Catherine Brown (abt. 1831 - aft. 1880)

Born about 1831 in England, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Descendants

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Biography

Catherine was born about 1831. She passed away after 1880.

Her 1870 census shows a different last name that may be Penmuten, but by 1880 she is back to Brown, and her 28 year old daughter Kate Clemens is living with her again. Two much younger children, May (12) and Fred (10), are likely Kate's rather than Catherine's, which would match the possible narrative that Kate left George Clemens sometime between the 1870 and 1880 census, taking their two children with her.

Family oral legend mentions an English lady who married an Irish lord against the wishes of both families, and that when the lord died, nobody wanted his wife and children, so they had to go to America. This would align with the 1860 census data showing Catherine as born in England, accompanied by a 9 year old Kate A and two other children. Kate's census data consistently shows her birthplace as Ireland, and often shows her mother's origin as Ireland as well - potentially indicating her place of departure rather than place of birth. More evidence is needed to confirm these suspicions.

Sources

• US census data 1860, 1870, 1880. She is variously listed as being from England or Ireland.