b. circa 1820
| BirthCirca | circa 1820 | Julia Brown was born in Virginia circa 1820.2 |
| Marriage | 23 May 1840 | She married William C. P. Buchanan, son of John Buchanan and Mary Ryburn, on 23 May 1840 in Smyth County, Virginia.1 |
| Migration | | William and Julia appear to have left Virginia shortly after their marriage as their eldest child was born in Missouri. |
| Cens-1850 | 1850 | The couple lived in Howard County, Missouri by 1850 at which time they were recorded on that years federal census. Besides William (enumerated as W.C.P. Buckhanen) and Julia, there were three children living with them: Mary J., age 9, John A., age 6 and L___, also age 6.2 |
| Widowed | 30 Sep 1852 | William died in late 1852, leaving Julia, in her early 30s, a widow with three young children. It appears that she initially remained in Missouri, as her son John Alexander, who died in 1854 is buried next to her husband. |
| Cens-State | 1855 | However, by 1855 she had migrated to Wayne County, Illinois where she was recorded on the 1855 Illinois State census as the head of her household, with two daughters between the ages of ten and twenty.3 |
| | An Andrew and Hezekiah Brown were enumerated next to her; perhaps they were family members who had also settled in Wayne County (both of these men listed Virginia as their place of birth on the 1860 census). |
| | The Wayne County courthouse burned in 1886, taking with it all marriage records prior to that year. This makes it difficult to confirm a second marriage for Julia although that appears to be the case. |
| Cens-1860 | 11 Aug 1860 | The 1860 census for Wayne County enumerated a family living just a few households from Julia's daughter Mary Jane and her husband William Durell. The head of the family, William Holman, age 35, was born in Iowa, as were the two youngest children in the home. However, the wife (or at least the presumed wife as relationships were not stated in 1860) was Julietta, age 40, born in Virginia. And also in the home was a Margaret, age 14, born in Missouri. She was also listed with the last name Holman, but this certainly could have been Julia Brown Buchanan with a second husband, himself a widower with children, with Julia's daughter Margaret as well. The ages and places of birth for Julia and Margaret are a perfect match.4 |
| Cens-1870 | 14 Jul 1870 | Julia and William Holman (or Holloman as some records suggest) are enumerated again in 1870. Margaret is no longer present which would be consistent with Margaret Buchanan having married George Hale in the early 1860s.5 |
| Cens-1880 | 5 Jun 1880 | The 1880 census adds additional information. It clarifies that William and Jullia are husband and wife and also clarifies that not only was Julia born in Virginia, but both of her parents were as well.6 |
| | This again supports the theory that Julia, widow of William C.P. Buchanan, married William Holman or Holloman in, or near, Wayne County, Illinois. |