James Asa Brittain (abt. 1705 - abt. 1776)

Born about 1705 in Wales

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 17 Oct 1776 at about age 71 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

James was born about 1705 in Wales. When James Brittain was born in 1705 in Wales, his father, Sir William Brittain was 29 and his mother, Achea, was 22. He married Mary Whitty (Witty) in 1725 in Frederick, Virginia. They had 12 children in 48 years. He died in 1768 in Guilford, North Carolina, at the age of 63.

James Brittain arrived in Maryland in 1723. In about 1723, he is spotted in Chester, Pennsylvania, Orange, and Virginia^{[citation needed]}, hunting & prospecting throughout the lands especially in North Carolina where he would one day move. Although he enjoyed hunting and prospecting through North Carolina, he returned to Virginia where he met and soon married Mary Whitty in Hopewell, Frederick, Virginia (about 1740) and where they remained for a while. With her sister and husband (Simon Moon), they moved and settled at Moore's Creek Guilford Co. NC. They were among the first settlers. Hannah Achea Brittain was the first child born in that area.

From the Orange County, Virginia Deed Books 3&4 (1738-1741) we find:

Daniel Chauncey of Orange Co., Va. to James Brittain of same county. Lease & release; for £10 and £10. 144 acres on the north side of Opeckon Creek near the head of a branch called Tuscarora, being the south end of a tract granted to Morgan Bryan and Bt Bryan sold to Daniel Chancy

Ann Chancy Wit; Sarah (M) Martin, Samuel (S.P.) Pike, John Crayham. Acknowledged 22 May 1740. [From: Orange County, Virginia Deed Books 3&4 , 1738-1741. Judgements of 1736. Compiled by John Frederick Dorman. Pages 22-25; 19th-20th May 1740;]

4 May 1768, James Brittain, Sr. of Rowan Co.,NC -no wife sign- let Thomas Jessop, Fr. of 666 have 20 acres where Daniel Brittain formerly lived on Horse Pen Cr. next--Beal.

Probate: August 1774, Rowan County, NC ^[1]

....The Brittain Lineage goes back to James Brittain, a native of Wales. As a young man he immigrated to America, early in the eighteenth Century, and after a short residence in Pennsylvania moved to Virginia. From Virginia he came on a tour of exploration through the colony of North Carolina. It was a prospectin and also a hunting trip.

North Carolina was at that time almost a virgin wilderness, and only here and there in the more favored location had colonists acquired small tracts of land from the Crown. Altogether, the hunting trip gave James Brittain a favorable impression of the new wilderness country to the south. After his return to Virginia, he married a Miss Witty, and then with his bride and her sister and husband, Simon Moon, returned and settled in what is now Guilford County. The old annals of this locality give these two families credit of being the first permanent settlers of Guilford County.

They located there several years before the Moravians settled at Bethabin in what is now Forsyth County. It was a country to delight the heart of a true frontiersman and hunter. Indians were more numerous that the whites and occasionally were disposed to hostility at the invasion of Europeans. Wild game of every variety and in utmost abundance satisfied the sportsman's instincts of James Brittain. The lands which he secured as his home were in Bruce Cross Roads Township, a tract that is now owned by the Stafford heirs. In that location he cleared and improved the first farm land in Guilford County. The locality is known as William Smith's Long Hollow. There James Brittain spent the rest of his days.

His son, Samuel Brittain, Sr., was born in what is now Bruce Cross Roads Township of Guilford County in the year 1742. That date serves as an indication of the very early settlement of the family here. Samuel Brittain made the acquaintance of his wife by a rather romantic circumstance. When he was a young man the peace of the community was somewhat disturbed by the presence of a hostile Indian Chief, who had a band of his followers in Stokes County.

Samuel Brittain, Sr., with a party of other settlers, including Mr. Moore, went in quest of those Indians, and while on the expedition in Stokes County met Mary Perkins. This casual acquaintance developed to the closest ties of matrimony. Mary Perkins was a daughter of Valentine Perkins, who it is said had Indian blood in his veins. Valentine Perkins had four daughters, one of whom married a Dalton, another a Gibson and another a Wakefield. His only son, Thomas Perkins, went to Western North Carolina. Valentine Perkins married a Miss Springfield.

Notes from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?fannie,king::britton::2239.html James Britton bc 1704/5 m Mary Witty Issue: 1. James Jr. 2. Samuel 3. Nathaniel 4. William 5. Daniel 6. Benjamin 7. Mary

Listed on tax records for Chester Co PA in 1726, over 21 years--also listed is Samuel Britton who may have been his brother

Both James and Samuel arrived in Orange Co VA c 1740 and lived next to each other. Also living in Orange Co c 1740 were William and Joseph Britton, but there is no evidence they were related to James or Samuel

James purchased land in 1740. The area where James lived had become Frederick Co (today's Martinsburg, Berkley Co, WVA) when he sold his land in 1754 and moved to Rowan Co, NC. In 1768 James sold land in Guilford Co. NC (formerly Rowan Co) where "Daniel Britton had formerly lived." 1 2 3 4 5 Birth: 1705 in Wales, United Kingdom Death: BEF 1772 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States LDS Baptism: 4 FEB 1998 Temple: SGEOR Endowment: 7 MAY 1998 Temple: SGEOR Sealing Child: 16 JUN 1998 Temple: SGEOR Ancestral File #: 1JBR-GQ

