Fourth Generation

8. BRIDGET "Biddie" MURPHY^2,17,18 was born about 1795 in Laurens District, South Carolina.

William Brown's War of 1812 Pension Application states that he married "Biddie" Murphy in Pendleton SC in 1813 and she died in Kentucky. Her sons Murphy, b. 1816, and Ezekiel, b. 1822, stated in 1850 that they were born in Kentucky. There was also likely a duaghter Nancy who died leaving a son, William Warren, that William & his 2nd wife Elizabeth Halstead raised.

William Brown & Elizabeth Halstead married in St. Francois MO in 1824 so it's likely Bridget died in childbirth with Ezekiel or soon after. She was probably born about 1793-95.

Bridget's father's will in Cass Co GA in 1850 states that she and her children have been provided for previously and bequeaths her $5. Perhaps the family never heard from her after she left Pendleton with the Browns.

BRIDGET "Biddie" MURPHY and WILLIAM BROWN were married in January 1813 in Pendleton District, South Carolina.^17,18 WILLIAM BROWN^{17,18,19,20,21,22,23}, son of SAMUEL BROWN and Rebecca [BROWN], was born on 24 February 1794 in Pendleton District [now Anderson County], South Carolina.^17,18,19,24 He died on 24 August 1874 at the age of 80 in Grayson County, Texas.^17,25,26

Marriage Date to Elizabeth Halstead given in INDEX TO WAR OF 1812 PENSION FILES, Vol I: A-F. Transcribed by Virgil D. White, 1989.
Married by James Halbert, minister of the Baptist Church.

1830 St. Francois MO Census; St. Francois Twp: William Brown age 30-40. 1m under 5 [Lemuel]; 1m 5-10 [Zeke]; 1m 10-15 [Murphy]; 2f under 5 [Rebecca & Jane]; 1f 10-15 [Nancy]; 1f 20-30 [Elizabeth] Based on the names surrounding William in this 1830 Census he would appear to living near Murphy's Settlement and not far from Lemuel Halstead and the Burnhams. Of course his wife was a daughter of Lemuel. Richard Jones, father of Rebecca who married Murphy Brown, bought his property in 1833 in St. Francois from Thomas Burnham adjoining Murphy's Settlement.

A Samuel Brown was also in the Searcy Co AR Census in 1840, as well as on the tax lists from 1839-1843. There was a William Brown on the Searcy Co Censuses who is almost a perfect match for his family. A William Brown is on the Searcy Co tax lists from 1839 when they begin through 1843. There are in fact 2 William Browns in Searcy Co for 1841 and 1842. Elizabeth Brown, widow, testified that they had lived about 3 years in Searcy Co Ark, after leaving St. Francois. On p.188 in Searcy Co is William Brown: 1m -5 [William Warren-grandson], 1m 5-10 [John Samuel], 1m 10-15 [Lemuel Green], 1m 40-50 [William]. 2f 10-15 [Jane & Rebecca]; 1f 30-40 [Elizabeth].

William Brown lived near his son Murphy Brown in Newton County in 1850 and both families are found in 1860 in McDonald County.
1850: p.347-8, Household 356. William Brown age 55, farmer, B. SC. Elizabeth age 44 b. TN. John S. age 18, b. MO; Wm. M. Warren age 13, b. MO.
1860 p.61, Household 408. Wm Brown, age 65, farmer, b. SC. Elizabeth age ?64 b. TN.

Listed in Goodspeed's Taxpayers of 1861. Township 23, Range 29. Marked with "C" for being Confederate Army member, but may be confused with son John as William was somewhat old to be fighting.

15 Feb 1867. Deed Book B, McDonald Co. William Brown and Elizabeth his wife and John S. Brown and Mary his wife sell 90 acres land to John Packwood of Barry County and another 90 acres to Levi Davidson of McDonald Co. These tracts were the NE Quarter of Section 7, Twp 23 - Tom Comstock & William Randall, his brother-in-law had sold the SE Quarter of the same section.

