Dear List Haven't posted for a long time. Earlier this year there appeared on the Prince William Co, VA list the following court application posted by CindyMcC 8 Dec 2006: LEGISLATIVE PETITION: SARAH BRAWNER SAYS HER LATE HUSBAND JOHN CONTRACTED FOR A PLANTATION IN PRINCE WM COUNTY VA 1810 To the Honorable the Legislature of Virginia. The memorial and petition of Sarah Brawner now of the County of Prince William formerly of the State of Maryland. Humbly sheweth. That her late husband John C. Brawner some time in the year 1807 contracted for a plantation in the said County of Prince William at a high rent for the ensuing year, with a view of removing his family thereto, but unfortunately died in the fall of the same year previous to his removal leaving your petitioner a widow with eight children, six of them females and the greater part of them very young. In this situation your petitioner found herself under a necessity of removing, in conformity to the contract of her husband to Virginia leaving behind her a negro boy named Anthony now about the age of eighteen years, whose services in aiding her in the support of her numerous and helpless family would be to her of the utmost importance could she be permitted to bring help from Maryland, where he is to her of little value, to Virginia, where she has only the assistance of one slave, a small negro girl. Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that your honorable body will take into consideration her peculiar situation and grant her a law for that purpose permission to bring the aforesaid slave from Maryland to this Commonwealth and your petitioner will pray be. Sarah (X) Brawner I can and hereby do certify that from my own knowledge the circumstances respecting the death of Mr. Brawner and the removal of Mrs. Brawner in the above petition alluded to are correctly stated. The contract for a plantation having been entered into between the said John C. Brawner and myself. I also know the very distressed situation in which the petitioner and her small family now placed in the need of their removal and the difficulty with which she contrived to support their needs and verily believe her to be deserving wonder and hope that her present application shall be favorably received by the legislature. Dumfries, September 29th, 1810 John Lawson I am acquainted with the petitioner and have faith in her petition stated to be true and myself knowing the informant of the said petitioner I hope she may be gratified. We the subscribers cheerfully concur in support of the foregoing memorial and petition under a confedate impression of the correctness of the statement there in made and hope that the prayer of the petitioner may be granted verily believing that the accommodation prayed for will be of material benefit to the petitioner and his family and of no injury to the community or any individual thereof. Peter Trane Rob Graham J. H. Fox Bernard Gallagher Burr Harrison Posey D. Grant John Linton P. Harrison Daniel Grant William Cocke Thomas Chapman William Wheeler R.D. Cox Rott Chiments Thomas Wyelee John Milstead Wm Alj Dach Samuel Adams Colin Campbell Newman Matthews Mad. Sims Charles King Stephen Tennis William Farrow Thomas Davis William Fenora Wm Davis Robert Hedges William H. Barron Thomas Woodward Charles Hedges? Enock Reno William Calvert Lewis Coasley Thomas Smoote Charles Adams George Pearson John S. Harding Thomas Pearson Henry Bridwell Daniel Forgie David Boyle Wm Brown John Merchant Wm Smith Jr WILLIAM CORNWELL Jacob Merchant William Merchant Reuben Calvert Robert Alexander Samuel W. Linebaugh JOHN CORNWELL John Carter Gustavous Thomas John Wright Wm S. Colquloun Nirth Mauk Jesse Scott Mich Cook James Thomas Q. Ratiliffe Glen Horinee Levi Walker H. Barron A. Baughanucive Samuel Johnson Thomas Clarke T. J. Davis Thomas Thomton James W. Colquhoun B. Cannon H.R. Gilbert Francis H. Dumington H. Gray Thomas Harrison Jr John A. Bland Arrington Evans Peter T. Hatman Richard Arrington John Lowe Joseph Smith William Smith John Ratcliff Henry M. Smoote Harrison Golding Daniel King Charles Reno George Carney N. Teneson SOURCE: Legislative Petitions of Prince William County, Va, Microfilm 2048686, Salt Lake City. Now my Brawner quest has been going for some time. A colleague (Lois P 21 May 2000) found the following at Salt Lake City Archives: "Representatives, the widow, & nine children of the deceased viz Grace Brawner, Henry Brawner, Hetty Brawner, Amelia Brawner, Elizabeth Brawner, John Brawner, William Brawner, _______ (blank space) Brawner, & Malinda Brawner - Charles County July 7th, 1812. Then came Edward Brawner the accountant within mentioned and made oath.......Edward Brawner, son of John C Brawner..." Lois P, 25 Jan 2001 "On Sept 5, 1811 Harrison Golding and Sarah Golding relinquish administration of John Cornish Brawner's estate to Edward Brawner." Lois P, 27 May 2000 I got a new copy of the John C Brawner inventory and distribution. (I asked one of the librarians at the FHL and they said viz means namely.) I also saw this abbreviation used with Anthony, a slave, the only "property" that John C. owned. Given all of this and given that it is certain that this Brawner family moved to Dumfries after the death of John Cornish Brawner in 1807, it would seem correct that the wife of John Cornish Brawner was Sarah, and not Grace as we had assumed from the quote naming all the family. It seemed strange to us at the time that the relinquishment of administration should mention Harrison Golding and Sarah Golding separately. Research has demonstrated that there was a Harrison Golding in Prince William County in 1820 and that there were at least two boys: Thomas Golding and Harrison jr born 1813 and 1815 respectively with parents Harrison and Sarah. This family ultimately moved to Rappahannock Co, VA. I am trying to find out something about Harrison Golding who seemed to have been in MD prior to 1810. I am also very curious to know whether anyone would have a clue about who Sarah was and whether she married Harrison Golding. Grateful for anything anyone can tell me. Cheers Lynne Simpson Canberra Australia