Fenton Mosher Brown (abt. 1807 - abt. 1880)

Born about 1807 in Tennessee, United States

Husband of Abbygail (Hayes) Brown — married before 1834 (to 26 Oct 1859) in Tennessee, United States

Husband of Frances (Hicks) Brown — married 5 Sep 1867 in Scott, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died about 1880 at about age 73 in Scott, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dusti Ide [send private message]

Biography

Fenton Brown was born in Tennessee about 1807.^[1] In the 1880 US Census for Scott, Tennessee, Fenton states that his father was born in Virginia and his mother in North Carolina.^[1] Fenton was said to have been a native of North Carolina, and of Scotch-Irish origin, who settled in Cumberland County, Tennessee. Cumberland County was formed in 1856 from parts of Bledsoe, Roane, Morgan, Fentress, Rhea, Putnam, Overton, and White.

“…Fenton Brown, a native of North Carolina, who moved across the mountains early in the nineteenth century and settled in Cumberland county. He was of Scotch-Irish stock, and represented the hardy virtues of the mountaineer folk of western North Carolina.”^[2]

Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, and is located east of the Tennessee state line.

The peak periods of Scots-Irish, or Ulster Scots, migration to America occurred between 1718 and 1774. Most of the immigrants came from Ulster in Northern Ireland and were Scottish transplants or of Scottish descent. Some landing in Virginia and spreading out across the Carolinas, the majority of Scots-Irish were farmers who settled with their families in closely-knit communities along the western frontiers. On the eve of the American Revolution in 1775, more than 250,000 Scots-Irish called the New World home. Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), seventh President of the United States, was the first of Scots-Irish extraction.

Possible origin of Fenton Mosher Brown’s name:

Clan Fenton is a Scottish Clan, as is Clan Broun / Brown. Brown is a typical Ulster Scots surname. Mosher/Mosier/Moser is an English/German surname (families of this name lived in Western North Carolina at the same time as the Browns). Fenton’s mother was possibly a Mosher, or German Moser.

Fenton Brown, a farmer,^[1] received from the State of Tennessee a grant of 50 acres “on the waters of Dady’s Creek” in Morgan County. “Dated 15th April 1826 by Fenton Brown _______ of Aaron Trevathan.” Surveyed 9th January 1827. Signed by James K. Polk, Governor of the State of Tennessee, 4th May 1840.^[3] Morgan County is located in Eastern Tennessee surrounded by the Cumberland Mountains. The county was formed in 1817 from parts of Anderson and Roane counties.

Fenton married first, Abbygail Hayes before about 1834. Abbygail was born in 1809 in North Carolina, and died of tuberculosis in Tennessee in 1859. She is buried at Peavine Cemetery, Cumberland County, Tennessee. (See her profile.)

Fenton Brown and his family are recorded on the United States Census, 1840 for Morgan, Tennessee (mistakenly shown as Arkansas). The family incudes:^[4]

1 male under 5

1 male 5 & under 10

1 male 30 & under 40

1 female under 5

2 females 20 & under 30

Fenton and his family are recorded on the United States Census, 1850 for Morgan County, Morgan, Tennessee, United States:^[5]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Fenton M Brown Male 43 Tennessee, Farmer

Abigail Brown Female 36 Tennessee

John M Brown Male 16 Tennessee, Farmer

Mary A Brown Female 13 Tennessee

Jesse T Brown Male 11 Tennessee

Aley J Brown Female 9 Tennessee

James M Brown Male 7 Tennessee

Eliza E Brown Female 5 Tennessee

Fenton married second, Francis Hicks at Scott, Tennessee in 1867.^[6] Scott County was formed in 1849 from portions of Anderson, Campbell, Fentress and Morgan counties.

Fenton M. Brown and family are recorded on the United States Census, 1880 for Scott, Tennessee:^[1]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Fenton M. Brown Self Male 73 Tennessee, United States

Francis Brown Wife Female 43 Tennessee, United States

Washington Brown Son Male 13 Tennessee, United States

Leverna Brown Daughter Female 10 Tennessee, United States

Levitrewitt Brown Son Male 7 Tennessee, United States

“Fenton Mosier Brown” and “Abbygil Hayes Brown” are mentioned in the obituary of their son, Jesse Thomas Brown (1839-1912) of Scott, Tennessee.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDW4-YRD : 15 January 2022), Fenton M. Brown, Scott, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
2. ↑ Hale, Will T. and Merritt, Dixon L. A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans. Volume VI. The Lewis Publishing Company. Chicago and New York. 1913. Thomas F. Brown, p. 1752
3. ↑ Morgan County, Tennessee Deeds : Rodney Wright on Family Search, 17 February 2021 Mosher Brown
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYG-4Y1 : 2 March 2021), Fenton Brown, Morgan, Bradley, Arkansas, United States; citing p. 209, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm.
5. ↑ “United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDY-38T : 23 December 2020), Fenton M Brown, Morgan, Tennessee, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDQL-JPV : 16 March 2020), Fenton Brown, 1867.

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T4-X6Q : 18 February 2021), Fenton M Brown, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD89-12J : 29 May 2021), Fenton M Brown, 1870.

Acknowledgements

• Sara V Mosher, Jan-Feb 2022