Salem, Ontario, July 3, 1937.
Dear Friends:
As it is impossible to give each of you a copy of our family Tree as it is presented here, I have written a short history of the family and made sufficient copies, that everyone interested may have one if he or she so desires. I might also say that in the first part of this account I have been forced to use some supposition and some deduction; therefore, although any information I may give is not:, guaranteed, it was obtained from sources which is believed reliable )
I cannot attempt to present a complete picture or history of the family but will give as near as possible the general idea of its descendancy and other interesting information which is at hand .
In the year 1781, that is, one hundred and fifty six years ago, William Brown was born in the Parish of Pennycuick, Scotland. Whether he had any brothers or not does not seem to be very clear but if he had they did not come to Canada and unfortunately our history can only go back to his coming to America. He came from a family of sheep ranchers, who apparently were quite well to do. As a young man he rode over the ranch on horseback, superintending the shepherds, who watched over great flocks of sheep. As he rode he knitted woolen articles of apparel. such as sweaters, socks, scarfs and so forth.
As a young man he married Marion Graham and they had eight children, four boys and four girls. After having these eight children Marion Brown died. William Brown then sold his farm and sheep raising business in Scotland and came to America with his eight children and presumably a considerable quantity of money.
As near as we can figure he came to America in 1826 and bought a farm in Valcartier Township about eighteen miles from Quebec City. The deed of property given to him by a Monsieur Panet in 1833, shows receipt for money paid in June 1826 and 1827.
In and around Quebec, William Brown became a well known and respected citizen. In a Quebec paper of June lst about 1835 a small news item credited him with bringing the first new potatoes into Quebec that summer.
The Minister of Lands for lower Canada arranged for him to buy a second property close to his own, which he did and then owned two farms in Valcartier Township.
His oldest son, John, did not like America and returned to Scotland where we have no further trace of him. Another son James went to live in Quebec city and earned his living as a wainwright. He married and had one son William, who died without leaving any descendants. Thus we have easily disposed of the history of these two.
After a time, the four girls being married, William Brown settled his two farms , one on each of his two remaining sons , William and Tom. He then returned to Scotland and while there married a second time, to Jane Kirkhope, with whom he returned to Canada and settled in Valcartier Village near his family. He and his second wife had one daughter, Elizabeth Ann.
After living a short but prosperous life the old gentleman died a tragic death. He was on his way to a party at the Honourable John Neilson’s home when his horse ran away, throwing him out of his rig and fatally injuring him. He was buried in Valcartier cemetery on January 9th 1848. A tombstone marks his resting place and on it may be seen the date and place of his birth and date of his death. His wife survived him until March 21, 1865. She lived at the home of her only
daughter, Elizabeth Ann. .
Just here we might say that Elizabeth Ann Brown married Thomas Jack. They had eight children, only one of whom married. His name is William Brown Jack and he lives at 15 De Salaberry St. . Quebec City.
Going back to the first family we have finished with John and James. William and Tom both married and lived some years on the old homesteads. William had five children. He sold his farm to his brother Tom, and moved to Upper Canada and settled in Howick Township. You know Williams family; Andrew six girls); Stephen, (five girls); William ( two girls and six boys) ; Elizabeth Neilson, ( two girls and one boy) and Aggie Aldcorn (three girls). From William Brown are descended to today 122 people.
Tom Brown had ten children, some of which you know. They were William, of London, Ontario, (1 girl and 3 boys}, John (2 girls and 3 boys); James (1 girl and 2 boys); Benjamin; Tom (1 girl, Holley, of Portneuf, Quebec); Andrew, who kept the old homestead (6 boys, 1 girl, one boy, Colin, still lives on the homestead); Margaret Montgomery (3 girls, 2 boys) Agnes; Curtis (2 girls, 1 boy) Mary Jane Wright (9 girls, 2 boys). From Tom brown are descended to to-day 123 persons.
Of the four girls in the original family:
Margaret. Brown married William Corrigan (5 girls and 6 boys)
Ellen Brown married James McGill (4 girls and 8 boys)
Jessie Brown married James McBain (2 girls and 8 boys)
Marion Brown married a McMurdo (2 girls and 3 boys)
Now, some interesting facts about the family:
The descendants of Elizabeth Neilson are the only ones to have reached the seventh generation.
