Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Abia William Brown Sr. history

ABIA WILLIAM BROWN SR.
Born October 18, 1799 in Mount Holly, Burlington, New Jersey
Died August 27, 1848
Married Abigail "Abby" Cadwallader April 30, 1830

He was the only child of a wealthy Quaker family. His grandfather was a Quarter Master in the Revolutionary War, and his father was an officer in the French and Indian war. Abia had every advantage they could give him, private tutors and boy's schools to secure his social contacts. His father was killed in the French and Indian War when he was 15. They lived near the ports where pirate ships, and merchants frequented, so they were in constant danger being alone during the war. He hid the families valuables in a hole in the basement.
Just before he was 16, he had a disagreement with his mother, and ran away to England by stowing away in a barrel. He spent nine years at sea was shipwrecked three times. The third time, he was rescued by a pirate ship that sold him as a slave in Turkey. He worked as a clerk in the office, while the other survivor hauled garbage. He was very thankful for his schooling. After two years, they escaped to England with the help of a ship's captain. He finally returned home at the age of 26. His mother was remarried and there were three half sisters and one half brother. He was sent to become a doctor. He was devoted to his profession, and to the people he took care of. Just before he was thirty, he decided it was time to marry. He had chosen the daughter of a country gentleman and farmer, but his mother disapproved. She had chosen a wealthy girl of the same social class for him. He was told if he didn't marry her, he would be disowned and disinherited. True love over came and he married his sweetheart, Abby. They moved to Philadelphia and then to Ohio. He supported his family of seven children with his medical practice for 18 years when he died.



Sketch of the life of Abia William Brown (Born Oct 18, 1799 - Died Aug. 27, 1848)

Abia William Brown was the son of Samuel Brown and Ann Kempton Brown. Samuel Brown was the son of William Brown, a quartermaster in the Revolutionary War. Samuel was an officer also in the French and Indian Wars and served in that trouble until he was killed when his son, Abia William, was fifteen years old.

Abia's parents were wealthy and belonged to the leaders of that time. They were devout Quakers in their religious convictions. Abia was given the best education that could be had with private tutors and schools. When Abia was fourteen, his father was called for duty in the French and Indian War. Here he served as an officer. After serving for a year, he was shot and killed. This left Ann, his wife, and Abia, his son, the only ones to see to and care for the great estate, which consisted of a large tract of land in the city of Philadelphia.

Being devout Quakers, they were very strict in keeping the laws of that organization, and tried to live as near as they could all the laws that were given them, both by speech and action. They, as Quakers, were very careful not to harm man or beast in any way.

Abia helped his mother dig holes in the basement to hide their best pieces of silver and other valuables from the many soldiers and sailors from different countries that were continually coming and going in Philadelphia's port. Many merchant ships, as well as pirate ships, used the port of Philadelphia, so there were a good many transients in the city.

When just a lad approaching sixteen years, Abia William caught a mouse and put it in his desk, hoping to tame it. Little did he know what it would mean to him in his future life. He was attending a school for boys and was away from home during the day. One day, his mother happened into his room and found the mouse shut up, so she turned it loose, as it was the custom of Quakers not to harm man or beast.

Abia William was a good looking and well groomed lad. His eyes were dark blue, almost black, and he had a very pleasing face. This day coming home from school he met a sailor and they had the following conversation:

Sailor: "Hi, lad where ye be goin'?"

Abia: "I am on my way home from school, Sir."

Sailor: "Ye have a drink?" And he offered him a bottle of brandy.

Abia: "No thank thee. I never tasted such a drink."

Sailor: "Oh it is good. Makes ye feel so gay and lively. It knocks all the devils out of ye and puts forty more in. It is lots of fun. Come, don't be afraid, twon't hurt ye."

Abia: "No thank thee, I do not want to taste such stuff, but please tell me about the great ocean, and what you have to do as a sailor."

Sailor: "We have good times, playing games, telling stories and haying good times when not on duty."

Abia: "What ports do you sail to?"

Sailor: "England, Ireland, Turkey and many places we go ashore to a short stay to gather up our shipload for our homeland, America. We then see the gals, and say what fun we have. Would ye like to be a sailor? I can stow ye away and no one will know. So just come along. I like ye, Bye, I must go. We sail tonight and I have a lot of work to do, so bye. If ye want to go, just find Sailor Jim and ship #200 named 'Rover'."

Abia: "Goodnight, and thanks for all thee has told me."