1870 Grayson Co TX Census. p.43, Household 189. Wm Brown age 70, Farmer, SC & Elizabeth age 64 b. TN. [the places of birth are one line off in this census - one of the children of John Samuel Brown immediately above William was born "SC" which of course should have been for William Brown]

9 August 1999. Information from Bernidean Hendrickson confirms this as being the family of Murphy.
From "William Brown" article: Came to Missouri in 1825. Was a member of the Baptist Church. Moved to Grayson Co, Texas during the Civil War along with his son John S.
1870 Grayson Co TX Census from Paul Barker: Precinct #4, Kentucky Town, p.27, Household 200: William Brown age 70, Elizabeth age 64.

William Brown's War of 1812 Pension File; #25855 Rejected; #34061 Widow's:
[When William applied for his pension he was rejected - he had served only 52 days when I believe 60 days was probably the requirement at that time. The requirements always changed as you got further away from the war in question. So when Elizabeth applied as a widow she did receive benefits, but then she died right away. Here is a summary of the contents of this file which contained both applications as well as William's applications for bounty land.]

On 20 Jan 1852, William Brown came before the Justice of the Peace in Newton Co. MO. Stated his age as 56 years and that he was identical to the William Brown who was a private in the Company Commanded by Captain Jacob Reede in the Regiment Commanded by Colonel Austin. He was drafted at Pendleton Courthouse SC about the 1st of Feb 1815 for six months and continued in service for two months and was honorably discharged at Pendleton Courthouse SC about the 1st of Apr 1815. He makes declaration for obtaining bounty land under the act passed 28 Sep 1850. Signed: William Brown
He requested that the warrant be sent to John S. Brown at Hazel Bottom Mo, his attorney in fact. [John S. Brown was the youngest son of William & Elizabeth Holstead Brown.]
He was allowed 40 acres on Jun 19, 1952.
On 27 Apr 1855 in Newton Co Mo William Brown "aged Sixty years on the 3rd day of February 1855" [which was the date of the new Act that had been passed, NOT the date of his birth. William Brown was born 24 Feb 1794. He was just shy of his 61st birthday]. He declared he served as a private in the company of Capt Jacob Reed in the War of 1812 "having been drafted in the State of South Carolina and that he thus received for his services Bounty Land, warrent No 61685 of Forty acres under the act of 28th Sept 1850 which warrent has been located at Springfield Missouri on the 28 Sep 1854 by him. He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the additional Bounty Land to which he is entitled under the act passed March the 3rd, 1855 never having received bounty Land except as above stated."
Signed with his signature: William Brown
He received 120 acres at that time. [This 2nd warrant was #87537. Both warrants were located in McDonald Co MO, near the Newton/McDonald line. Both were located in Section 7, Twp 23, Range 29. William had another 80 acres in the same section.]

On 6 Dec 1871 in Grayson Co TX, William Brown, aged 76 made application for pension. He stated that at the time of the War of 1812 he was married to Biddie Murphy, to whom he was married at Pendleton Dist SC in January of 1813. In this app he states that he was drafted in Jacob Reeds company at Pendleton South Carolina in Sep or Oct of 1814 and discharged at Pendleton Court House SC April 1815. The discharge was lost the same winter it was granted. A report from the Third Auditor showed that he enlisted Feb 1, 1815 and was discharged Mar 24, 1815 having served only 52 days. The application was rejected 19 Aug 1872 as the length of service was insufficient.

