From Marie Hurst Lewis, Oct 2001

Hi. I have been working on the Browns and Motsingers recently. Over the past couple of years Betty Dan Spencer and I have been sharing thoughts on who our Michael Brown might be. My brother David and I made an overnight trip to the Rowan Public Library, in July 2000 to visit the Rowan County Library and the Old Stone House in Granite Quarry. With her help we were able to focus on specific items which we copied and I have only recently going through. I have picked up a few other clues that fit in with the items from the Library in Salisbury. I would appreciate any input, corrections or additions to the following.

1. Posted on GenWeb by Lois Masters. [I have not included the entire list.]

“The Indiana Farmer.” 13 January 1826. Salem, Indiana.

List of Letters remaining in the Post Office at Salem, Indiana on the 1st day of January 1826.
Michael Brown
John Brown
Thomas Gabird
Jacob Motsinger

In looking at my records in Washington Co., IN, I think these individuals are:
1. Michael Brown [b. 16 July 1793-d. 18 June 1857, son Michael Jr. was not born until 1827. Res. Pierce Twp.]
2. John R. Brown [b. 1808-d. 1860, lived in Franklin Twp., Washington Co., IN. No relation to our Browns.]
3. Thomas Gabird. [? Gabbart. Silas Hill’s first marriage was to Nancy Gabbart, in nearby Bartholomew Co., IN.]
4. Jacob Motsinger [This was 3 years after son-in-law Michael Brown posted bond for the care of Jacob Sr. and wife Hannah. It could be either father or son. Do not know date Jacob Sr. returned to NC.]

Michael Brown
Death 1857 06 18 [18 June 1857]
Age 0063 11 02 [63 yrs 11 mos 2 days]
Birth 1793 07 16 [16 July 1793]

Susannah Motsinger Brown
Death 1857 02 01 [1 Feb 1857]
Age 0072 02 09 [72 yrs 2 mos 9 days. Calculated with 28 days in Feb.]
Birth 1793 11 20 [20 Nov. 1784]

3. Who was Michael Brown?

I do not know of any direct evidence of who he is however consider the following:

· Letter from Toby Mull to Jacob Riblen, date 20 March 1817. He was writing to encourage others to come to Washington County, IN. In the letter, he writes, “Plees to let Widow Brown now that We are All Well and Michael Brown and his famerly are in good helth And Susanah wold wish them to Rite the first Opportunity how They All ware and if her Brother John had Come Back Yet.…” [The letter is in the papers Asa Riblen donated to the Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, NC.

· 1820 Federal Census, Indiana. Michael Brown, Washington County, is the only Michael Brown in the state.

· The Salem Democrat. 17 Jan 1877. “Pioneer Pickings” Column. by Horace Heffren.

“Pap Cauble came to Indiana in 1813… There accompanied him on this trip from North Carolina, Tobias Mull, Andrew Bowlers and [John] Plowman… [pg. 106 of Pioneer Pickings. Publ. 1993. Wash Co. Hist. Soc.]

· History of Washington County, Indiana. 1916-1976. Compiled under the auspices of the Washington County Historical Society. pg. 481.

“Tobias Mull, the first of the Mulls in the area, came from Salisbury, North Carolina to Franklin Township in 1820, obtained a land grant from the government, built a log cabin near Blue River and cleared the wilderness for farming where part of South Boston is located.”

[Certificate #3063. Dated 1 Oct 1834 was one of these land grants. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov]

4. Who was Susannah Brown?

· Rowan County, NC. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. 24 July 1762. Letters of Admin. Granted to Peter Mull, son of Stuff’le [Christophel] Mull, dec’d. Security: Hugh Montgomery and Jacob Brown.

At the time his book was published, Mr. Fisher thought that Jacob was acting in a family duty, as brother Andrew’s daughter Susannah was married to Tobias Mull. However, this date preceded her birth by 26 years.

[The Ancestors & Descendants of Abraham (BRAUN) Brown and Jacob (Braun) Brown. 1983. John B. Fisher, 2029 Robin Rd., Salisbury, NC 28144.]

· Tobias Mull and Susannah Brown. Marriage Bond, Rowan County, NC. 30 January 1808. Unfortunately it does not list her father. [Rowan Co., NC Marriage Bonds Reel 21:3107]

· Tobias Mull. War of 1812. Dischg’d Dec 1813-1814, after serving 11 months as a baggage handler.

· The Papers of John Steele. There is a note written on the behalf of Tobias Mull, who was being patient, but wished to receive reimbursement from the government. The amount is not noted, but the date is given, 1813. [This would correlate with the time he was serving. I have not requested his War of 1812 papers to date.]