Abia returned home, went to his room, put his books in their accustomed place, then went to his desk to see his mouse. It was gone. He knew his mother had been in his room and let his prize go. He was very angry and so sat down to think how he could get revenge. No plans suited him until his thoughts returned to the sailor of the afternoon. "I will find Sailor Jim if I can," he suddenly decided.

The dinner bell rang. He went down as was his custom, but stood very silently at his place. After helping his mother to be seated, he took his own chair at the table. Since his father's death he had tried to be kind and take his father's place as much as he could toward his mother.

His mother spoke, "Why did thee shut that tiny mouse up in thy desk to starve, Abia? Don't thee know it is wrong to do harm to anything that is living and helpless?" Abia quickly replied, "I was trying to tame it, mother." He finished his dinner and excused himself to his mother. Little did she know that she would not see her son again for many long years.

He returned to his room, sat down, and waited a long time, until the house clock struck twelve midnight. All seemed quiet in the house, so he arose, went to his closet took from a hook an old carpet bag and then proceeded to collect his clothes as best he could. He put them in the bag and also tied some in a red bandana handkerchief, and waited again until he was sure that all were asleep in the big house. He slipped quietly out the back way into the street, and made his way quickly to the shipyards. It was not very long before he found his sailor friend of the afternoon. The sailor consented to stow Abia away in a barrel after some hours of waiting. Soon he boarded the ship and then it was moving away. He knew not where he was going, or when he would return. With some sad feeling in his heart, he thought of his dear mother all alone, except for the servants, but it was too late for repentance for him and he had no way to return to his mother and home now. Just a few tears trickled down his soft cheeks and in his heart he was very sorry for what he had done to his dear mother.

The sailor was very kind and faithful to the boy in the barrel, slipping food to him and water to quench his thirst. He gave him good, kind advice on being brave and told him of the good times they would have together when they reached England. It all helped to cheer Abia and he soon began to be reconciled. Those first few days were not very pleasant as he was seasick part of the time.

No one knew that the boy was on board except Jim, the sailor. On the fifth day, out he came on deck, dragging the stow-away, and shouting, "I found him in a barrel. What shall we do with him, throw him overboard, or shoot him? Shall we return him to his parents?" The captain then said, "No, we will take him with us. He can work for his board and we will return him safely to his home when we get our ship-load for America." Jim gave him a good shaking up, then took him below to his berth and gave him duties on board the ship. The farce Sailor Jim put up to save his own neck was very clever. He learned to love Abia and was a kind friend to him through many years on the ocean. They often talked of their first meeting in Philadelphia and wondered how his mother was and if she would forgive him for the terrible thing he did to her. He never did write to her, however.

One day the Captain questioned Abia as follows:

Captain: "Does your mother know you are on this ship?"

Abia: "No sir, she offended me, and I ran away from home. My mother was very kind, and I love her." He then bent his head in shame and sorrow. "I would return to her if I could. I am her only child, and now she is all alone."

Captain: "How old are you?"

Abia: "I'll be sixteen years old my coming birthday. The 18th of October, 1799, was the date of my birth.''

Captain: "We cannot return you, but we will bring you back to your home when our ship has its load and again makes port at the harbor of Philadelphia. Until then you will be treated as one of my crew to work for your board.''

His experience as a sailor was very interesting. He learned to love the great ocean, and its many hardships which they encountered. He was a good student and learned many valuable lessons while on the sea. They landed at many different ports on their route. All of which held special interest for him.

During the nine years at sea, he was shipwrecked three times. Two times they were picked up by friends, but the third time was the climax. They took to the life boats. Nine were in the life boat Abia took, but his faithful friend was not with them. The others from the boat were never heard of again and he never knew what happened to his staunch friend and pal, Sailor Jim. That was a sad day for Abia, as the two friends who had shared many hardships together, were separated never to meet again. The two friends had been together for nine years, as Sailor Jim had taken kindly to Abia and helped him through his many troubles. Although Jim was unlearned, he had a big heart and hoped to return Abia to his mother some day.

The life boat Abia was on drifted many days. The food gave out and the water also. They did catch some rain water. Some went insane, one jumped overboard and more of them died until there were but four left. They decided that one would have to die in order to save the lives of the others. They drew cuts to see whom it was to be, and the lot did not fall to Abia. But they could not commit this terrible deed, so they sat and waited many hours, feeling that they must soon join their companions, when one of them sighted a ship. This ship was bound for Turkey. After boarding the ship, they found it was a Pirate's ship and when they reached port in Turkey, they were sold to the Turks as slaves. Two of the four died, leaving Abia and one of the sailors. They were kept as prisoners and slaves. Abia was placed in the office as clerk and did booking of loads going out and coming into port. His companion was attached to a cart and hauled garbage from the city. They were permitted to room together at night. Abia William's training at home and splendid education saved him many hard positions. He was now a man in his twenties, and had a fair education; he had always been trained at home in the best of good conduct toward all people and it served him well.

