Joseph Britton (abt. 1786 - 1870)

Born about 1786 in Howell Township, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States [uncertain]

Husband of Ann Nancy (Estell) Britton — married 1 Jan 1814 in Monmouth, New Jersey, United States

Descendants

Died Apr 1870 at about age 84 in Emporium, Cameron, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Debbie Barrett [send private message]

Regarding Joseph Britton, due to the large amount of misinformation on the internet attached to this man, please note the following: Joseph did not marry Anne Martha Chadwick. She was married to John C. Chandler in New Jersey and having children with her husband during the same timeframe. Both she and her husband relocated to McKean County, Pennsylvania. Neither Anne Martha, nor Joseph and his actual wife, Ann Estell, had a son, Samuel Britton, born in 1806 in Pennsylvania. Joseph also didn't have the following wives: 1) Phoebe Camfield or Canfield (Phoebe and her Joseph Britton married in Montgomery County, New York in 1811 and they both died there, that Joseph in 1842), 2) Margaret Jones or 3) Betsy Gooch. No record exists for these children: Joshua, Taylor or Charity. Joseph and Ann's son, William was born in 1823/24, not 1812 and there weren't two of them living at the same time. Also, at this time, his parents are unknown. There is no proof they were William & Elizabeth, or Daniel & Hannah, or Timothy Britton. If you have documentation proving any of these relationships, even if it only consists of several secondary sources (sometimes these secondary documents, put together, can make a strong argument for their validity), let me know, I'm happy to go over them with you. Nothing is set in concrete. If there are documents proving any of these relationships, I will gladly change my stance.

Biography

Joseph was born about 1786 probably in Howell Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. His parents are unknown but I am currently researching Nathaniel Britton and his wife, Mary Layton. He may be the brother of Mary "Polly" Britton who married William Lewis in 1802 in Monmouth County (I've been told they were), but this is unproven. He married Ann Estell 1 Jan, 1814 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. ^[1]

Joseph joined the militia during the War of 1812 and was assigned to Captain Richard Cheeseman's Company in Lt. Col. Joshua L. Howell's Regiment of New Jersey Militia. ^[2][3] Unfortunately, he, with about half his regiment, deserted on the same day, 8 Dec 1814.

As New Jersey didn't send their census returns to the federal government (nor did they keep copies) until 1830, it has been extremely difficult and time consuming to identify Btittons all over the state as possible parents. The first census data on Joseph is in 1830 in McKean County, Pennsylvania. ^[4] The Samuel Britton that has been linked to him, I believe erroneously, did indeed live in McKean County in 1830, but nowhere near where Joseph's family located. Joseph was in Shippen Township in the SE corner of McKean, while Samuel was located clear across the county in Bradford Township in the NW section of the county. This is the only time (and record) that puts Joseph and Samuel together in one place. By the 1840 census, Samuel is in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.

Joseph and Ann were part of a larger group of Monmouth County residents who purchased land from the Holland Land Company ^[5] through their agent, Elihu Chadwick (Many McKean/Cameron County residents descend from several of these families, including said Elihu). Although the first record of Joseph actually residing in McKean County isn't until 1830, he held property in Shippen Township at least as early as 1822. At that time, according to Elihu Chadwick's daybook he used to record the transactions for his store, Joseph began coming every summer and buying supplies. His wife begins coming to the store in 1829, but her name is only given as Mrs. Britton. From this one could assume that Joseph purchased the property and came every summer to clear it and prepare for the time when he would move his family there permanently.McKean/Cameron County Resources ^[6]

On 2 Jul 1833, he was party to a deed buying land from Elihu Chadwick. ^[7] Then again, on 3 Oct 1836, Joseph sells the same piece of land back to Elihu. ^[8] I've been told these kinds of transactions sometimes occurred when one party borrowed money from another, the property would be held as collateral until the loan was repaid.

Joseph is enumerated in 1840, still in McKean County, Pennsylvania, (another transcription error. The citation says Hamilton, the actual census record only says the "Western District of Pennsylvania") all the children he and Ann will have are born. ^[9]

Sometime between 1840 and 1850, Ann apparently dies. She is not with him in the 1850 census and I have found no other record for her. Her burial place is unknown. Of the sister, Sally, she is not found after 1840. I've been unable to locate any records that would indicate where she went or what happened to her and can only guess at this point.

