The Republican journal., 1896-12-17
The CroshY Family.
The Brown Family Of Belfast and Its Members.
Interesting sketch of Early Days in Maine,

HlTi'N lSAi-' INC kluuueSS VI
friend have received copy of your pa
per, date of Oct. =, 1896, containing the
genealoey OF the Crosby family by WAY,
farer.' This is particularly interesting
TO me, as | am a lineal descendant of ST.
mon Crosby in the fourth generation, my
grandmother being Sally Crosby, who
married John Brown of Belfast in 1899.
| have long desired to know the origin of
that line of Crosbys in this country, and
had been told they came to Maine from
Salem, Mass. | wrote them but received
no satisfaction ia regard to them. the in
formation concerning me only laterally.
was very DESTROYS Of learning if my
great grandfather was in any way connect
ed with the war of the Revolution, but
conclude by ''Wayfarer's s. article that he
was not, If he was, either directly OF in
directly, l would be very glad of the in
formation. This letter will deal with
Sally Crosby Brown and her descendants.
John Brown, who married Sally Crosby,
was the only son of John Brown. who
moved from Londonderry to Belfast, in
iii, and the grandson of John Brown
who is registered on the tax list of Lon
dondeIry in 1850. John Brown, Jr, was
born in lT64, and must have been about
seven years OF age W hen his father moved
to Belfast, and became one OF the pro
prietors. Six of the eight children of
John Brown, ST., We're born before he
left Londonderry, n. H., and he was born
III Londonderry, Ireland, and was about
nine years old when ais father, the origi-
nal John, decided to leave the fertile.
but exceedingly turbulent country of his
birth. and seek a home in a new land I'M
fampered by sectional and Evolutionary
hate
The early history of Belfast says of
e31hn Brown, ST. 'He wa, a man of
great vigor, energy and honesty, and re-
peatediy held offices OF trust"
lie bad been a commissioned officer in
the Provincial army, and served in the
French war. He was chairman of the first
board OF selectmen of Belfast, and as a
member Of the ''Committee of Inspection
and Safety during the Revolutionary
war, he rendered service to his country
He was one of the three men out of so,
who refused to take the oath of allegiance
to Great Britain in 1879. After the ''Pe-
nobscot Expedition" the two others be-
ing Samuel Houston and Scion Stephen
son, John Brown and his family ''set sail
IN sloop' for Camden where they re-
NAMED for year, and then returned to
their deserted homesteads Of such sturdy
and heroic stock as this came John Brown.
Jr., who in 1890 married Ruth Stephen
son, who bore him five children, the last
one dying two days after the Young
mother, April 3, 1913. 1t is a curious
fact that on the same page with the re-
cord Of the death of the wife Of John
Brown, Jr., occurs that of Jonathan Mes
mith, who was the first husband of Sally
Crosby, his death occurring July 26, near
liz ff7lI he aft II, g
The marriage of John Brown, Jr.. and
Sally Crosby Nesmth took place one wear
later. The second Mrs. Blown brought
to her new home her little son BY her first
marriage who was born five months after
the death of his father
The first child of John and Sarah
Brown (as the Belfast records call he1l
was born May II, 1901. He was named
oeweli, the family name OF his maternal
grandmother. He died Sept Is, 1902.
Ano ON the same page just above is re-
corded the death of his little half brother,
q nathan Nesmith, their deaths occurring
only ten days apart On Dec. 20, 1902.
three months after tine deaths of her two
children, twins were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Brown, and We're named respectjve-
~ John ana Sarah. In iust two years
l'utb walls born, and in less than IA
months. March Is, 1906, Nicholas Crosby.
Eighteen months later, Oct. 10, 1907.
Nancy crosby was born. and three wears
later, Nov. 10, lSlO, William Gilmore.
Two years later, Nov. II, 1872, Harriet
(Who wasSny mother} was born and Nav
-, lSlG, Henry Sewell. Grandmother
Brown died in 1919, less than Is wears Of
age and the particulars of her death were
sad in the extreme.
The story as told IN mo I,-I,a,, :, ,.I,;I,l
my mothers knee was this: In the
spring OF 1919, man named Patterson.
found, washed ashore from some vessel. A
9opQ palr OF trousers, and being OF a
thrifty nature, he took them home. and
MS wife washed them. In ten DAYS or
whereabouts she " as attacked with a mvs-
ferrous disease which ba fled the skill (o)
OF the local practitioner. In ignorance
OF the deadly peril, and anxious to do
So"1, the neighbors took turns nursing
her Not only my grandmother contract
ed the disease, but many others. two of
her daughters, Ruth and Nancy. each los
ing an eye and being terribly pitted. NY
poor grandmother died the horrible
death, and was allotted the midnight
burial IN pasture, accorded to small
po& victims nearly a century ago.
After the true diagnosis of the disease
""S 'il"Ne- tIlt younger children were
inoculated with the smallpox virus. be-
tween the shoulders. They of course
had the disease but in greatly modified
form. Williamson, in his history speaks
OF there being a great rush for vaccina
ton, but it is hardly probable that the
medical fraternity of Belfast knew verv
much about Jenners discovery at that
time.
Eight of Sally Crosby Browns nine
children lived to be middle aged men and
women, and her grandchildren numbered
about 10 and, as mark of heredity, let
me say III passing that twins we're not un-
common among the younger generations.
curious coincidence connected with the
family history is the fact that my grand
mother, my mother, and my sister all had
the same date of birth, Nov. II, respec-
lively 1714, 1912 and 1888
1t is pleasant to review thus briefly the
life OF one who was good, pure and true.
Performing bravely as she did her part
in life's DRAMA her memory is blessed to
her descendants who care to study her
trials, griefs and cares Widowed before
she was mother then taking bravely
upon herself the care of four motherless
children whose ages ranged from three to
eight, rearing them with her own father
less infant, how brave and steadfast must