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Note: August 2006...
The parentage of Clarissa BROWN has been in question
for a number of years. I had her as the child of
Luther BROWN and Maria PARKER BROWN for a number of
years. However, based on the fact Luther died in 1856, and she was born in 1858
that was "impossible".
John Skehan did extensive research on Clarissa's
parentage as well. His notes as follows:
CAMPOBELLO CENSUS DATA
The 1851 Campobello census indicates the following:
1. Luther Brown, age 23, and his brothers Alfred, age
20; Calvin, age 18; and Jeremiah, age 15; were living
with their parents, James and Thankful Brown.
2. Maria Parker, age 11, Luther?s future wife (?), was
living with her parents Robert and Jerusha Parker.
3. John Matthews, age 22, Maria?s seond husband, was
living with his brother, Thomas, age 26, and his
family.
The 1861 Campobello census indicates the following:
1. Alfred Brown, age 30; and his brother, Jeremiah,
age 25; were living with their
parents, James and Thankful Brown. Also living with
James and Thankful were three of their
grandchildren (Martin Luther Brown, age 4; Clarasa
Brown, age 3; and William Brown, age
2).
2. A Mariah Brown, age 32 was living with her aunt and
uncle, John and Margaret Durney. She is the only
Maria/Mariah Brown found in the 1861 Campobello
census.
3. John Matthews, age 33, was still living with his
brother Thomas? family.
The 1871 Campobello census indicates the following:
1. William Brown, age 11, was the only grandchild
still living with James and Thankful Brown. Martin
Brown, age 14, was living with his mother and step
father, Maria and John Matthews, both age 42 (they
married 22 Feb 1864). The only Brown named Clara,
Clarisa, or Clarasa was Clara Brown, age 13, who was
living with the Alfred Brown family (Alfred and his
wife, Mary, married about 1862).
2. Jeremiah Brown, son of James and Thankful; his
wife, Frances (whom he married 3 April 1864); and
their two children had established their own, separate
household.
The 1881 Campobello census indicates the following:
1. William Brown, age 21, was still living with his
grandparents, James (84) and Thankful (81).
2. Martin Brown, age 24, was still living with his
mother, Maria, and his stepfather, John
Matthews, both age 52.
3. Alfred Brown, age 50; his wife, Mary, age 43; and
their four children were still living together as a
family.
4. Jeremiah Brown is not listed in this census because
he died 16 Feb 1878.
DISCUSSION
1. Assuming that the 1861 Campobello census is
correct in listing three Brown children (Martin,
Clarasa, and William) as grandchildren of James and
Thankful Brown, it means that these children logically
must have been fathered by one of James= and
Thankful=s sons.
2. As I indicated in my e-mail of 3 March 2003, my
records indicate that Martin was born 20 December
1856, and in that same e-mail I Amade the case@ for
Martin definitely being the son of Luther Brown and
Maria Parker, even though Martin was born after the
date of Luther=s death.
3. In my e-mail referred to in #2 above, I indicated
that I hadn=t reached a definite conclusion as to who
Clara=s parents were, and I still haven=t done so.
However, assuming that Clara=s age in the 1861 census
is correct, she must have been born in 1857 or 1858,
depending on the month of her birth. As you indicated
in your August 9th e-mail, Luther=s death 9 March 1856
would seem to eliminate him as being Clara=s father.
That would seem to indicate that one of the other of
James and Thankful=s sons must have been Clara=s
father.
4. This leads me to arrive at the following
possible/probable scenarios: After Luther died, one
of his brothers (Alfred and Jeremiah were still living
with their parents, James and Thankful, at that time)
Abefriended and consoled@ Maria, the grieving wife
with a newborn baby. This could have led to a
unintended and/or unwanted pregnancy and the birth of
Clara. In my view the most logical brother involved
was Alfred because of the reasons outlined in the
following possible scenarios.
Scenario #1: At the time of Luther=s death Alfred was
25, unmarried, and living at home with his parents,
James and Thankful (Alfred did not marry his wife,
Mary, until about 1862). It is quite conceivable that
Maria and her infant son, Martin, went to live with
James and Thankful following Luther=s death. This
would have put her in Aclose contact@ with Alfred. If
she became pregnant as a result, following Clara=s
birth Maria either voluntarily or involuntarily left
the home of James and Thankful and went to live with
her aunt and uncle, where she was living at the time
of the 1861 census. Because of these circumstances
James and Thankful Atook in@ Clara sometime after her
birth and before the 1861 census. At some later
unknown date Clara went to live with Alfred and his
wife, Mary, possibly following their marriage.
Scenario #2: The same hypothesis as outlined in
Scenario #1 except that Maria didn?t ?move in? with
James and Thankful after Luther died. She lived alone
in whatever house she and Luther were living in at the
time of his death.
(2)
Scenario #3: At the time of the 1871 Campobello
census the only Brown female named Clara that I have
found was Clara Brown, age 13, living with Alfred,
Mary, and their family. At the time of the 1871
census James and Thankful were still providing a home
for their grandson, William; and their grandson,
Martin, was living with his mother, Maria, and his
stepfather, John Matthews. Why was Clara living with
Alfred and Mary? One possible reason is that Clara is
their child who was conceived as a result of an affair
they had prior to their marriage. After Clara=s birth
(about 1858) and before Alfred and Mary=s marriage
(about 1862), Clara lived with James and Thankful (and
her father, Alfred). Sometime before or after their
marriage, Alfred and his wife, Mary, brought Clara to
live with them.
5. At present I don=t know how we can determine
whether Maria or Mary was Clara=s mother, but I am
definitely beginning to believe that Alfred was her
father. What do you think??? If we could find
Clara?s death certificate, we might be able to solve
this mystery, but I?m not too hopeful of being that
lucky. Do we know anything about Clara?s marriage or
death?
My reply to John on the above...
Hi John:
Thanks for the attachment... I like your hypothesis
and want to give you something else to think about
that has come to mind as a result of it :)
> As you will see from the attachment, I believe that
the answer to the question of who is Clara's father is
more probable than who is her mother?
The mother COULD have been Alfred BROWN's First wife!
Alfred wed in February 1857 to Frances "Fannie"
BASSETT, they had William O. Brown in about 1859.
Fannie was admitted to the hospital in Saint John by
Alfred in August 1859, her records clearly state she
was the mother of 2 CHILDREN one being an infant
(William O.) William O. is my direct line...
Notes of Fannie:
"Summary on Fanny's stay at the Provincial Lunatic
Asylum where she was admitted on 30 August 1859. (
Reference Centracare RS 140, Casebook)
The entry for admission states:
" Fanny E. Brown, brought in by Alfred Brown,
Campobello; care of Capt. Robinson.
First supposed to be affected months ago by religious
excitement, since then has been confined about 4
months ago, baby living, mother of two children, took
a little [cold}, but got over it. She was always
pretty hearty till when the last year she was always
nervous, never had much to say, close minded, has not
to husband's knowledge had any thing to disturb her,
lived very comfortably, no friends been so afflicted,
quiet & very well behaved, tears her clothing, no
rings or valuables."
Today, I discovered an additional Record Book( # 3,
1849-60) which was apparently acquired later by the
Archives but placed at the end of the series. It
records her admittance stats i.e.
Age-24
Religion-Baptist
Married
Date of Admission- 30 Aug.1859
Died-16 Nov.1859- diarrhea
---
So... to go along with your hypothesis...
>>>The 1861 Campobello census indicates the following:
1. Alfred Brown, age 30; and his brother, Jeremiah,
age 25; were living with their
parents, James and Thankful Brown. Also living with
James and Thankful were three of their
grandchildren (Martin Luther Brown, age 4; Clarasa
Brown, age 3; and William Brown, age
2).
Alfred married a second time to Mary Starkie in 1862.
In 1871 Clara brown is living wtih Alfred and Mary...
which makes sense ... especially if she is HIS
daughter. William O. continued to live with his
grandparents and did so right up to his marriage to
Clara SEARLES.
Now... looking further into notes I have for William
O. Brown... William was himself admitted into the same
hospital as his mother in Saint John... where he would
go on to die as well.
Look at this...
"Returning to the records I noticed Case Books which
were the admitting document that the doctor completed
on the day of admission, Sunday, 17 April,1887.
William O. was brought in by his Brother-in-law, Jno.
M. Wilson and the local Constable, Henry Langmaid."
CLARA/CLARISSA MARRIED ONE JOHN M. WILSON IN 1878!!!
Hence the "brother in law" term above...
So... I think we have if figured out... Clara/Clarissa
was the daughter of Alfred BROWN and Fannie BASSETT.
At this time I do not have a date of death for her.
Her hubby John d. Dec 28 1924 in Eastport... I wonder
if she died in Eastport as well?? I checked the
sentinal book and there is NO mention of her. I will
be changing her to being Alfred and Fannie's daughter
in my records... based on the notation in the hospital
records stating John Wilson was his "brother in law"
and your notes...
Do you agree with this or not??
Thanks for your help... one "brick wall" solved :)
Many more to work on :)
Heather
-----------------
Source: FamilySearch.org...
MAINE DEATHS AND BURIALS, 1841-1910
Indexing Project (Batch) Number I00604-3
System Origin Maine-EASy
GS Film number 10844
Clara Amelia Wilson
Maine Deaths and Burials
Name Clara Amelia Wilson
Gender Female
Death Date 12 Nov 1942
Death Place Eastport, Maine
Age 84
Birth Date 1858
Father's Name Alfred Brown
Mother's Name Fannie Bassett
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Source of this obituary Telegraph Journal | Nov 26, 1942 . The obituary confirms her parents names as well.
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