Introduction

This family has been shown to have several autosomal DNA linkages to descendants of the family of Robert Brown and Ruth Smith in Tandragee, Armagh, NI, found on the Tandragee page.

This page is not fancy yet. I have not formatted anything. The information on this branch is coming in faster than I can process it so I wanted to just get the raw data up here as fast as possible so that everyone can see it. I can make it look pretty later.

This family of Browns appears to originate around the area of Caldeon, Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI and is later found in Portadown, Armagh, NI, only 5 km from Tandragee, Armagh, NI.

The earliest generation of this family appears to be:

The Family of Robert Brown, latterly in Portadown?

Robert Brown, who is shown as the father of Elizabeth Brown at her marriage to Patrick McKenna and John Brown at his marriage to Eliza Ann Reid. (Elizabeth Brown and Patrick McKenna married in 1854 in Brantry, Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI, just two weeks prior to John Brown’s marriage to Ann Eliza Reid in the same church. However this marriage is extremely challenging to reconcile chronologically as it would make John Brown only 14 years old and Eliza Reid only 8 years old at the time of their marriage. And it means they waited 12 years before having a child. It would appear that at least John Brown’s Brantry marriage is incorrect. They are in the handwritten register next to each other and both list a Robert Brown as their father.) Robert is suggested as the father of:

1. 1. John Brown, born 1841 in Armagh, NI – see below
   2. Elizabeth Brown, b.ca. 1838-1845 in Armagh, NI – see below

John Brown and Eliza Reid in Caledon, Aghaloo, Tyrone and latterly in Portadown, Armagh

John Brown, b 1841 in Armagh, NI, possibly son of Robert Brown (shown above) m. Eliza Reid, b 1845 in Ulster. A matching potential marriage record has been found in 1854 in Brantry, Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI. What makes this marriage record compelling is that John Brown’s suggested sister, Elizabeth, is shown marrying her husband Patrick McKenna on the same page, which makes it appear that brother and sister got married about the same time. However this marriage cannot be reconciled chronologically with what else we know of the family. John Brown and Eliza are found in the 1901 census residing in Portadown with their daughters Annie and Elizabeth, and granddaughter Lilly Brown, but without Charles. In 1911, John and Eliza have not been found, but Charles is living in Portadown with his unmarried sister Annie and orphaned niece, Lilly. The 1901 census indicates that John and Eliza were both born in Armagh. They are believed to have had the following children:

1. 1. Annie Brown, b 1866 in Portadown. Annie never married. She is found in 1911 residing with her brother Charles in Portadown. She was not employed and was recorded as being unable to read or write. Her widowed sister, Sarah, and niece, Lily, were also residing there.
   2. Mary Brown, b 1867 in Ireland. m 06 Oct 1888 in Anderstone, Glasgow, Scotland to James William Wright., b 1861 in Portadown, Armagh, NI. James William Wright and Mary Brown were residing in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland in 1891, 1901 and 1911. They resided at 3 Main Street, Glasgow at the time of their marriage. They are also found in 1911 in Portadown, Armagh, Ireland. In 1891 they are shown with their infant son James who is not found in 1901 and is presumed to have died prior as there was a subsequent James born 1904. They later immigrated to Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA. (James and Mary didn’t go to the US until some of their children were quite old and my Grandmother had met her husband and decided to stay in Northern Ireland. The reason James died in Portadown was because he had come home to see the family after Mary died and became unwell and died on his visit. This was remembered by my mother’s generation. – Helen)
      1. James Wright, b 1890 in Glasgow. died in childhood before 1901.
      2. Elizabeth Wright, b 1892 in Glasgow. m James Sterritt and had a family in Portadown. She is noted as “Mrs Sterritt” in her mother’s obituary.
         1. They had children not shown here yet.
      3. Anne Wright, b 1894 in Glasgow. She is mentioned in her mother’s obit as “Mrs Stewart Connor.” She married on 26 Nov 1917 in Connecticut (not far from Holyoke) to Stewart J Connor  (1890-1947). They had the following children:
         1. Dorothy Connor, b 1924
         2. William Connor
      4. Mary Wright, b 1899 in Glasgow
      5. James Wright, b 1904 in Glasgow. He is recorded in his mother Mary’s obit in 1931 as residing with his parents in Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA. He m. presumably after 1831 to Josephine ? and moved to Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA, only ten miles from Holyoke.
   3. Sarah J Brown, b 18 Sep 1868 in Portadown. m 12 Jun 1897 in Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA to Charles Fick. No children.
   4. Kate Brown, b 1870 in Portadown. m 24 Dec 1890 in Enfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA to Adolph Schoen
      1. Lilly Schoen, b 3 Jul 1893 in Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA.
   5. Elizabeth Brown, b 1871 in Armagh NI. No birth record has been found for Elizabeth. She is named in her daughter’s birth registration. She is found in the 1901 census residing with her parents in Portadown, but is not found in 1911 and is presumed to have died by that year, especially given that her teenage daughter immigrated to the USA only a year later.
      1. Lilly Brown, b. 6 May 1894 in Portadown, Armagh, NI. Her birth registration shows Lilly as the daughter of Elizabeth Brown with no father given. This suggests that she was illegitimate. She is found in 1901 residing in Portadown with her mother and grandparents. In 1911, she was residing with her uncle Charles and her mother was absent, suggesting that her mother had likely died. In 1912, she travelled with her uncle James Wright to Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA to reside with her aunt and uncle Kate and Adolph Schoen. It must have been confusing with two Lillys in the same house almost the same age.On 7 Sep 1912, the following travelled on the ship Parisian from Londonderry, Ireland to Boston, Massachussetts: Lillie Brown, age 18, female, single, occupation: reeler, can read and write, travelling from Portadown, nearest relative Charles Brown at 50 Wilson Street in Portadown (relationship not given), passage paid for by uncle, carrying $10, travelling to see Aunt Mrs Kate Schoen at 558 Summer Street in Holyoke Mass, brown hair, blue eyes; James Wright, age 48, male, married, occupation: factory operative, can read and write, travelling from Portadown, nearest relative Mrs Wright at 25 Fowles Entry in Portadown, passage paid for by Annie Wright (daughter?), carrying $10, travelling to visit sister-in-law Jane Brown at 4 Cabot Street in Holyoke Mass, hair turning grey, grey eyes
   6. Jane Brown, b 1871 in Ireland.  Jane’s sister Mary’s obit makes reference to a sister “Mrs James Brown” and no sister named “Mrs Samuel Brown”. There is a matching Jane Brown and James Brown who are the right ages, shown below. On 27 July 1893 to 9 Aug 1893 on the ship Scandinavian, sailing from Derry to Boston the following passengers travelled: Jane Brown, 22 (b 1871), female, single, employed as a spinner, able to read and write, Irish, from Portadown, travelling to Holyoke, Massachusetts, passage paid for by brother-in-law, carrying 8s, never travelled to the States before, travelling to see her brother-in-law, Adolph Schoen; James Brown, 21 (1872), male, single, employed as a hackler, able to read and write, Irish, from Portadown, travelling to Holyoke, Massachusetts, passage paid for by self, carrying $10, never travelled to the States before, travelling to see his cousin, Adolph Schoen. Jane’s sister Mary’s obituary refers to a sister, “Mrs James Brown” which would confirm this being the correct Jane Brown.
      1. We have not researched their possible children yet.
   7. Dorothy Brown, b abt 1875 in Ireland. No records have been found for her.
   8. Charles Brown, b 1877 in Portadown. He never married and remained in Portadown his whole life. He was residing with his sister Annie Brown and niece Liily Brown in 1911.

Elizabeth Brown and Patrick McKenna in Caledon, Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI

Elizabeth Brown is shown above as the suggested daughter of Robert Brown, b 1838-1845 in Ulster, NI. She is believed to have married Patrick McKenna in Brantry, Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI, just two weeks prior to John Brown’s marriage to Ann Eliza Reid in the same church. Patrick McKenna was from Portadown, Armagh, NI. They had the following family.

1. 1. Mary Brown McKenna, b 1856 in Aghaloo, Tyrone, NI
   2. Charles McKenna, b 1863 in Tynan, Armagh, NI
   3. Elizabeth Brown, b 8 Aug 1866 in Caledon, Tyrone, NI
   4. Annie Brown McKenna, b 14 Apr 1869 in Caledon, Tyrone, NI

Further descendant information is yet to be added.