On 20 Dec 1878, Elizabeth Brown, widow of William Brown, applied, stating he had served between 50 and 60 days. She was granted the pension on 24 Jun 1879 - $8 per month. Elizabeth stated that she was 72 years old, resident of Grayson County. She gave a description of her husband at the time of his enlistment as 5 feet, 9 or 10 inches high, light hair, eyes blue, light complexion. She was married to said William Brown in the county of St. Francois, in state of Missouri on 23 May 1824 [in a couple of places the month was August but had been crossed out and May written in - I believe May to be correct] by James Holbert a Minister of the Gospel [who was also from Pendleton Dist SC] and before the marriage her name was Elizabeth Holsted. The said William Brown was married before to one Biddie Murphy who died in Kentucky, date not known. William Brown died in Grayson Co on 24 Aug 1874. She gives the places of their residence as follows "At St. Francis County Mo, 5 years - thence to Searcy Co Ark 3 years - Thence to Newton Co Mo about 24 years - thence to Texas about 7 years where he died." Signed: Elizabeth (her X mark) Brown [William & Elizabeth Brown actually lived in St. Francois Co MO for 15 years, not 5 - Elizabeth was illiterate and could not have checked this application for accuracy.]
[Additional Notes: James Halbert was listed as a charter member of the Baptist Church in St. Francois along with Rebecca Brown, the wife of Samuel Brown, William's father. James Halbert married Nancy Brown and Clark Warren, Nancy a daughter of William & Bridget, also Joseph Brown & Keziah Raglan, Joseph being William's brother. William Polk was another man listed as a Minister of this church - he married Murphy Brown & Rebekah Jones, Murphy was the eldest child of William & Bridget, born 1816 in KY.]

G. R. Stamps, aged 39 and J. S. Aston, age 63, residents of Grayson Co had known Elizabeth Brown for 28 years and 11 years respectively. They knew her as the wife of William Brown and believed he had served as alleged. They both testified they had heard him speak of his service and had seen his warrant issued for service in the War.
John S. Brown testified as youngest son of William and Elizabeth. He stated he was born on the 25 Jun 1831 in St. Francois Co, MO. He was the youngest of four. His oldest brother L. G. Brown resides in Placer Co California [P.O. Michigan Bluffs] and was born 29 Jun 1826. There were two sisters in between whose birthdays he did not recollect. There had been a family Bible which had the family records but had worn out and he had transferred the records into a new Bible about 1869. He further testified to the date of his father's death and the fact the Elizabeth Brown had not remarried. Dated 15 Mar 1879. Signed: John S. Brown
In St. Francois Co MO on 8 Feb 1879, Waid H. Clay testified that he was 67 years of age and was well acquainted with William Brown and Betsey Holstead in the year 1824 and since that time for 15 or 16 years. They were married by James Holbert, a minister of the Baptist Church. He lived as close neighbor to them for a number of years until they went to Texas or Arkansas.
Also in St. Francois on the same day, Mrs. Isabella Long testified. She was 68 years old. She knew William Brown and Betsey Holsted about 1824 when they were married by James Holbert, a minister of the Baptist Church, now deceased. After about fifteen years, they removed to either Arkansas or Texas.
There is a handwritten copy of a Family Record purported to be from a family Bible, copied on 12 Dec 1878.
"Wm Brown was born February 24th 1794 and married May 23rd 1824 to Elizabeth Haulstead"

There is a report that Elizabeth Brown was last paid $8 to 8 May 1880 and has been dropped from the pension rolls because of death.
John S. Brown filed on 28 Jun 1880 that Elizabeth Brown had died 8 May 1880. He presented the following bills: H. H. Voorhies for making the coffin & lumber for same - $6.75; Baily & Gwaltney, a drug bill for $2.75, and Tom P. Johnson a dry goods bill for burial - $8.83. Total of $18.33. She had been ill from the 1 Apr of 1880 to her death; causes were epilepsy, old age, and general debility. I found a note 1880 Aug 3 - "Pd Elizabeth Brown $18.33 on account reimbl. claimant advised" so apparently certain burial expenses were paid for the pensioners.

William Brown is buried Washburn Cemetery near Bells, TX

BRIDGET "Biddie" MURPHY and WILLIAM BROWN had the following children:

+26	i.	MURPHY BROWN.
+27	ii.	Nancy BROWN.
+28	iii.	Ezekiel "Zeke" W. BROWN.