Mary or Margaret (Potter) Brown      abt. 1750 – 1827?

 

 

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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