In the 1850 census, Joseph is still in Shippen Township, McKean County. This census transcription says his birthplace is New York but, if you look closely at the image, that is a transcription error, the transcriber mistaking the J for a Y. His two youngest children, Elizabeth and Thomas are residing in the household with him (he's on page 3 in the digital image). ^[10] Nathaniel, his eldest son, is living with his family in the same township on page 1, his son William, also living in same township is enumerated on page 2 and Daniel is living with his sibling, Nathaniel's, brother-in-law, Merrick Housler (by this time, Nathaniel had married Rebecca Chadwick Housler), and his family on page 4. The only child to have moved to another area is his daughter, Mary Jane. She is married by this time to William Dixon, Sr. (the Dixon's are an early Clearfield County family) and has moved to Clearfield County with him.

The Britton's have a clear affiliation with Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Although, he apparently never moved there, son Nathaniel, purchased property there, as did his brother's, William and Daniel. Brother's Daniel and Thomas eventually married two sisters, Barbara and Rachel Kephart, another early Clearfield County family. Three children of this couple, Mary Jane, William and Isaac are the only members of this family to actually relocate to Clearfield County. There are two William Britton's (Please note as well, the other William Britton living in Clearfield County area is a different William, this William gives his birthdate several years earlier than the William affiliated with this family, he also gives his parents birthplaces as Pennsylvania and Scotland in the 1900 census). The William of McKean County, consistently gives his birthplace and date as 1823/1824 in Pennsylvania).

Joseph is next listed in the 1870 Mortality Census Schedule for Cameron County, Pennsylvania (Cameron was created from McKean in 1860 and the area encompassing Shippen Township become part of the new county), having died in April 1870, age 83, birthplace New Jersey. His cause of death is Phthisis, a term no longer in use, but it refers to the condition commonly known as Tuberculosis. This census lists the household number of the family the deceased is living with at the time of death. The household listed is for Thomas Britton, his brother, Daniel, is living next door. ^[11]

Joseph's burial place is unknown and I have not been able to locate a will or probate record.

Notes

This biography is provided by Debbie Barrett. Some documentation is still in paper form which I received through correspondence in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the McKean and Cameron County, Pennsylvania Historical societies and descendants of the Lewis, Housler, Ranier, Chadwick and Britton families. McKean/Cameron County Research I am still actively researching Joseph. If you have any documentation to share, please let me know.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Marriage Records. New Jersey Marriages, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.[1]
2. ↑ War with Great Britain, 1812-1815; Ancestry.com. Records of officers and men of New Jersey in wars, 1791-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Records of officers and men of New Jersey in wars, 1791-1815. Trenton, N.J.: New Jersey Legislature, 1909 [2]
3. ↑ War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. National Archives and Records Administration. Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.; National Archives and Records Administration. M602, 234 rolls (Text only, no images).[3]
4. ↑ 1830 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Shippen, McKean, Pennsylvania; Series: M19; Roll: 161; Page: 129; Family History Library Film: 0020635; Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Fifth Census of the United States [4]
5. ↑ Holland Land Company History[5]
6. ↑ Engle, William Henry M.D (1876) An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Online publication provided by Archive.org, page 480/481[6]
7. ↑ Deed books, 1806-1886 ; Indexes, 1806-1972; McKean County, Pennsylvania Courthouse. Deed Book D, page 149 Images provided by Family Search.org [7]
8. ↑ Deed books, 1806-1886 ; Indexes, 1806-1972; McKean County, Pennsylvania Courthouse. Deed Book E, page 26 [8]
9. ↑ 1840 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Hamilton, Mckean, Pennsylvania; Roll: 475; Page: 86; Family History Library Film: 0020551; Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch; [9]
10. ↑ 1850 United States Census; Census Place: Shippen, McKean, Pennsylvania; Roll: 795; Page: 60B; (page 3 in the digital record); Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch; [10]
11. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Non-Population Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Mortality; Archive Collection: M1838; Archive Roll Number: 5; Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Emporium, Cameron, Pennsylvania; Page: 1; Ancestry.com. U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. A portion of this collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.[11]