Curtis Brown’s daughter, Mary Ann Smith, has two grandsons, David and William, the only twins recorded.
The Reverend Matthew Corrigan, Detroit is the only theologian in the family.
Three girls and three boys of the Corrigan family married brothers and sisters.
John Brown married a Knox and a generation later Gwendolyn Brown married a Knox. They were a niece and nephew of the first couple.
Mary Wright married William Brown Jack. His mother is a half sister of her grandfather.
The McBain family has intermarried with Tom Brown's family in the fifth generations.
Nobody has been hanged, yet.
If any fuller information is desired about any of the families mentioned above we will be pleased to supply it on request.
In closing may we express our thanks and appreciation for the hearty co-operation of members who have made this history possible.
Sincerely.yours,
Thomas Aldcorn,
250 St. Gerrnain Ave.,
Toronto, Canada.
1781 - 1977
BROWN
IN THE YEAR of our LORD, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, in the
Parish of Pennycuick on the Lowlands of Scotland, a child was born. Nothing is known of the child's parentage. It is not known whether there were sisters and/or brothers. They called the child William and his surname was Brown. No one could foresee at the time that this child was destined. to be the paternal ancestor of the FAMILY BROWN as we know it.
WILLIAM BROWN was born into a family of sheep ranchers. It is said that he rode on horseback over the land superintending the shepherds as they watched over the sheep. Apparently an industrious man, he knitted articles in wool shorn from his own sheep, washed, carded and spun by hand. Just how much of this is fact and how much is fancy is a matter of conjecture. However, it is fact that he spent the first forty-three years of his life, boy and man, as a sheep farmer.
IT IS ALSO fact that at the age of twenty-two he married MARION GRAHAM, a native of the same Parish of Pennycuick. (N.B. For purposes of identification throughout this paper the names of WILLIAM BROWN and MARION GRAHAM will always appear in capitals.)
The result of this union was a family of four sons and four daughters. MARION GRAHAM BROWN died in 1824 at the age of forty-one. Her resting place is unknown.
AFTER her death WILLIAM BROWN decided to emigrate to America. He sold all his holdings and his stock in Scotland and came to Canada, bringing with him his eight children and presumably a goodly sum of money. "He settled in Valcartier Township about eighteen miles north of Quebec City. Here is where the story of the FAMILY BROWN really starts.
WILLIAM BROWN came to what was then called Lower Canada (now the Province of Quebec) in 1825 or 1826. He bought a farm in Valcartier Township and the deed for the property given to him by a Monsieur Panet in 1833, shows receipts for monies paid.
In June of 1826 and 1827. In and around Valcartier and Quebec City WILLIAM BROWN became a well known and respected citizen.
In a Quebec paper of June 1, 1835 he was credited, in a small news item, with bringing the first new potatoes into Quebec that summer. The Minister of Lands for Lower Canada arranged for him to buy a second property adjacent to the one he already owned. These two parcels of land just outside of the Village of Valcartier have continued in the Brown name to the present time.
IN Valcartier Township, in the nineteenth century, a number of families from the Lowlands of Scotland had settled as immigrants. One can recall hearing the names of Knox, Brown, Mclntosh, McMurdo, Clarke, McBain and Aldcorn. These were the names that made the greatest impact on the Brown history. The focal point of the settlement was the Village of Valcartier. Some of the settlers lived in the village, the others in the surrounding community. It was quite natural that these kindly folk with a common language and a mutual background should intermingle and intermarry. The following pages will reveal the extent of such integration.
IN THE FAMILY as stated above there were eight children. The order in which they were born is not clear but they are listed as John, James, William, Tom, Margaret, Ellen, Marion and Janet. The oldest son, John, did not like it in Canada so he returned to Scotland and there is no further trace of him. The second son, James, was married and lived in Quebec City. He earned a living as a wainwright. He had one son, William, who died without leaving any descendants. The next two sons, William and Tom got married and remained at home. Of the four girls, Margaret married William Corrigan; Ellen married James McGill; Marion married Peter McMurdo and Janet married James McBain. Their children are listed on the pages following this narrative.