After two years had passed, he found a way in which to escape. At last an English vessel came into Turkey to unload some merchandise and since he was in the office, and had care of the bookings in ship-loading, he wrote a note telling the captain of their condition and said how much they would like to get back to America. He slipped this note into the captains pocket. The captain returned that evening on business as a pretense, and gave Abia a note saying the time the ship would sail and telling them to be there promptly. This they did and escaped from their prison home in Turkey. They sailed to England and then to America and home.

After nine long years on the ocean, two years in Turkey, he arrived at his home at the age of twenty-six. His mother did not recognize him, her own boy. He exclaimed, "Mother, don't you know me, your own son, Abia William, who left you as a boy, but returned as a man, after these many long years?" He remembered his mouse, and his true friend, Sailor Jim. "Mother", he said, "I have come to beg your pardon, and ask thee to forgive me for causing thee so much sorrow. I have come home to stay if thee will take me back again.''

Oh, how happy he was to be home again, with his mother who had thought him dead. It was a great shock to her, but she forgave him and he repented sincerely of the great sorrow he had brought on her. But what a different home he came home to. His mother was alone with the servants when he left eleven years ago, now there was a stepfather, Ephraim Haines and three half sisters, Ann, Hannah and Mary. There was also a brother, Ephraim Haines, Jr.

His mother, now Mrs. Haines, took him back and sent him to school to be a doctor. He made good at this and at the end of four years, received his doctor's degree in medicine and surgery. He devoted the rest of his life to the sick and unfortunate in every way he could during his short life. He was very successful in his work as a physician and surgeon. He was now coming into his own at the age of thirty and decided to take a companion for the remainder of his life. Being a man of intelligence, he felt that he knew best in choosing a wife. But his mother did not approve of the girl he had chosen to be his wife. She was the daughter of a country gentleman and not an aristrocrat. Mrs. Haines, Abia's mother, had chosen a girl for him from their circle of friends with money. But Abia was a man, and felt that he alone knew what he should do, so he gave his mother this answer, "Mother, I do appreciate all you have done for me. Give me only enough money to take my sweetheart to the altar and we will commence our life by the Quaker laws, as her people are devout Quakers, then my education as a doctor will see us through life.''

The reply of Ann Kempton Haines was this; "If thee will not accept the girl of my choice, then I will disown thee this day and cut thou off with one dollar, and to that effect will sign my will, which is now awaiting my signature in my lawyer's office." She was very angry with him, but it had no effect on the will of Abia Brown.

He married the country girl, and they lived very happy together. They were married April 30, 1830 and had only eighteen years of married life, then he contracted typhoid fever and died August 27, 1848.

His wife, Abby Cadwallader, a daughter of a country gentlemen was of Welsh descent. As far back as we have traced, her progenators, were leaders among men, in their day on this earth. Many were ministers of the Gospel of Christ. Richard Cadwallader was burned at the stake, but would not deny Christ. He said he would rather die than give up his faith in Christ.

Abia and his wife moved to Virginia from Philadelphia, and some time after to Ohio. Abia bad a good practice as a physician. Seven children were born to them: Ann Kempton, Jane Cadwallader, Hannah Haines, Mary Trotter, William, who died when only a few days old, Elizabeth, who also died as a baby, and William Abia Brown.

Abia died early in life, leaving his wife alone with her children to raise. She was very industrious, and taught them to help care for themselves very early in life. They learned the art of silk production from the feeding of the tiny worm, up to the reeling and spinning of the silk threads. Also of dying the silk ready for use.

Abby had the privilege of hearing the Gospel of Christ as taught by Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, and she was baptized and came to Utah with her oldest daughter, Ann Kempton Dunyon and made her home with her until her death, February 22, 1873.

This sketch was written by Abby A. Whiting Bird in 1943 in Mapleton, Utah. Abby Bird was the daughter of Hannah, who was the daughter of Abia William Brown and Abby Cadwallader.

Ivan Clare Johnson Sr. is a great grandson of Abia William Brown.

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