different birth date. Then I suggest that this profile has been conflated with Jon. Brown #1 and NO MERGE completed.  Rather let's get it corrected.

Answer 3

I am descendant of Abigail Russell or Russel married to Jonathan Brown b 1716 Bay Colony and may have died 1799 or 1809. I was unable to prove when I'd joined DAR but went with his son as my patriot John Brown b 1755 and married Lovinia/Lovina Lyon/s.

I purchased several dvds with church records on them this past year but no conclusive identification. I have texted several shirt-tail cousins looking for documentation. Family Search has the family in several places - without documentation. Would love to help to solve the mysteries.

According to the Genealogy of John Brown (exact title escapes me) Jonathan Brown served with Washington in French and Indian war. Supposedly he and his son John were in first alert at Lexington, but other works don't agree.

I will go back through if you want to rework the information. I'm finding it difficult as people have made assumptions I fear. Jonathan and John Brown are a bit too common and it needs an extra step.

Answer 4

I think Brown-7138 is in error and likely should be deleted. There are a father and son both named Bartholomew Brown, Browne-4643 & Brown-54600 and I suspect only the younger Bartholomew had a son Jonathan and that is Brown-54604 based on this record: https://archive.org/details/essexantiquaria06perlgoog/page/n166/mode/2up

Comments

Thanks for looking into this Jeff.

Profiles can not be deleted.  However, I can remove him from his parents and delete most info.  Then we can merge his empty profile but you will need to approve the merge.

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All set and you are now also a Profile Manager for Brown-7138 in case I missed anything

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Thank you Jeff.

Answer 5

Jonathan Brown #3 was the first of these to be created.  Brown-7138.  By WikiTree Policy, it is to be the final Brown profile.  I have proposed a Merge of Brown-24938 (#1 above) into Brown-7138.   Because, Brown-7138 does not have much of the details, the info from Brown-24938 will take precident.

Answer 6

Evidence in support of Jonathan Brown of Salem. #1

From: Historical Celebration of the Town of Brimfield

In 1876, the US Congress passed a resolution asking the counties and towns to deliver on the day of the first Centennial an historic sketch on the formation and history of their town.  The leaders of Brimfield, MA took the reqest a bit further and published their history in, Historical celebration of the town of Brimfield, Hampden County, Mass.

Jonathan Brown of Salem, b. 31 Dec 1716 is refered to serveral times thoughout the book.  While not a founding father of Brimfield, Jonathan was considered the progentor of one of the two lines of prominent Brown families of Brimfield. (p.197)

Here there is mention of Col. Abner Brown son of Issachar Brown and Rhoda Nichols.  Issachar is the son of Jonathan Brown of Salem.  It is this Jonathan Brown who marries Abigail Russell who d. 1803.

On p. 375, the descendent Genealogy of Jonathan is produced.  Here are the details that link Jonathan Brown of Salem with Abigail Russell.  

It also states that he arrives in Brimfield about 1739

While this is not direct evidence with primary source material, it demonstrates that the town of Brimfield produced a historical and genealogical work based on common knowledge and information provided by the many Brown descendents of Johnation Brown of Salem.

Thus I propose this is reasonable evidence to suggest that Jonathan Brown of Salem is the correct spouse of Abigail Russell.

I will endevor to produce simlar such evidence.

[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044051737948;view=1up;seq=471 Brimfield (Mass. : Town). Historical Celebration of the Town of Brimfield, Hampden County, Mass. Springfield, Mass.]: The C. W. Bryan company, printers, 1879. P. 375

Answer 7

Evidence in support of Jonathan Brown of Salem. #2

From: Essex Antiquarian Vol 12. p.100

Sidney Perley was a Lawyer, member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and Editor of the Essex Antiquarian, "An illustrated ... magazine devoted to the biography, genealogy, history and antiquities of Essex County, Massachusetts."

On p. 100 of Vol 12 (1908), Perley reproduces the desecent genealogy of John Brown #43, father of Jonathan #95.  Unfortunately he does not provide who Jonathan married Abigail, however what information that is provided concurs with the Historical Celebration of Brimfield (1876).  Including information that he was living in Salem in 1738, which would be just prior to his arrival in Brimfield.

Perley, Sidney, 1858-1928. The Essex Antiquarian: an Illustrated ... Magazine Devoted to the Biography, Genealogy, History And Antiquities of Essex County, Massachusetts. Salem, Mass.: Essex Antiquarian, 18971909. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030567195;view=1up;seq=124 Vol. 12, p.100.]

Answer 8

Answer solved with this source.

Brown-Gilbert and Allied Families, 1947 (Anonymous) but elsewhere suggested that this is Homer W Brainard, FASG. (attempting to verify)

Information and sources on p. 8-9 demonstrate the Jonathan of Hebron is not the husband of Abigail Russell.  He is in Hebron well past the time the other Jonathan and Abigil move to Brimfield.

https://archive.org/details/browngilbertalli00unse/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater