Mary (Barnes) Brown (1738 - 1795)

Born 25 Dec 1738 in Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Died 28 Sep 1795 at age 56 in Oakham, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

MARY BARNES, born at Brookfield, 25 Dec 1738 daughter of Comfort Barnes and Sarah Abbott;^[1] Mary died at Oakham, 28 Sep 1795;^[2] married at Brookfield, 7 Oct 1762,^[3] JAMES BROWN,^[4] born about 1741; James died at Oakham, 12 Jun 1819.^[5] James married second the widow Rhoda Clark.

Mary's father Comfort Barnes died when Mary was about age 10 years. Mary's mother Sarah was named as her guardian in 1748.^[6]

Mary Barnes and James Brown resided in Rutland and Oakham, Massachusetts where they had farm property. The household of James Brown was six persons at Oakham in 1790: two males 16 and over, one male under 16, and three females.^[7]

In his will written 8 April 1818 (probate 3 August 1819), James Brown of Oakham bequeathed to beloved wife Rhoda $600 and the household furniture she brought to the marriage. She also has use of half the house and garden during her natural life. Daughter Thankful Evans receives use of half the house and garden as well as use of the well, firewood, and a cow. The children of Aaron Brown deceased receive five dollars each. The children of Elizabeth Pratt deceased receive two hundred dollars. Son Moses Brown receives all the real estate and is named executor.^[8]

Children

Mary Barnes and James Brown were parents of five children.

i WILLIAM THOMAS BROWN, b. at Rutland, 18 Nov 1764

ii AARON BROWN, b. at Rutland, 29 Sep 1766; m. at Oakham, 10 Oct 1786, AZUBAH GREEN, b. at Oakham, 15 Apr 1771 daughter of William and Sarah (Stone) Green.

iii ELIZABETH BROWN, b. at Rutland, 9 Oct 1768; d. at Braintree, VT, 19 Nov 1817; m. at Braintree, 9 Oct 1803, as his second wife, MATHEW PRATT, b. 19 Jan 1764 (per History of Braintree, VT);^[9] Mathew d. at Braintree, 26 Jun 1819. Mathew was first married to Mary Niles and third married to Mary Spear. Elizabeth and Mathew were parents of three children: Elizabeth, Mathew, and James Brown.

iv THANKFUL BROWN, b. at Rutland, 14 Jul 1771; d. at Oakham, 26 Aug 1837; m. at Oakham, 17 Jul 1810, JACOB EVANS who has not been identified. In her will written 5 October 1833, Thankful Evans left her estate to religious groups.^[10]

v MOSES BROWN, b. at Oakham, 10 Apr 1773; d. at Oakham, 8 Oct 1826; m. at Oakham, 24 May 1801, EUNICE MARSH, b. at Oakham, 10 Mar 1778 daughter of Elias and Esther (Berry) Marsh;^[11] Eunice d. at Oakham, 23 Jun 1828.

Sources

1. ↑ Barnes, Mary, d. Comfort, and Sarah, Dec. 25, 1738. Brookfield Vital Records, Births p 32
2. ↑ Death record, Oakham Vital Records, Deaths p 113
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-TFQJ : Thu Mar 07 05:13:22 UTC 2024), Entry for James Brown and Mary Bacon, 20 August 1762.
4. ↑ The History of North Brookfield reports that Mary Barnes married James Brown. There is a marriage record that reports the marriage of James Brown to Mary Bacon and perhaps that is an error. No other verification of this marriage has been found. One of Mary’s nephews (Lewis Barnes) named one of his sons James Brown Barnes which may or may not mean anything.
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74282518/james-brown: accessed April 4, 2024), memorial page for James Brown (unknown–12 Jun 1819), Find a Grave Memorial ID 74282518, citing Oakham Center Cemetery, Oakham, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Mark Wing (contributor 47348447).
6. ↑ "Probate records v. 101-105 1737-1758" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-S9MY-4  : 4 April 2024), Film# 007704228, Worcester, Massachusetts, image 528, Vol 103, Page 5.
7. ↑ The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC; First Census of the United States, 1790.; Year: 1790; Census Place: Oakham, Worcester, Massachusetts; Series: M637; Roll: 4; Page: 451; Family History Library Film: 0568144
8. ↑ Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Case 8090
9. ↑ Bass, The History of Braintree, Vermont, p 172
10. ↑ Massachusetts Probate, Worcester County, Volume 80, p 319
11. ↑ The 1821 will of Elias Marsh includes a bequest to his daughter Eunice Brown. Massachusetts Wills and Probate, Worcester County, volume 80, p 467