· 28 Sept. 1815, Tobias Mull sold his land in Rowan County, probably in preparation for the move to Indiana. [I did not have time to find this document, but was given the information by Betty Dan.]

· 30 March 1817, In Indiana, Tobias Mull writes to friend Jacob Riblen in Rowan County. Mentions Widow Brown, Susannah and Michael Brown. Was their a connection?

5. Jacob Riblen/Rivley/Ribelin and wife Rosey. What was their connection to Toby and Susanna (Brown) Mull, and Michael Brown? Here the clue lies with the records re Michael Brown, Esq. and Michael Brown, Jr. who died within 6 mos of each other. Jacob Riblin is the common thread, as he was Administrator of the estate of Michael Brown Jr. who died 1808. Tobias Mull is there as well.

· Collection of Historical Gems. Rouse. 1980. 975.6. Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, NC.

Pg. 35. Esquire Michael Brown’s Lost Son Has Been Found.

Michael Brown, Esq. died after his will was made 12 Oct 1807 and probate date, 2 Feb 1808. Names sons David, James, Jeremiah, Peter and Moses Brown. Not mentioned are sons (Continental) John and Michael Brown, Jr. Perhaps he had given them all he had intended, as they were older children by his first wife, Margaretta, many years before. Also named were wife, Eleanor and her unborn child, and her daughters by her previous marriage, Sally and Nancy Reeves. Exers: Peter, Moses and James Brown. Witt: Richard Griffith, John Gardner (a neighbor), and Montfort Stokes. [BTW, 3 slaves were part of the estate of Michael Brown.]

May 1808. “In the petition of Eleanor Brown, widow and relict of Michael Brown, for dower was ordered that the Sheriff summon a lawful jury to lay off said dower agreeable to the petition.”

Michael Brown, Jr. died intestate prior to the appointment of an administrator on 2 August 1898, by the Justice of the Rowan County Court. “Administration on the estate of Michael Brown, Jr., granted to Jacob Riblin, who qualified and gave bond with Tobias Mull and Frederick Mowery. [No slaves are mentioned in the estate settlement.]

12 August 1809. Jacob Riblin, Tobias Mull and John Cauble, each posted 200 pounds and Jacob Riblin was appointed guardianship of Catherine, Jeremiah, and Sophia Brown, orphans of Michael Brown, deceased.

[The actual bond indicates Michael Brown, Jr., dec’d.]

12 May 1810. “Return of legacy received by Jacob Ribilin, Administrator of Michael Brown, Jr., dec’d from the estate of Michael Brown, Sr.”

7 August 1810. Moses Brown, John Pool and Jacob Riblin, each posted 200 pounds, and Moses Brown was appointed guardian of Michael Brown, orphan of Michael Brown, dec’d.

[This bond does not include Jr. as part of the name. However, our Michael would have been a 17 year old at this time, therefore a minor. The reason for this delay is not known, but may be simply that an earlier guardian, whose bond has been lost, was unable to continue.]

After 1817. Statement of Estate of Michael Brown, dec'd by Peter Brown one of the Executors of Michael Brown, Dec'd. 2nd page)

___ with the distributors of said Estate

(paid to) Jacob Riblen exr of M. Brown (as part of his share) $500."

6. Was the letter from Tobias Mull to Jacob Riblin an update of sorts to the man who was the administrator of the estate and guardian of the younger children of Michael Brown Jr. and, for his wife’s mother. The only reason to mention Michael Brown would be a significant relationship, such as that of a sibling. There were no other Michael Browns, in the state of Indiana in the 1820 census. Did Michael Brown, come to Indiana with Tobias Mull and wife, Susannah? It would seem lik! ely

7. Who was the Widow Brown in Tobias Mull’s letter?

· Michael Brown and Barbery Mowery, marriage bond, 1798, Rowan County, NC. Bondsman, Frederick Miller.

Susannah and Michael Brown were both born before this date, Susannah in 1788 and Michael in 1793, so she was not their mother, but she was probably the mother of their younger siblings, Catherine, Jeremiah and Sophia Brown.

· Frederick Mowery, was one of the Executors of the estate of Michael Brown Jr. I do not know if he was a brother, uncle or father of Barbery Mowery Brown.

· The widow, Eleanor Reeves Brown, did not die until October 1842, in her 68^th year. However, the association of Frederick Mowery, would support the Widow Brown in Toby Mull’s letter, was Barbery Mowery Brown.

8. Who was Moses Brown, who became the guardian of Michael Brown?

· Michael Brown, Esq. had a son, Moses Brown b. 1773. m. Catherine Swink. He was involved in his father’s estate admin and was one of the Surviving Executors. This would have been his uncle.

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