Marriage 1 Mary WHITTY b: 1710 in Wales, United Kingdom Married: 1726 in Virginia,

Children: Has No Children - Hanna Achea BRITTAIN b: 1727 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States Has No Children - Benjamin BRITTAIN b: 1728 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States Has Children - Joseph B. BRITTAIN b: 1729 in Orange, North Carolina, United States Has No Children - William BRITTAIN b: 1730 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States Has Children - James BRITTAIN b: ABT 1732 in Orange, North Carolina, United States Has Children - Nathaniel BRITTAIN b: 1734 in Chesterfield, Virginia, United States Has No Children - Samuel BRITTAIN b: 1735 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States Has No Children - Enoch BRITTAIN b: ABT 1736 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, Virginia, United States Has No Children - Mary BRITTAIN b: 1744 in Hopewell MM, Frederick, Virginia, United States Has Children - Daniel of Greene BRITTAIN b: BEF 1745 in Hopewell MM, Frederick, Virginia, United States Has No Children - Robert BRITTAIN b: ABT 1746 in Chesterfield, Montgomery, Virginia, United States Has No Children- John BRITTAIN b: ABT 1750 in Orange, North Carolina, United States

Children: Daniel BRITTON James BRITTAIN William BRITTAIN Benjamin BRITTON^[2]

Text: James Brittain appears in deeds and church records of early Frederick Co. VA about the time that it was formed from Orange and Augusta Counties in 1738. He and Samuel Brittain were in the area that was Orange Co.

1740- Deeded property on north side Opeckon Creek. Acknowledged 22 May 1740. 1740/41-James witnessed marriages under the Quaker Hopewell Meeting as well as other familiar names: Joseph Brittain, Mary Brittain, Joseph Ballenger and Mary Ballenger. 1747 - James Brittain administers estate of Mary Wall, 5 May 1747 1753 - Sales of property is recorded by James Brittain and Mary Brittain of Frederick Co, VA. 1754 - Property transfer being handled for James Brittain by Hugh Lyle in his absence has notation: " Britain has gone to Carolina, 1754" 1759 - James appears as the only Brittain in western NC on the Tax list of Rowan County. 1760 - James is given land by Earl of Granville - 584 acres on both sides of Horsepen Creek of Reedy Fork of Haw River next to Mordica Mendenhall and Henry Ballenger 30 July 1760. Proved Oct 1762. 1761 - James Brittain (no wife signs) lets William Brittain, both of Rowan Co. have 200 acres on Horsepen Creek next to Henry Ballenger. 1765 - Henry Ballenger deeds to James Brittain 60 acres on the east side of Horsepen Creek for 20 pounds. Proved 5 Jan 1765. 1765 - Henry Ballenger lets William Brittain have 25 acres on the west side of Horsepen Creek for sum of ten pounds. Proved in open court Jan.1765 1768 - 31 Mar 1768 - A deed from Henry Ballenger to William Brittain for 190 acres was acknowledged in open court.

Research Note

Father: Sir William BRITTAIN c: 18 JUN 1676 in Pavenham, Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom Mother: Mrs Achea BRITTAIN b: 1683 in Wales, United Kingdom

Shirley concludes the section on James with this statement: "We believe this early James Brittain died ca. 1768 in what was then Rowan Co., NC. The last deed or mention of this James Brittain is in 1768 in the deed where James Hargrave of Caroline Co, VA sold to Thomas Jessop "land where James Brittain formerly lived." James has not been located on any later tax record or deed in Rowan or any surrounding county." Abbrev: William Britton Sr. and His Descendants Title: Sherry Lynn Britton (Compiled by author, ), "William Britton Sr. and His Descendants," report dated 1999, (: accessed ).is Descendants." 1999. . : . Abbrev: GENEALOGY OnLine Title: "GENEALOGY OnLine", digital images and databases, GENEALOGY OnLine, see details (see details : accessed ); undocumented and unnamed family tree submitted, [contact information for private use].see details. see details : . Text: Timeline James Brittain:

1705 Wales 1723 Maryland 1726 Chester, Pennsylvania 1740 Orange, Virginia - md Mary Witty 1740 Hopewell, Frederick, Virginia

1751 Opeckon Creek, Frederick, Virginia 1753 Opeckon Creek, Frederick, Virginia

1754 Rowan, North Carolina 1756 Rowan, North Carolina 1759 Rowan, North Carolina 1760 Rowan, North Carolina Moore's Creek, Guilford, North Carolina William Smith's Long Hollow, Guilford, North Carolina 4 May 1768 Rowan, North Carolina Aug 1774 Rowan, North Carolina