AFTER A TIME, the four girls being married, WILLIAM BROWN settled his two sons, Tom and William, one in each of his two farms.
He then returned to Scotland and while there was married, for a second time, to one Jane Kirkhope, a native of Edinburgh. He came back to Canada with his new wife and they settled in Valcartier Village near his family. He and his second wife had one daughter, Elizabeth Ann, who was later married to Thomas Jack. Elizabeth Ann Brown and Thomas Jack had eight children only one of whom married. His name was William Brown Jack and he lived in Quebec City.
AFTER LIVING a short but prosperous life WILLIAM Brown met a tragic end. On his way to a New Year's party at the home of the Honourable John Neilson his horse ran away throwing him from his rig and fatally injuring him. He died a few days later on January 9, 1848 and was buried in Valcartier cemetery. A tombstone marks his resting place and on it may be seen the place and time of his birth and the time of his death in Canada. His wife, Jane, survived him until Mar. 1, 1865 at the age of seventy-two. She was buried beside her husband and a separate stone marks her grave. During the time she was a widow she lived mostly at home of her daughter, Elizabeth Ann Jack.
THUS ENDS THE story, what little we know of the life of WILLIAM BROWN , our paternal ancestor. The information given here is not guaranteed but was assembled from known facts and from information believed reliable.
ON THE FOLLOWING two pages is a list of names of the children of WILLIAM BROWN and MARION GRAHAM. The list also gives the names of their grandchildren. The names of their great grandchildren through the issue of their son, William, are included. From this point on this article will deal only with the family of William Brown, the number three son of our parental ancestors. This document covers a period of almost two centuries. If anyone cares to perpetuate it another two hundred years it might be a valuable piece of historical information.
Who knows ? We might have a Prime Minister , or a Banting, or a moderator of a great church in Canada. PASS IT ON I I I
WILLIAM BROWN m. 1781- 1848
MARION GRAHAM 1783- 1824
1. John Brown
2. James Brown
.3. William Brown
1. Stephen Brown
1. Margaret Loudon Stevenson
2. Agnes Brown Butchart
3.Christena Brown Aldcorn
4. Elizabeth Brown Douglas
5. Marion Brown Bell
6. Jean Brown McNabb
2. Andrew Brown
1. Elizabeth Brown Moffat
2. Agnes Brown Welsh
3. Almira Brown
4. Mary Jane Brown Brown
5. Clara Brown
6. Marion Brown Currie
3. Elizabeth Brown Neilson
1. William Neilson
2. Ada Neilson Sewell
3. Marguerite Neilson Barr
4. William Brown
1. William Brown
2. James Brown
3. Herman Brown
4. Agnes Brown Jamieson
5 Andrew Brown
6. Janet Brown Hainstock
7. Lindsay Brown
8. Gordon Brown
5 . Agnes Brown Aldcorn
-T.-Elizabeth Aldcorn McMillan
2. Jean Aldcorn Kennedy
3. Margaret Aldcorn Heard
4. Tom Brown
1. William Brow
2. John Brown
3. James Brown
4. Benjamin Brown
5. Tom Brown
6 Andrew Brown
7. Margaret Brown Montgomery
8. Agnes Brown
9. Curtis Brown
10. Mary Ann Brown Wright
- 1. Thomas Corrigan
- 2. Edward Corrigan
3. John Corrigan
4. William Corrigan
5. James Corrigan
6. Michael Corrigan
7. Elizabeth Corrigan Mooney
8. Margaret Corrigan O’Brien
9. Jessie Corrigan Cassin
10. Ellen Corrigan
11 . Mary Corrigan Martin
6 Ellen Brown McGill
1. James McGill
2. Jo}m McGill
3. William McGill
4. Jean McGill
5. Isabel McGill
6. Willimena McGill Brown
7. Marion McGill Hornby
7 Marion Brown McMurdo
1 . Annie McMurdo
2. William McMurdo
3. Peter McMurdo
4. John McMurdo
5. Margaret McMurdo
8 Janet Brown McBain
1. David McBairi
2. Marion McBain
3. William McBain
4. James McBain
5 Lewis McBain
6. John McBain
7. Ben McBain
8. I"lary McBain
9. Thomas McBain
9 Elizabeth Ann Kirkhope Brown Jack
1. William Jack
2. Jane Jack
3. Isabel Lack
4. Elizabeth Ann
5. Ellen Jack
6. James Jack
7. Thomas Jack
8. John Jack
BROWN
William Brown was the third son of WILLIAM BROWN and MARION GRAHAM. He was born near Glasgow, Scotland, on May 6th. 1813. His mother died when he was about eleven years old. He came to Canada with his father and his brothers and sisters in 1825 or 1826. The family settled in Valcartier Township about eighteen miles north of Quebec City.
