Friday, November 12, 2010

William Walton Brown - Virginia to California

William Walton Brown is my 2gGrandfather. Dates: 2 Nov 1827, Alexandria, VA - Jul 1899, Veteran's Home, Yountville, Napa Co., CA.
I have "notes" from my Great-Aunt, but know very little, and have yet to "prove" her findings. Below, I am listing what I have for notes, nothing I have found on my own.

1852: Yolo Co., CA Census. FARMER. Born in Virginia

1863: Moved to Nevada to try mining, Austin & White Pine
W.W. Brown writes "I was stricken with rheumatism and heart disease resulting from exposure"

Was told (WHO was told, I don't know... that's what the "note" says) from a friend that their nurse, Lou, an Indian who they had brought from California to Nevada, had poisoned the children with belladonna berries because "she liked to see the children writhe in convulsions". Children of W.W. Brown and Adelaide Caroline Robey: Edmund Hayes Brown, 18 Aug 1852 - Jan 1859, "died of convulsions", Catherine Eugenie Brown, 28 Sept 1855 - May 1859, "died of convulsions", William Henry Brown, 28 Sept 1859 - 1863, "died of convulsions"

-- Two children, Charles Wilson Brown, 24 Nov 1857 - ?, and Elizabeth Mary "Bessie" Brown, 16 May 1862 - ?, survived.

1869: the railroad was completed and the family went back East. The Sacramento Union, 15 Sept 1869, p.3, col3, lists their name as joining the Special Excursion from Elko, Nevada.

1870 census: Maryland. Little Gunpowder, Baltimore Co.
Brown's and two children living with Adelaide's sister, Mary, and her husband Wilson Townsend. Mr. Brown states his occupation as Minister.

Returned to California after a year and a half. It is thought that W.W. became "too fond of the bottle", but whatever the reason, Adela divorced William.

Charlie (Charles Wilson Brown) stayed with his father and found a job with Wells Fargo in San Francisco.

Elizabeth Mary "Bessie" was put into Miss Shelli's Seminary of Benecia, CA.

Adela married George Pridham about 1879 and moved to Tombstone, Arizona. George also worked for Wells Fargo. Bessie joined them after finishing school.

William married Alice M. Stohlman Smith (last name uncertain as it's listed different on every document), in 1884. He was 50, she was 28, by their San Francisco marriage license.

William and Alice had two children: Robert E.L. Brown and Orabel Brown.

1887: Application for War Pension
Enlisted in Council Bluffs, IA, in Battalion of Iowa volunteers. 16 Jul 1846 as a Private in Company A, commanded by Capt. Jefferson Hunt & Lt. Col. James Allen, for 1 year

Traveled west by ship across the Isthmus by the Slogris River. Continued by ship North to San Francisco, by way of the Bay and the Sacramento River, to Davisville (now Davis, Co).

Attempted to establish a wheat plantation.

William died July 1899.

******
That's what I have. "notes" that someone else compiled and not a single proof on my own. If you have any information on this family, I would be forever grateful. It is the one stagnant plateau of my research that just sits there, in the back of my brain, un-sourced and unknowing. Leave me a comment! TIA!

~happy huntings