Born: in Ipswich, Massachusetts.
Died: March 18, 1784 or 1827 in Yarmouth, Nova
Scotia.
Spouse: James Brown married on April 16, 1769, with
intentions published on April 11, 1768.
Children: Mary
“Polly” (Brown) Dane
James Brown, he was b January 12, 1772 and d April 8, 1779
Elizabeth (Brown) Shaw,
b January 12, 1773, m Zebina Shaw, d September 14,
1850 (more below)
Abigail
(Brown) Shaw, b October 19, 1774, m 1st Joseph Shaw and 2nd
Zachariah Chipman, d September 22, 1853 (more below)
Bethia
(Brown) Bain, b April 23, 1776, (see below)
Priscilla Brown, bp
September 10, 1780
Sarah (Brown) Jenkins, b
May 21, 1781, m James Jenkins, d July 26, 1851
Anne Brown, b November
9, 1783 and d March 20, 1784
(As
per Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Genealogies,
Transcribed from the Yarmouth Herald, by George S. Brown, Genealogical
Publ. Co., 1993.)
Father’s name: Nathaniel Potter, Jr. of Ipswich,
Essex County, Massachusetts.
Mother’s name: Mary
(Patch) Potter, Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts.
Siblings: Mary
Susan
Mercy
N? Possibly Nancy?
William
The following is the text of
a letter found in an artifact, a journal, at the Yarmouth County Museum &
Archives. It was written by Mary’s
daughter Mary “Polly” Brown just after her marriage to Thomas Dane in 1788. What’s interesting, and awkward, are her
references to her sisters Mary, Susan, “N”, and Mercy. “N” most likely is for Nancy. It seems like my above listing of children
may be wrong, so I’ll keep digging. I
have not begun to try and discover who the possible Uncle Polly addressing may
be, but Yarmouth Genealogies claims
that James Brown only had one sibling, a brother named Nathan, so I’ll assume
it is him for now. I have found a
suggestion for a cousin Abigail Brown, who died a year later in 1789. She had married Edward Walden, becoming Mrs.
Abigail Walden and thus possibly is the cousin A.W. This journal also shared ownership with a
Eunice Brown in 1788. So I have the
challenge to find a family that accommodates all these names.
A Letter from a Niece to her
Uncle 1788
Having not heard from you for a considerable time,
and doubting very much you are not well, because in your last you seemed to
intimate something like it, I could not rest satisfied without troubling you with
these few Lines to enquire after Your health, which I shall be very glad to
hear of. My Sisters are all indifferent
well. and
remember their duty to you and would be glad to hear from you; especially my
Sisters Mary and Susan, whom you were pleased to promise a letter from you and
which they accordingly expect. My Cousin
A.W. is dead. To the great grief of her
Father and Mother; she dyed of a Consumption. My Sister N. and her two Sons were very well
lately; and I hope are so still. My
Sister Mercy is much better than she was.
Pray give my kind Love to all my Cousins. &C. [Etcetera]
Your
dutiful Cousin, M. D. [Mary “Polly” Dane]
I have seen one source that suggests her given name
is Margaret, and Mary is a nickname.
Frost Park Cemetery Index in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia,
places her death in 1827, but it may possibly read 1817. Other sources have placed her death as March
18, 1784, but this is generally considered to be the date for her husband’s
death.
Her parents also appear to be from Ipswich (or
Hamlet), Massachusetts. An LDS source
states that Nathaniel Potter was born December 17, 1721 in Ipswich,
Massachusetts and died June 14, 1775, that his wife is Mary Patch and they were
married February 22, 1743. However, this
source also states they had no children.
The “Tan Book of Ipswich Vitals shows Nathaniel Potter, Jr. and Mary
Patch to be married with intentions published on February 22, 1743. A GenForum board
contributor has the same dates and suggests a son for Nathaniel and Mary named
William, b. 1754 and marries Elizabeth Safford, all being from Ipswich,
MA. I’m not satisfied with this and hope
to continue the research.
I’m noting In Yarmouth
Genealogies that husband James and Mary both died on March 18, 1784 in
Yarmouth. However, I have not come up
with any notes regarding how they died.
Was there an accident? Add that
the last daughter, Anne passed 2 days later.
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