THE REMAINDER OF THIS family tree deals only with the descendants of this William Brown. A thumb-nail sketch of the families of his brothers and sisters is shown on pp. 4.5. This man is the paternal ancestor of the FAMILY BROWN as we know it. Some of the older living members of the family can remember seeing the old gentleman at the turn of the century and during the first decade of the same.
VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN OF the life of William Brown as he grew from boyhood to manhood in Quebec. It is known that he lived at home and was eventually settled on one of his father's farms. His brother, Tom, was settled on the other farm. Another brother, John, had returned to Scotland and a third brother James, had married and gone to live in Quebec City. Over the years his four sisters married and lived in the area.
IN 1836 William Brown was married to Agnes Elizabeth Clark. He was twenty-three years old and she was seventeen. The Clark family had also emigrated from Scotland to Canada. This union produced five children --Stephen (1837), Andrew (1840), Elizabeth (1847), William (1854) and Agnes (1860).
The following pages show as complete a list of the descendants of these children as it is possible to ascertain.
ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF the nineteenth century many families were moving from Lower Canada to Upper Canada and points west. William Brown sold his farm to his brother, Tom, and moved to a new frontier. With the parents came Stephen, Andrew, William and Agnes. Elizabeth married and remained in Quebec.
IN THE LAND REGISTRY OFFICE of Huron County at Goderich, Ontario, documentation may be seen that William Brown received a grant of land from the Crown. This was for Lot 27 Con. 8 of Howick Township. The grant was dated August 1st. 1865. It is presumed that William Brown and Agnes Clark came from Lower Canada at that time. In 1872 the railway came to Howick. A right-of-way across the property of William Brown is also registered on the same document.
IN 1892 William Brown SR. gave a life lease of the farm to his son, William Brown JR. The latter had married Elizabeth Hunter and both families lived on the farm. The house was expanded to accommodate the two families. On the death of William Brown Sr. in 1908 William Brown Jr. was given clear title to the property by the other heirs. William Brown and Elizabeth Hunter had a son whom they called William, and, at that time there were three persons named
William Brown living on the same farm .
IN THE YEAR 1896 Agnes Elizabeth Brown died at the age of seventy-seven. She was buried in Red grave cemetery on the eighth concession of Howick. A monument marks her resting place on which the inscription gives the date of her death and her age. William Brown Sr. survived his wife until April 11th. 1908, when he died at the age of ninety-five years. Those who remember his death say he was buried beside his wife in Red grave cemetery but there is no inscription on the stone to mark that fact. At the time of his death, John Aldcorn, a son-in-law wrote of him, 'he was kind in his manner, the soul of honour, a good Presbyterian, a strong liberal, and a genuinely manly man’.
THUS WE COME TO the end of the second generation in the history of the FAMILY BROWN. The pages following give the names and ages of the next six generations as they have evolved from 1837 to 1977, a time period of one hundred and forty years.
SPECIAL MENTION IS MADE HERE of two members of the third generation of the Brown family.
