Haines, I don't have a direct Brown connection that I know of, but I'm suspicious that there may be some tie between Hathaways or Clarks and Browns. In the 1860 NY, Tompkins, Lansing census my Elizabeth Carver (dau of Levi & Candace (Hathaway) Clark) was listed with 2 of her children, John and Dee, in house of John Brown, 50, and Alexander Brown, 45. In 1870 NY, Cattaraugus, Portville census, in Henry Clark (son of Levi & Sarah Clark) and wife Adalle household are listed Francis, 26, and Alma, 22, Brown. Yet another possible Brown connection is in the house of Ashabel E. Hathaway, 1870 NY, Cayuga, Summerhill census, is listed Mary Ann Brown, 54. This Ashabel is probably son of Ebenezer Hathaway, same location in 1860 census. Has you research turned up any of these Browns? Thanks, Bonnie

Bonnie, Thanks for the note. My initial research is turning up great numbers of Browns early on in the 19th century in Tompkins County, but nothing is working out. I've a Benjamin W. Brown born about the same year as my Benjamin Webb Brown, 1807, but he comes from Orange County. But when I look at the actual census record, it is so faded that nothing can be made out (how they managed to index an invisible page, I'm not sure). I've got another Benjamin Brown born about 1807, but he is in the 1840 census, at which time my Benjamin had already have left New York state. I can't find his wife, Elizabeth Vansant, in the records unless she came from Albany, which I rather doubt (she seems related to the Van Zandts in New Jersay, who are nevertheless called the "New York [City] Van Zandts"). Land records might be of more help, but if I don't know in which town my Benjamin lived (Lansing, Trumansburg, Ithaca, Hector and even possibly Dix in Schuyler Co., etc. they will probably be difficult to track down. Ah well. Thank you for your support. Haines Brown

Bonnie, Thanks for the note. My initial research is turning up great numbers of Browns early on in the 19th century in Tompkins County, but nothing is working out. I've a Benjamin W. Brown born about the same year as my Benjamin Webb Brown, 1807, but he comes from Orange County. But when I look at the actual census record, it is so faded that nothing can be made out (how they managed to index an invisible page, I'm not sure). I've got another Benjamin Brown born about 1807, but he is in the 1840 census, at which time my Benjamin had already have left New York state. I can't find his wife, Elizabeth Vansant, in the records unless she came from Albany, which I rather doubt (she seems related to the Van Zandts in New Jersay, who are nevertheless called the "New York [City] Van Zandts"). Land records might be of more help, but if I don't know in which town my Benjamin lived (Lansing, Trumansburg, Ithaca, Hector and even possibly Dix in Schuyler Co., etc. they will probably be difficult to track down. Ah well. Thank you for your support. Haines Brown