| Notes |
- James, Sr.’s father was another James Brown, who was born about 1707 in Chester
County, PA, married Merriam Churchman (b. 1710), and died in 1772 in Wilmington,
DE. They had six children: James (b. 1725 – my ancestor), Edward (b. 1735), Hannah (b.
1737 MD), Elija (b. 1740 DE), Esther (b. 1742 MD), and William (b. 1746 MD). Elija,
was the father of the early American novelist, historian, and editor, Charles Brockden
Brown.
This James was the son of William Brown and Esther Baker Yardley. William was born
in PA in 1682 and Eshter was born there about 1685. Esther was apparently not a Quaker
because there is a record that James married outside the faith and was therefore
“disowned.” There is no record I can find of any of the subsequent Browns in my line
being Quakers. James and Esther had five children: William (b. 1705), Margaret (b.
1706), James (b. 1707 – my ancestor), Daniel (b. abt. 1708), and John (b. abt. 1710). He
died around 1716.
Chester County, PA is in the southeast corner of PA near that state’s intersection with
Maryland and Delaware, and is not far from New Jersey. The family apparently moved
about the area quite a bit.
The next James Brown (probably Browne) in the line is the first one to come to America.
He was born in 1656 in Puddington, Northamptonshire, England. He was a Quaker, and
some researchers say he came to America in 1677 on the ship Kent, and that the family of
his wife, the Claytons, was also on that ship. Others say he was already in NJ when that
ship arrived because he was not on the list of passengers. That may be because the
passenger list only listed the passengers who loaded at London. The ship may have taken
on more northerly passengers in Liverpool or Hull before sailing to London. Anyway,
James Browne settled first in Marcs Hook, Burlington County, NJ. He was later joined
there by his brother, William. James married Honour Clayton at a Quaker meeting house
in Burlington, NJ in 1679. She was born in Sussex, England in 1662 and died in
Nottingham, PA in 1697. The couple, along with James’s brother, William, moved to
Chester County, PA (not far away) and founded the town of Nottingham. James and
Honour had eight children: Jeremiah (b. abt. 1680 NJ), James (b. 1681), William
(b.1682), Clayton (b. 1685), Ann (b. abt. 1687), Margery (b. 1691), Daniel (b. abt. 1693),
and Mary (b. abt. 1695). James is listed as one of the founders of New Jersey.
The next in the line was Richard Browne. He was born about 1632 in Northamptonshire,
England, married Mary Master (b. abt. 1634, Gloucester, England) and died in 1662. He
was apparently the first in the family to become a Quaker. Records indicate he was in the
wool business. There is no truly reliable evidence as to who Richard’s parents were,
although several researchers give the following additional genealogy, which may be true,
or given the presence of royalty, may be wishful speculation:
The next is a John Browne, who was born about 1580 in Northamptonshire, England,
married Mary Walker about 1631, and died in Northamptonshire about 1663.
John’s father was Francis Browne, born about 1554 in Rutland, England and married
Lucie Mackworth (b. abt. 1558).
Francis’s father was Anthony Browne, born about 1523 in Rutland, England and married
Dorothy Butler (b. abt. 1527 in Hartford, England) around 1552.
Next, was another Francis Browne, born about 1476 in Rutland, England and married
Margaret Matthew around 1520.
The father of this Francis was Christopher Browne, who was born around 1450 in
Rutland, England and married Grace Pinchbeck about 1475.
Christopher Browne’s father was another John Browne, born about 1425 in Rutland,
England and married a woman named Agnes about 1449.
Another John Browne preceded this one. He was born in 1380 in Lincolnshire, England
and married a woman named Margery.
Yet another John Browne preceded this one. He was born about 1349 in Lincolnshire,
England and Married Katherine Stanford (b. abt. 1356).
Royalty at last! The next John Browne up the line is a Sir John Browne, born in 1312 in
Lincolnshire and married Alice Swinstead (b. abt. 1315).
Another Sir John Browne preceded him. This one was born about 1278 in Lincolnshire
and Married Elizabeth Yieldhall (b. abt. 1290) around 1311.With him the genealogy ends.
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1707 -
