Mary Brown

b. 16 February 1771, d. 17 February 1828
FatherRobert Brown1
Birth16 Feb 1771 Mary Brown was born on 16 Feb 1771 in Virginia.2,3 
Marriage31 Dec 1795 She and Thomas Moffett, son of William Moffett and Mary Gardner, were married by Rev. Charles Cummings on 31 Dec 1795 at Washington County, Virginia.4,5 
Land-Buy19 Jan 1796  Two weeks later Thomas purchased a 330 acre tract in Rich Valley from his brother John. At about the same time, John purchased an adjacent parcel from Andrew Davison. John Moffett's neighbor on the other side was Mary's father, Robert Brown.6 
  The land Thomas purchased from his brother now is home to an old mill known as White's Mill. The foundation of the building may date to the period of Thomas's ownership.7 
  John and Mary lived here for about 12 years during which time Mary gave birth to 7 of their 9 children. 
Land-Sell11 Sep 1810  On 11 Sep 1810 Thomas and Mary sold their land in Rich Valley to Valentine Baugh.8 
Migration1810  They then headed west to Wayne (now Union) County in the Indiana territory.9  
Residence  An 1872 history of Wayne County states: "Thomas Moffitt settled 3/4 of a mile south of the town of Abington. By a change in county bounds his farm has been taken into Union County. On it was one of the forts built during the War of 1812, as a means of protection against the Indians."10 
Religion In Wayne County Mary and Thomas joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was organized in the early days of the county settlement.11 
Death17 Feb 1828 Mary died on 17 Feb 1828 at age 57.12 

Research Comment:

An entry in Washington Co., Virginia Minute Book 3, dated 1 Dec. 1838, references a Chancery case in which James White was the complainant and Thomas Moffett and Mary his wife and other heirs of Robert Brown, dec'd, were the defendants. The entry noted that James White was deceased and named his heirs as complainants in his place. The court also ordered that John Parks & Mary Ann his wife, and Eliza Brown, daughters of Mathew Brown deceased, be added as defendants. It is curious that both Thomas and Mary continued to be named in this suit since they too were deceased. One can speculate that word of their deaths had not reached Virginia, but Mary had been dead for 10 years.13

Family

Thomas Moffett b. 22 Oct 1773, d. 26 Aug 1836
Children
Last Edited2 Oct 2012

Citations

  1. [S2273] Research of Jack Hockett, Montreal, Canada; Mr. Hockett cites Washington Co. Minute Bk 3: 274 which includes court orders referencing a Chancery case in which Mary Moffett, wife of Thomas Moffett, was named as an heir of Robert Brown.
  2. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. The dates of birth and death for Thomas Moffett and his wife, Mary Brown were recorded in the handwriting of their son, Wesley Moffett.
  3. [S506] Jane Cheeseman, Indiana state death certificate (1901). This record lists Jane's mother's place of birth as Virginia.
  4. [S149] Washington Co., VA Marriage Register 1 & 2 (transcribed), 311. Transcribed record states: Thomas Moffett and Marry [sic] Brown were married by Charles Cummings on Dec. 31st 1795.
  5. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. Wesley recorded the following information about his parents: "Thomas Moffett was married to Mary Brown on the 31 of December 1795 and lived together thirty three years and six weeks."
  6. [S726] Lewis Preston Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, part 2:1312. John Moffitt to Thomas Moffitt, for 110 pounds, 330 acres on the waters of the N. Fork of the Holston R. in Rich Valley.
  7. [S1250] Jean Neal, "White's Mill," e-mail to D. Powell, 21 Nov. 2001. Ms Neal is head of a foundation established to restore White's Mill. Her email cited a visit by noted millwright and historian, Derek Ogden, who dated the mill to the period 1790-1800 based on the type of construction used.
  8. [S1248] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book B (District Ct): 281. The deed was dated 11 Sept. 1810 and recorded in court 10 Oct. 1810. Mary was not able to make the trip to court to sign off her dower rights so a representative was sent to her home.
  9. [S453] History of Wayne County, vol. II, page 206.
  10. [S443] Andrew W. Young, History of Wayne County, Indiana, p. 145.
  11. [S443] Andrew W. Young, History of Wayne County, Indiana, p. 148.
  12. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. Mary's date of death was recorded in Wesley's handwriting.
  13. [S2273] Research of Jack Hockett, Montreal, Canada; Mr. Hockett cites Washington Co. Minute Bk 3: 274.
  14. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. The names and birth information for Thomas and Mary's children was recorded in the handwriting of their son, Wesley.