Nelson Brown

Mr. Brown was born in Maryland in the mid 1830s. His mother was likely enslaved, meaning that he also would be enslaved at the time of his birth. In 1870, he is living with Rachel Brown, who is likely his wife. Two young boys lived with them as well, John and Richard Valentine. John is too old to be Rachel’s son, so they might have been her brothers. They are all working as farm hands in and around Linganore.

In 1880, the couple is still living and working in the Liberty district of Frederick County. A young boy, named Nelson Jackson, is with them and enumerated as their grandson.

Oddly, Mr. Brown is not listed in the 1890 Veterans census. While the main US Federal Census of 1890 was destroyed in a fire in 1921 (much to the continued frustration of American genealogists), much of the Veterans Schedule survived. The Pension Office had asked for this enumeration of Veterans and their surviving spouses, at least in part to budget for the pension payments. In any case, Mr. Brown is not listed on the schedule for Libertytown and not found in any index.

Mrs. Brown passed away sometime before 1899. Mr. Brown was remarried to Mrs. Jennie Lewis, who had three children from her previous marriage.

When Mr. Nelson Brown died in 1906, the American Sentinel’s obituary mentions that he may have served during the Civil War. However, no records have been found to substantiate that claim.

Mr. Brown is buried in an unmarked grave in the historic Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.