Jame's Will was probated on August 1774, Rowan County,NC. [BEVAN BATES ATKINSON and KIDD Ancestries - with a MULTITUDE of Cousin Lines!] 1705 Wales1723 Maryland1726 Chester, Pennsylvania1740 Orange, Virginia - md Mary Witty1740 Hopewell, Frederick, Virginia1751 Opeckon Creek, Frederick, Virginia1753 Opeckon Creek, Frederick, Virginia1754 Rowan, North Carolina1756 Rowan, North Carolina1759 Rowan, North Carolina1760 Rowan, North CarolinaMoore's Creek, Guilford, North CarolinaWilliam Smith's Long Hollow, Guilford, North Carolina4 May 1768 Rowan, North CarolinaAug 1774 Rowan, North Carolina.James Came to PN & after a short while moved to VA & decited after hunting & Prospecting through NC, he would move on. He returned to VA where he Married Mary Whitty, and with her sister & husband (Simon Moon) They then moved and settled at Moore's Creek Guilford Co. NC. They were the first Europeans to settle there. Hannah Achea Brittain was the first American European child born in that area.

Sources

1. ↑ Notes from http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2913799&id=I0938
2. ↑ GENEALOGY OnLineTitle: "GENEALOGY OnLine", digital images and databases, GENEALOGY OnLine, see details (see details : accessed ); undocumented and unnamed family tree submitted, [contact information for private use].see details. see details : .Note: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/r/o/Rufus-B-Brown-jr/GENE10-0004.html

• Brittain Gleaning p129. Brittain History Library of Congress book 6.p277

• History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, by special staff of writers; Lewis Publishing Company, 1919-North Carolina. Page 163-165.

• The genealogical study of James Brittain of Buncombe County, North Carolina

Statement of Responsibility: compiled by Shirley Brittain Cawyer Authors: Cawyer, Shirley Katherine Brittain, 1921 Stephenville, Texas : S. Cawyer, 1988. Physical:ix, 617 p. : ill; Subject Class:929.273 B777.

• Notes from Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

Source Citation: Place: Maryland; Year: 1723; Page Number: 27. Source Information:Gale Research. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Filby, P. William, ed.. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2006.

James Brittain

Name: James Brittain Year: 1723 Age: 18 Estimated birth year: abt 1705 Place: Maryland Source Publication Code: 3690.1 Primary Immigrant: Brittain, James

• Annotation: Date of indenture and colony to which bound. An A has been inserted by indexer to indicate that page number appears as a roman numeral in the introductory material of the source indexed. Additionally, additions and corrections listed on page xxvii in the Source Bibliography: KAMINKOW, JACK, and MARION KAMINKOW. A List of Emigrants from England to America, 1718-1759. Baltimore: Magna Carta Book Co., 1984. Reprinted, with additional records originally incorporated in the "new edition" of 1981, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989. 292p.

• Page:27.Notes from History of North Carolina Vol V pg 162 -163.

Ancestry.com. History of North Carolina [database on-line]. Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: History of North Carolina

• Gleaning p129 Brittain History: Library of Congress: book 6. p277.

• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR8-LZM : accessed 2 July 2018), James Brittain, Morgan, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 162, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 29; FHL microfilm 337,905.

• History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, by special staff of writers; Lewis Publishing Company, 1919-North Carolina. Page 163-165.

• The genealogical study of James Brittain of Buncombe County, North Carolina

Statement of Responsibility: compiled by Shirley Brittain Cawyer. Authors: Cawyer, Shirley Katherine Brittain, 1921. Stephenville, Texas : S. Cawyer, 1988 Physical:ix, 617 p. : ill; Subject Class:929.273 B777.

• http://www.brittain.us/genealogy/notes.html
• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR8-LZM : accessed 2 July 2018), James Brittain, Morgan, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 162, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 29; FHL microfilm 337,905.
• United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH26-8ZG : accessed 2 July 2018), James Brittain, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 243, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 39; FHL microfilm 337,912.
• "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKJM-X67 : 13 March 2018), James Brittain, 1801; citing Craven, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,769,644.
• BrittainGleaning p129 Brittain History: Library of Congress: book 6. p277.
• From: Orange County, Virginia Deed Books 3&4 , 1738-1741. Judgements of 1736. Compiled by John Frederick Dorman. Pages 22-25; 19th-20th May 1740;
• https://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/britton/pats?raw=1
• http://haygenealogy.com/hay/howsmon-britton-frost/britton/brittonfamilydocs.html
• https://books.google.com/books?id=AEU4AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA163&lpg=RA1-PA163&dq=mary+perkins+and+the+Brittain+line&source=bl&ots=DCrzAYhxLX&sig=6LDOQ7QXGwc7UCJqoSUK0YCXarA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjsn5DenqnTAhUn6oMKHSXmDUQQ6AEIHzAC#v=onepage&q=mary%20perkins%20and%20the%20Brittain%20line&f=false
• History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, by special staff of writers; Lewis Publishing Company, 1919. Page 163 &164.[1]

DNA

Several men with the surname Brittain and the same genealogy petigree have had their DNA tested. They match markers with Michael Britton, who was born in England and whose most distant Britton ancestor was born in England. He was tested some years ago by Oxford ancestors.