Daniel Brown (abt. 1805 - 1858)

Born about 1805 in Livingston, Columbia, New York, United States

Husband of Amanda (Unknown) Brown — married about 1837 (to 20 Jan 1858) in Livingston NY

Descendants

Died 20 Jan 1858 at about age 53 in Mt. Washington, Berkshire County MA

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Biography

Proofing of Daniel's probable origin: References regarding the birth of three of Daniel's children that occurred in the Township of Mount Washington, and his death record there, vary regarding Daniel's origin or birth. Mt. Washington MA variously recorded him as being born or originating from "NY" or "Livingston" or "Johnstown". References to "Johnstown" are especially confusing because there was another "Johnstown" in Fulton County NY and FamilySearch.com has mistakenly assumed (no record) and list him as he as being born at the Fulton County location. FIRST: Johnstown Columbia Cty NY is shown on a Beers Columbia Cty 1858 Map on the northside of the village of Livingston (which was at that time the Post Office) and it was later absorbed into the Village of Livingston. SECOND: In the 1841 edition of "The History and Antiquities of Every Town in the State of New York" by Barber & Howe, "Johnstown" is listed on page 110 as being within the Township of Livingston. THIRD: Johnstown in the Township of Livingston Columbia Cty also appears in Captain Franklin Ellis' 1878 edition of his Columbia County history narrative. FORTH: Daniel's association with Livingston in Columbia County NY is verified by one of his Estate Probate records on file in the Town of Great Barrington MA, that being an 1860 Affidavit of Release of Interest in Danial's estate signed by his legal wife Amanda Brown then living in Livingston Columbia Cty NY. FIFTH: The Columbia County Clerk's Office has on file an 1848 Deed pertaining to Daniel Brown and his legal wife Amanda Brown having sold land in Livingston Township, Columbia County.

At this point it appears that Daniel abandoned his wife Amanda and in 1850 bought land in Berkshire Cty Mount Washington MA, and had in his household a white woman using the given names variously as "Mary Brown and Mrs. Maria Brown".

Otherwise:

In the 1840 USC Daniel Brown, born abt 1805, is living with a female of similar age, later found to be his legal wife with the given name "Amanda", and several children in the Town of Gallatin, adjacent to the Township of Livingston, Columbia County NY. In the Census it appears his mother Betty Brown lives with him or next door with some of his siblings and/or relatives.

In 1848 he and his legal wife Amanda, then living in Gallatin, sold a certain plot of land in Township of Gallatin.

He is next found In the spring of 1850 as purchaser of land in Town of Mt. Washington Berkshire County MA which is east from Copake Falls in Columbia County NY. In 1852 and 1853, records list the births of two (un-given-named children at time of birth) "Brown" boys in Township of Mt. Washington Berkshire County MA. The parents of the two boys are listed as Daniel Brown and "Mary Brown" both from or born in Johnstown or Livingston in Columbia County NY. In the 1855 MA Census for the same place a "black" man named "Mr. Daniel Brown" and a white woman named "Mrs. Maria Brown" are listed with 3 older NY State born black children who via other public records are his children by his then living legitimate black wife Amanda Brown still living in Township Livingston Columbia County NY. In same census, there are also 3 younger children born in State of MA listed as "mulatto", named Levi, Eli and Ellen Brown. Federal Census records generally list these children as white but NY State Census use "mulatto". The 1855 Census may reflect the political/social norms of the time. The oldest MA born child "Levi Brown" was known and observed to be a white man. "Eli Brown" is last found in the 1865 NYS Census with a foster fdamily and is listed there as "mullto". Thereafter a Town Hall fire is reported to have occurred; no record birth record found for Ellen or my GGF Daniel Brown (born abt 1856). Then an 1858 Mt. Washington birth record for my GGF's younger sister Estella Brown listed her as black, her parents being Daniel Brown and Maria Brown, maiden name noted as "Chatter", both from Columbia County NY.

Daniel Brown died January 1858 before Estella's birth in 1858. Daniel's MA probate records DO NOT mention Mary/Maria or their five children BECAUSE he was still married to the black woman named Amanda Brown who lived in the Town of Livingston Columbia County NY. Daniel's legal wife Amanda Brown and his younger black brother Azariah Brown, received probate disbursements.

Maria, the consort and mother of five illegitimate children, received no mention or probate funds, was removed from the Mt. Washington property and entered the adjacent Township of Copake Falls NY. There Levi Brown was placed in the care of a local "Melius" family and Maria and her remaining children entered the Columbia County Poor House in Ghent NY on December 18th 1858. The 1860 USC and original Poor House Ledgers confirm the sequence of these and later events.

Daughter Ellen died a few months later in the Poor House. Eli was farmed-out to a Columbia County farmer in 1859. He is last found in the 1865 NYS census. The mother Maria died in the Poor House on December 25th 1863 and is buried in a (now) unmarked field. My GGF Daniel was farmed-out the same day to the Amos Hapeman family in Livingston Township. Estelle was farmed-out to Elizabeth Esselstyne in 1866 who died in 1882. Estella's future is unknown.

My GGF Daniel declared he knew nothing about his parents, selected a date for his birthday and a place of birth, and spoke nothing about his other siblings except Levi, who lead a reclusive and mysterious life, and Estella. Daniel had limited contact with Levi but buried him 1933 in Troy NY without a marker. At the time of his death Daniel did finally say that his father and mother were "a" Daniel Brown and Myra Brown.

My GGF's mother thus appears to have been (all one in the same) a woman using the names Mary Cater, Mary Chatter, Mary Brown, Maria Brown, Mariah Brown.

Sources

1829 Albany NY Dutch Reformed Church Birth/Baptismal Record for Mary Elizabeth Cater; 1810 and later City of Albany Directories re Cater family; 1848, 1850 and 1860 deeds recording sales and purchases of land; 1852, 1853 and 1858 Town of Mt. Washington Berkshire County MA birth and death records; 1855 State of Ma Census for New Ashford and Mt. Washington; 1858-61 State of MA Probate Records for Daniel Brown's estate including disbursements to Daniel's legal wife Amanda Brown and younger brother Azariah Brown; 1840 and later USC and NY State Census records up to 1940 re Cater and related Brown family lines; 1850 and later Original Columbia County Poor House Records in the possession of Columbia County Historian's Office; Various NY State Death Records re Brown family line members.