Abia William Brown Sr. marries his true love

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.  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.

At age 15 he ran away from home and stowed away on a ship.  He did not returen until he was 26 years old.
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.