Stephen Brown was the oldest of that generation. Born in Quebec in 1837 he married Barbara Clarkson in 1862. This couple was the writer's grandparents. Barbara Clarkson born in Scotland in 1838, had emigrated to Canada along with a sister, Margaret, and a twin brother, Tom. The Clarkson family also had settled in Quebec. Stephen and Barbara Brown moved to Upper Canada in 1865 and received a grant of land from the Crown, as Lot 27 Con. 9 in Howick Township. They had a neice with them at the time and later had five girls of their own. Their own second girl was named Christena. Barbara Clarkson Brown died in 1886. Stephen Brown survived her until 1925. He died at the home of his daughter, Christena. Both are buried in Red grave cemetery. A monument marks their grave and the inscription shows the year' of their death and their ages.
PRECEDING THE ARRIVAL of the Browns in Howick, a family of Aldcorns had come from Quebec to Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario. This family settled at Swinton
Park. Included in the Aldcorn Family were two young boys, John and James. The two families had been friends in Quebec and they continued that friendship in Ontario.
IN 1890 Christena Brown married James Aldcorn. These were the writer's parents. Christena Aldcorn died in 1929 and was buried in Shelburne cemetery. Her husband survived her until 1946. A stone properly inscribed marks their grave.
Agnes Brown was the youngest of the third generation. Born in Quebec in 1860 she came as a youngster with her parents to Howick. About 1888 she married John Aldcorn. John and Agnes Aldcorn were the writer's uncle and aunt on the Aldcorn side.
WE MIGHT CALL THIS THE Aldcorn connection. Two brothers marrying into two generations of the Brown family. Agnes Brown was Christena Brown's aunt. When they married they became sisters-in-law also.
Agnes Brown Aldcorn and John Aldcorn are buried in Swinton Park cemetery close by where they had lived most of their lives.
A stone marks their grave.
I. WILLIAM BROWN 1781- 1848
m.
MARION GRAHAM 1783- 1824
3.William Brown 1813- 1908
m.
Agnes Clark 1819- 1896
1. STEPEEN BROWN 1837- 1925
m
BARBARA CLARKSON. 1838- 1886
1. Margaret Loudon 1863- 1942
m.
Thomas A. Stevenson 1857- 1906
1. Edna Stevenson 1885- 1957
m.
James Irving 1883- 1941
1. Lawrence Irving 1909
2 Thomas Irving 1912- 1973
3 Louise Irving 1915
m.
Francis Marks 19 -
1. Donna Marks 1948 -
m.
Don E. Dean 19
1. Donna Michelle Dean 1968
2. Shannon Nicolle Dean 1972 -
2. Jean Marks 1951
m.
Barrie England 19
1. Angela Jean England 1972 -
2. Darrin Scott England 1974
3. James Marks 1954
m.
Mary Jane Summers 19
4. Claire Irving 1919
m.
Blanche Nairn 19
1. Gale Irving 1952
m.
Walter Jenssens 19
1. Trina Lee Jenssens 1974 -
2.
2. Janice Louise Irving 1953
3. Edna Dawn Irving 1956- 1956
4. Danny Irving. 1964 -
9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The information, names and dates included in this rundown of the BROWN FAMILY TREE have been gathered from many sources. Without mentioning names, the writer wishes to thank all those who in any way contributed to this final draft. Without the help of many members of the family this record would not have been possible. The writer's family should be commended also, for the indulgence in time and interest shown in the compilation of these facts.
ACCURACY:
As much care as possible has been taken to assure the accuracy of all information written herein. However such accuracy is not guaranteed but has been gathered from sources deemed reliable. If any errors are detected please correct them on your copy.
FINAL EFFORT:
In the interest of the clan this work is donated to the family. The writer would state here that this is his last go on this family tree. All families have been brought up to date and it is the responsibility of each family to continue, or not to continue its own record. From this time forward the writer will be concerned only with his own family that of Christena Brown and James Aldcorn.
NOTES:
This tree covers eight generations. The family of Elizabeth Neilson is believed to have reached the tenth generation.
There have been several cases of intermarriages in the family amongst those who remained in Quebec. Several sets of twins have been recorded.
The Reverend Matthew Corrigan is the only theologian in the family record.
The Browns and Montgomerys of Western Ontario are members of this family
The oldest living member of the family in 1977 1s
James W. Brown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
To this day there are about five hundred descendants of William Brown and Agnes Elizabeth Clark.
May the clan long live Yours: Tom Aldcorn