James Neville Brown, Elbert County, Georgia

The purpose of this post is to help identify James Neville Brown of Elbert County, Georgia and his son James N. Brown of Madison County, Georgia.

George posted same information under the title The White Family earlier. [I have also written about the double connection to the White Family through both William Head Pearson and later on though James Madison Pearson, Sr. It is all a bit confusing.] George also earlier provide information on Benjamin Rush Pearson. If I am just repeating him, I apologize.

Still, I thought it helpful to draw a line from our grandfather James Madison Pearson, a.k.a. Daddy Matt, back through his father Dr. Benjamin Rush Pearson. On my great grandfather's maternal side there is the Brown Family. Benjamin's mother, Elizabeth Brown leads on to James N. Brown and his father of the same name. By the time we get back to James Neville Brown, Sr. we have arrived at 1752.

Several Georgia counties are involved including Jasper (the Pearsons), Madison, and Elbert. All of these counties are steeped in history.

Benjamin Rush Pearson at VMI, Class of 1871

Benjamin Rush Pearson at VMI

The connection begins with a bit from the VMI Rosters online. [The image to the left of Ben at VMI was first used by my cousin George in his post January 2007.] The VMI story is short, so I have reproduced the genealogy in full:

Born- Aug. 1, 1849 in Daderville, Ala.
Father- James Madison Pearson.;
Mother- Elizabeth Brown.

Pat. Grandfather- William Head Pearson;
Pat. Grandmother- Mary White : both of Dadeville, Ala.

Mat. Grandfather- James N. Brown;
Mat. Grandmother- Martha McCoy : both of Madison, Ga.
[Note to myself. In looking for information on Martha McCoy, it is necessary to search the spelling; "married Martha "Patsy" Mackoy December 26, 1809". See number 11.]

Married- Sallie Coleman Ferrell of Montgomery Ala. in 1873.
Children-
1- Mrs. William R. Letcher [given name unknown];
2- Dr. Coleman Ferrel Pearson;
3- James Madison Pearson.

Entered VMI- Jan. 28, 1868; Graduated- July 4, 1871 standing 21 in a class of 46.

Careers- Merchant; Farmer; Physician; President of Medical Society of Montgomery Ala.; County Health Officer.

Died- March 12, 1906 in Richmond, KY at the home of his daughter.

From Benjamin Rush Pearson (1849 - 1906) to Elizabeth Brown (mother) to James N. Brown (dates unknown) to James Neville Brown (1752 - 1851)

I was interested in the maternal grandparents of Benjamin Rush Pearson, James N. Brown and Martha McCoy of Madison County. In searching online for traces of family history, it is sometimes necessary to approach a search from different angles before success is achieved. It is like Thomas Edison's search for the perfect filament to light the light bulb. A lot of trial and error is involved.

The search that got the result I needed included the words "James N. Brown, genealogy, Georgia".

This lead me to the Ancestry.com page on Celia Page of Buckingham County, VA. There, one discovers that Celia Page (1732 -1799) married Henry White (1724 - 1802). Seven children are named, including Lucy White (1753 - died after 1815). Lucy married James Neville Brown (1752 - 1851) of St. Ann's Parish, Albermarle County, Virginia.

James Neville Brown was one of the individuals attesting to the will of Henry White, who died in Bedford County, Virginia in 1802, [Bedford County, VA, Will Book 2, pp. 366-7].

There follows in the notes on James Neville Brown his own will, recorded in 1841, (Recorded the 15th of April 1841, Wm. B. Nelms, C. C. O. [Elbert County, Georgia, Probate Records, Book __, p. 206]).

There follows an appraisement of the estate, listing various debts owed to James Neville Brown totaling $3,579.79.

James N. Brown

The will of James Neville Brown identifies "James N. Brown, Jr., the oldest son, who was living in Madison County, Georgia".

As I said at the beginning, my cousin George has written on The White Family. The focus on the Brown Family gives someone something else to do.