I've just returned from a trip to Albemarle & Nelson Co. All I can say is... "And, boy I thought I lived out in the boonies here in West by-god Virginia". I was shocked and pleased to see so much country still undeveloped and so close to Charlottesville! I visited my 89-year-old cousin who introduced me to "her bestest buddy in the world" who happens to be 91 years old. Unbeknown to my 89-year-old cousin, her bestest buddy turned out to be my MARTIN and BROWN cousin. My new found cousin and I hit it off immediately. And, we exchange family tree information on our MARTIN's & BROWN's and on her THURMOND's. I have accumulated more descendants of Andrew BROWN of North Garden (1760-1804) thru his grandson William W. BROWN b. c. 1815, and thru his daughter Sarah "Sally" (BROWN) JOHNSON, m. February 01, 1802, Albemarle Co., Absolom JOHNSON. I did not find the homeplace of Andrew BROWN in North Garden, but I did get to visit a distillery that manufactures Apple Jack and other liquors in North Garden. The old Depot in North Garden is gone. And, according to Rev. Edgar Woods' "History of Albemarle Co. of VA", Andrew BROWN's home was 1/2 a mile west of the Depot. I saw where the old Depot was located and there are pictures of it at the distillery. But, I don't think the BROWN homestead is still standing. I could be wrong... My new found MARTIN & BROWN cousin gave me a pamphlet on her THURMOND's that was written by her deceased aunt, Ruth Owen (THURMOND) PARKER written in 1962. Cousin Ruth also produced a document on the descendants of Hudson MARTIN (1752-1830) of Nelson & Albemarle Co. In her THURMOND pamphlet she talks about the William BROWN estate that once was located in Schuyler, VA. William W. BROWN was the son of Anderson BROWN (1785-1859) and Susanna WOODSON. Here's what Cousin Ruth Owen (THURMOND) PARKER writes about the William BROWN Estate: My comments are enclosed in the brackets [ .... ] What is now known as the "Hardwick place" is the original Will Brown estate, or part of it, and was called "Mt. View". 1851, 500 acres of land was conveyed to William Brown by Guthridge Thurmond and his wife, Mary. It was upon a portion of this estate that the old Hardwick house stood with its lovely boxwood I remember so well. Mr. Brown went to make his home in Mississippi, traveling in a covered wagon with his wife, children, slaves and household necessities. He had two sons, Andrew and Jim, who fought all through the War between the States. His wife, two sons and two daughters are buried at the "old Hardwick place". (I believe this Jim Brown is the Jim Brown who married my Aunt Jane Martin and lived at "Social Hall", Howardsville. Andrew is the father of Annie Brown Roberts of Shipman.) [Note: Ruth is wrong about Jim Brown being the Jim Brown of "Social Hall", Howardsville. James Johnson Brown of Social Hall, Howardsville, is the Uncle of this Jim Brown who was the son of William W. Brown of Schuyler and Mississippi. William W. Brown and James Johnson Brown were brothers. "Social Hall" still stands today in Howardsville along with a Brown cemetery plot containing the graves of James Johnson BROWN, his wife Jane Lewis (MARTIN) BROWN, his daughter Rosa Lewis (BROWN) DICKENSON, and his daughter-in-law, Ida H. (ASHLIN) BROWN. And, now back to Ruth's description of Mt. View in Schuyler] On part of this plantation the Alberene Stone Company hospital and the high school now stand. This property joined the Elisha Thurmond estate. Mr. Brown married a Miss Moon. [I was unable to find a record of a Mr. Brown m. Miss Moon in the VA marriage index at Ancestry.com, but if someone has another index, I'd appreciate a lookup]. A plot of 50 acres was conveyed to Charles Norman and Drucilla Brown Hardwick Oct. 19, 1894. [Note: I am wondering if Drucilla Brown Hardwick was the daughter of William W. BROWN] This plot included the house. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hardwick are buried in the family burial plot which is near where the old house stood. [Alas, I didn't have a chance to read this THURMOND pamphlet until after I returned home from Albemarle & Nelson Co. So, I didn't know about the existence of this family burial plot.] The property was sold in June, 1936, the old house torn down and a new house built and a store building erected nearby. (Information obtained about 1933). - ------------------------------ If anyone makes a connection to a William W. BROWN of Schuyler, please let me know. - --------------------------- And, now for the info on Sarah "Sally" BROWN and Absolom JOHNSON. Absolom JOHNSON m. Sarah "Sally" BROWN on February 01, 1802, Albemarle Co., VA. They may have had more children, but according to the THURMOND pamphlet they had five daughters: Eliza JOHNSON b. c. 1803 d. 1822 Margaret JOHNSON m. Col. William P. SHEPHERD Mary JOHNSON m. Joel FORTUNE Martha E. JOHNSON d. July 31, 1877 m. Austin G. PAMPLIN d. April 03, 1886 Elizabeth "Betty" A. JOHNSON b. 1806 m. January 14, 1845, VA, Elisha G. Thurmond b. November 09, 1828 Here's what Ruth Owen (THURMOND) PARKER writes about her grandmother, Elizabeth "Betty" A. (JOHNSON) THURMOND, and her grandaunts: COLONEL WILLIAM P. SHEPHERD Col. William P. Shepherd married Margaret Johnson, the daughter of Absolom Johnson, and a sister of my grandmother, Betty. There were three other sisters, Eliza, Mary and Martha. Eliza died in September, 1822, aged 19 years. Mary married Joel Fortune, a Baptist minister, and Martha married Austin Pamplin. (These latter were the parents of Emma Peebles). Col. Shepherd wrote a poem to the five sisters - the "five roses" as he called them. The orginial poem is in the possession of Murray Hamner, son of John Hamner who lived in Charlottesville and whose widow still lives there. The manuscript is beautifully written in Col. Shepherd's own handwriting. A copy of the poem was loaned me by my cousin, Blanche Stevens Hamner of Hollywood, Florida, and is herewith reproduced: "The Sisters" Five lovely roses once did grow Upon the same strong parent stem; As tender as this earth can show, And brilliant as a diadem. The first is early seen to fade, [Eliza] Ere yet its beauties are in bloom - Embalmed in tears, 'tis softly laid To sleep in silence in the tomb. Now on that tomb wild flow'rets spring And evergreens their branches spread, To weep in dew, while zephers sing The requiem of the lovely dead. Four others now their buds disclose One opens to the morning sun. A schoolboy spies the blushing rose, [Margaret] And straightway goes, and gathers one. Time flies - and seasons more apace The earth is green, and leaves expand; And now another to this race Finds Fortune in a stranger land. [Mary] One little bud, and one small rose Are all that now the stem can boast. Ere each is grown, or fully blown I'll venture that another's lost. Yea, now, ere these few lines are penned One more is gathered from its place; It decks the bosom of a friend, [Martha] And leaves but one of all its race. Long may these gathered roses live And virgin freshness all retain; And sweeter fragrance constant give, White petals, stalk or stem remain. O, may each owner always find His rose has none of beauty lost; And closer to his bosom bind, [Betty - Ruth's grandmother] To screen it from the wintry frost. And that sweet bud, the last of all, Which the green rose tree yet does bear, By no rude wind will ever fall Nor "fragrance waste on desert air." -by Col. William P. Shepherd sometime in the 1800's. - ---------------------------------- And, once again please contact me if you find a connection. All of these persons who are written about above are descendants of Andrew BROWN of North Garden. Lonny J. (BROWN) Watro