52 Ancestors - #53 Finding the James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt Brown Family

When I wrote about Thomas Brown, my 2nd great-grandfather (52 Ancestors #8, 2014), I didn’t know anything about his parents.

I’ve done more research.

Clues in the Death Certificate

Thomas’s 1927 death certificate named his parents.  On the line for name of father was James Brown, birth place unknown.  Oh goodie, Thomas no-middle-initial Brown and J-a-m-e-s no middle initial B-r-o-w-n. I’m in common name hell.  On the positive side, the death certificate said Thomas was born in Highland County, Ohio.

On the line for name of mother was Sarah Van Pelt, birthplace Highland County, Ohio.  Oh dear, Sarah, another common name with nicknames: Sally or Sadie.  But a maiden name and birthplace – most excellent!  Thank you, Roy West.  He was the informant on the death certificate, the husband of Thomas’s daughter Murta from his second marriage.  Was Roy accurate?

Not the Family Bible but Close

Next, I read The Family Register of Thomas Brown and Rebecca A. Edwards, married 22 February 1880.  This was a four-page handwritten record of marriages, births and deaths of the Brown, Edwards and related families.  Did Rebecca Edwards Brown write the entries?  What or who were her sources?

On the page for Births, someone wrote “Sarah. Vanpelt was Born oct 9, 1798”; Thomas Borwn [Brown] was born June 3, 1943 [1843]

On the page for Deaths, someone wrote “Sarah. Brown. Died Sept 17, 1859”; Thomas Brown died April – 1927

Are the two Sarahs the same person?

Where was James Brown?  He wasn't anywhere in the family register.  Why?

Early Ohio Marriages

The FamilySearch Research Wiki helped me with my next discovery.  The Wiki page for How to Find Ohio Marriage Records guided me to early Ohio marriages.  I entered the names of my couple and there appeared James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt.  They were issued a marriage license on 26 Apr 1837 in Highland County, Ohio.  Was the marriage ever recorded? Who performed the ceremony? Always more questions.

Source: Ancestry.com. Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993

Click on any image to enlarge.

The year of the marriage license sparked a memory of an entry in the Brown Family Register.  Written on the Births page after the entry for Sarah Van Pelt was “Susanah Brown was Born may 29, 1838.”   Then on the page for Deaths after Sarah Brown, “Susanah. Brown. Died June 19, 1857.” 

Could Susanah be the daughter of James and Sarah?

Look at the five-year age gap between Susanah and Thomas.  If they were siblings, that’s long enough for the birth of another child in between.  Given the birth dates in the family register, Sarah was about 39 years old when she married James and 45ish when Thomas was born.  Not unheard of for the time, just something to keep in mind.

First Census Without Ticks

The 1850 U.S. federal census was the first census to record more details about all persons in the household.  Congress wanted a more accurate population count for tax collection and congressional seat apportionment.  Starting in 1850, census enumerators recorded the names of every person in the household, their age as of the census day; sex; color; and birthplace; occupation of males over age 15; value of real estate; whether married within the previous year; whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, or "idiotic"; whether able to read or write for individuals over age 20; and whether the person attended school within the previous year.

I used several search strategies to locate the Brown-Van Pelt family but have yet to find the family unit.  I’m at least looking for James, Sarah and Thomas.  I entered minimal to many details on vital information, only James, only Sarah, only Sally, only Thomas, only Highland County, Ohio to all of Ohio, and various combinations of all of it.

Source: Year: 1850; Census Place: Jackson, Highland, Ohio; Roll: M432_694; Page: 252A; Image: 417

Sally was the key.  I found Sally, Susan and Thos Brown living in the household of Abram Horst in Jackson Township, Highland County, Ohio. Could they be my Sarah and Thomas Brown maybe Susanah?  Sally was 45, female and born in Ohio; Susan was 10, female, born in Ohio and attended school within the year; and Thos was 8, male, born in Ohio and attended school with the year. Six others were in the household including Abram Horst.  He was a farmer, 23, born in Ohio with $1400 as the value of real estate owned.

Where was James Brown?

The calculated years of birth of the Browns based on their ages in the census did not coincide with the births in the Brown Family Register.  Susan’s (Susanah?) age was off by two years and Thomas’s by a year.  Pretty close.  Sally’s (Sarah?) age was off by seven years!  That’s a lot.  Is it possible that Sally (Sarah) was born about 1805, not 1798? Which record is more reliable, the 1850 census or the Brown Family Register?  I don’t know the informant on either.  Besides, she wouldn’t be the first woman in my family tree whose age “fluctuated”.  And who was Abram Horst and the others?

You're probably wondering if I read the page before and after the census page where I found  the three Browns.  Yes I did.  I'm glad I did.  Susan Vanpelt was on Line 38.  She was 76, female, born in Virginia and $400 was the value of her real estate.  Also in the household was Benj Vanpelt, age 25, male, born in Ohio and an "idiot".  Was Sarah related to Susan and Benj?

Source: Year: 1850; Census Place: Jackson, Highland, Ohio; Roll: M432_694; Page: 252A; Image: 417

Sorry, you’ll have to Share

I found James!  In 1845, he and Sally Brown filed a lawsuit against Susanah Vanpelt et al in Highland County Ohio Common Pleas Court alleging they have an interest in a tract of land on the waters of Brush Creek, the home farm of the deceased Benjamin Vanpelt.  The court held that the children of Benjamin Vanpelt were tenants in common with James and Sally, and that Susannah, the widow, was entitled to dower rights.

Source: Common Pleas Court Records of Highland County, Ohio 1805-1860,

compiled by David McBride, c.1959

More questions!  Is James my James Brown? Is Sally my Sarah Van Pelt?  Is she a daughter of Benjamin and Susanah?  If so, she had many siblings.  Remember Susanah/Susan Brown in the family register and 1850 census? Naming patterns are clues.  Need more records. 

Summary

I presented this story in the order the five records were found.  Piece by piece, the jigsaw puzzle of my Brown-Van Pelt family is taking shape.  Naming and location patterns are emerging but more evidence is needed to confirm relationships.  Below is a chronological summary of research to date:

• Family register naming Sarah Van Pelt (b. 1798), Sarah Brown (d. 1859), Susanah Brown (1838-1857) and Thomas Brown (1843-1927). Unknown author, unsourced, undated. No James Brown.
• 1837 marriage license for James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt in Highland County, Ohio.
• 1845 court case filed by James Brown and wife Sally against Susanah Vanpelt et al. in Highland County, Ohio.
• 1850 U.S. federal census with Susan and Benj Vanpelt in Jackson Township, Highland, Ohio.
• 1850 U.S. federal census with Sally, Susan and Thos Brown in household of Abram Horst in Jackson Township, Highland, Ohio. No James Brown.
• 1927 death certificate for Thomas Brown naming James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt as his parents. Thomas and his mother born in Highland County, Ohio.

What do you think?  Your ideas and comments are welcome!

To be continued…