DAR Patriot - George Brown, Sr.

 

100 years after my great grandmother and her sisters joined the Daughters of the American Revolution, several cousins and I went through the process of proving our lineage back to George Brown, Senior. 

Today at our local DAR meeting, we got to introduce our Patriot ancestor to the members.  Here's a little bit that I know about my 5th great grandfather.

George Brown Senior was born 8 Jan 1720 in Bucks County, PA

He was married twice.  

1)  Martha Worrell – 1 child

Following the death of his first wife, George married Elizabeth Stevenson Field in 1752.  The marriage was found in the records of the Middletown Monthly Meeting.  As a Quaker, he did not serve in the military, rather gave financial support to the cause.  Records show that he paid a "Supply Tax" in 1783.  I have also found a receipt showing that he had supplied the military with feed for their horses.  There were many ways that a person could support the war effort.

    2)  Elizabeth Stevenson Field – 8 children were born to this union.

a.  George Brown, Jr., second child born to this couple in 1755 – served as 2^nd LT, 7TH Associated Company of Falls Township, Bucks County during the Revolution.

b.   Susannah Brown was the youngest child of this family, born in 1767.  She married Thomas Yardley.  This is the daughter I'm descended through. In fact, all who have entered the DAR through George Brown, Sr. are descended through Susannah and Thomas.

There are 13 descendants of this couple who have joined the DAR over the years.  They come from 3 branches of this family.

Robert Cabeen Boyd

Anne Boyd Weber – 1921 - 4 of Anne's descendants have also joined

Ethel Boyd Palme – 1921 - 1 of Ethel's descendants have joined

Edith Boyd Johannes - 1921

George Yardley Boyd

Grace Boyd Garrett

Ruth Boyd Bixler

Doris House Hartman

Gladys McCartney Huglin

Susan Yardley Boyd Atwater

            Susan L. Atwater

At the time I filled out the paperwork, I had a panic moment.  My great grandmother's application had the "Senior" crossed out and the "Junior" written in on the application.  "Junior" had served, but I'm not a direct line descendant of his!  So had my great grandmother and her sisters been wrongly admitted into this lineage society??  I was relieved to learn about the definition of supporting the effort in which "Senior" had certainly done!

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a great organization that I'm enjoying learning all about.  They promote patriotism, support our troops and the Constitution of this great nation!  I'm proud to follow in my ancestor's footsteps in supporting the same.

Lizzy's Diary!

Years ago, I received a hand written list of all of the important books my great grandmother, Ethel Boyd Palme had owned.  She had listed information on why the book was significant and which of her sons was to receive each book.  All of these awesome old family treasures had been accounted for, except one book, Elizabeth K. Boyd's diary from 1881 detailing her journey to China as a missionary for the Episcopal church.  

I've kept hoping that it would be found one day and occasionally "bugged" my cousin MB about it.  About a month ago, I got a txt from MB that the lost was found! I was doing a happy dance, as you might imagine.  

She decided to make a road trip and bring the book to me, rather than shipping it.  It is an amazing book, in good condition for its age.  I've scanned it and have carefully packed it away in an archival box.

One of these days, I'll have some free time to begin the job of transcribing that family treasure.  

Lizzy died in Hankow, China in 1882.  The journal ends about one week before she died.  I'm still amazed that this story will get to be told and that the diary didn't end up getting left in China or forgotten elsewhere over these many years.

I'm grateful to my great grandmother and cousin for taking care of this and many other special documents, photos and artifacts that help tell the story of the Boyd clan.