James Brown and Jane Brown

1. 1. James Edward Brown, b Mar 1873 in Ireland, (James Joseph Brown, b 31 Mar 1873 in Dublin, Ireland (confirmed by marriage record and daughter’s death certificate), son of James Browne and Christina Ferris) age 27, found in 1901 residing on Walnut Street, Holyoke, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA, arrived 1882, employed as a paper machine tender, can read and write, rents a house.  Drafted 1917-1918. Married on 22 Nov 1892 in Holyoke, Jennie V Kingsly, born Jan 1874 in Ireland, age 26, arrived 1884, can read and write, daughter of Philip Kingsly (b 1837 in Ireland) and Mary O’Connor (b 1841 in Ireland) (Additional children Philip Jr, b 1868 in Ireland, Annie Kingsly, b 1880 in Dublin, Ireland). Found 1910 in Holyoke, James employed as machine tender in paper mill, in-laws living with them. Found in 1920 in Holyoke, James employed as a machine tender in a paper mill.
      1. Edward Brown, b 1893, d 1895 in Holyoke
      2. Mary (Mae) Louise Brown, born Apr 1896 in Massachusetts, age 4. Telephone operator in 1920. d 8 Jun 1963 in Battleboro, Vermont
      3. Lillian J Brown, born Feb 1899 in Massachusetts, age 1, stenographer in 1920 (yet another Lilly)
      4. Elizabeth L Brown, 1904
      5. Cecilia Brown, 1906
      6. Anna Brown, 1909
      7. James E Brown, 1912
      8. Dorothy J Brown, 1917

The Family of Samuel Brown in Corcrain, Portadown

1. 1. James Browne, of full age, (b bef 1843) residing in Eryow? (Derryaugh?), Parish of Muchnoe? (Milltown? unable to identify matching place or parish), occ labourer, bachelor, son of Thomas Brown. Married on 14 Nov 1864 in Keady Cl Parish, Armagh, to Jane Seymore, res Crossnenagh, daughter of Henry Seymour, farmer. Wit. James McCrory. At the time of the birth of their children James Browne was employed as a coachman.
      1. Jane Eliza Brown, b bef 1871, residing at Corkrain, Portadown, married on 18 Apr 1892 in Portadown to Thomas Black of Ballyworkan, parish of Drumcree, saddler, b bef 1871, son of Matthew Black, poultry dealer.
      2. James Brown, b 17 Oct 1869 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh
      3. William Brown, b 12 Jun 1871 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh
      4. Samuel Brown, a baker, b 20 Jul 1873 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh, Ireland, son of James Brown, coachman, and Jane Seymour. He married on 24 Oct 1893 in Holyoke, Mass, USA to Jane Brown, b 1870 in Ireland, daughter of John Brown and Mary Johnson.
         1. James Brown, b 1896 in Holyoke (named after Samuel’s father)
         2. They may have had other children. We haven’t checked yet.
      5. Robert Brown, carpenter, b 3 Dec 1874 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh. Married on 11 Aug 1899 in Drumcree parish, Armagh, to Mary Woodhouse, a minor, from Breagh, parish of Drumcree, daughter of George Woodhouse, farmer.
      6. Sarah Brown, b 24 May 1876 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh
      7. Margaret Brown, weaver, b 9 Nov 1879 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh. Married on 19 July 1902 in Lurgan parish, to Thomas Holland, tenter, of Park Road, Portadown, b 1881, son of Joseph Holland.
      8. John Brown, coach painter, b bef 1883 (no birth record found), given as “full age” and residing at Charles Street, Portadown, at the time of his wedding on 27 Dec 1904 in Portadown, Armagh to Mary Daly, b bef 1883, daughter of John Daly, labourer, residing at Montague Street, Portadown.
      9. Henry Brown, b 9 Apr 1883 in Corcrain, Portadown, Armagh

Our Browns in 1901 (and 1911) in Portadown

Here are the locations of our various Brown ancestors in 1901 (with the addition of James Wright who returned in 1911.) Our ancestors were all within approximately 300 metres, 0.2 miles, or about 4 blocks of each other!

Current Google Map: