BROWN AND RELATED FAMILY PAPERS, 1758-1923
Vault A45, Brown, Unit 3
EXTENT: 2 containers (60 Items)
ORGANIZATION: Three Series. Series I. Brown family papers; Series II. Newspapers and newspaper clippings related to Members of Brown, Keyes, Walcott, and Hudson Families; Series III. Other documents.
BIOGRAPHY: Abishai Brown (1717-1766) of Concord married Mary Farrar Brown in 1735. Their son, Abishai Brown (1746-1799) married Jerusha ------ (d. 1811). Their children included James Brown (1771- 1817) and Abishai Brown (1777-1838). George S. Keyes (1869-1942) was the son of George (1832-1893) and Mary Brown Keyes (1831-1886) of Concord. Mary Brown Keyes was the daughter of Simon Brown (1802- 1873). Marion Hudson was the daughter of Woodward Hudson (1858-1938) and Bessie Keyes Hudson (1857- 1942). Bessie Keyes Hudson was the granddaughter of George and Mary Brown Keyes. Caroline Lamson Brown (1852-1928) married John Murray Brown. She was the mother of Alice M. Brown (1879-1963) who was married to George S. Keyes (b.1869). Caroline Lamson Brown was aboard the Titanic in April 1912. Roger Walcott (b. 1876) was the son of Charles H. Walcott (1848-1901) and Florence Keyes (1851-1877). Florence Keyes was the sister of Alicia M. Keyes (1855-1924).
SCOPE AND CONTENT: Collection (1758-1923) consists primarily of legal papers and newspaper clippings.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS:
Series I. Legal documents (1764-1838, 1898) related to three generations of Abishai Browns. Documents include such items as wills, deeds, writs, receipts, and estate inventories.
Series II. Newspapers and newspaper clippings (1758, 1912-1923) related to the Brown, Keyes, Hudson, and Walcott families as well as a facsimile (?) of The Newbury Chronicle, a paper published by James Franklin. The newspaper clippings relating to Caroline Lamson Brown cover the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 as well as an article on the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. In the series, there are two articles related to George S. Keyes. One contains information on the Concord Minutemen of 1916. The other is a set of pictures published in the New York Times bearing George S. Keyes, Keye’s. Roger Walcott inscribed the New York Times publication entitled, “Why England, Germany and Russia Went to War.” There is an article from the Boston Herald and Journal about Marion Hudson’s time as a mechanic during World War I.
Series III. Other documents include two congressional documents.
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Also in Concord Free Public Library Special Collections: Keyes-Brown Family Papers, Simon Brown Papers, Alicia M. Keyes Papers, Hudson Family Papers, Charles H. Walcott Papers.
SOURCE OF ACQUISITION: Gift of Judy Keyes, 2008.
NOTES AND COMMENTS: Accession date Dec. 12, 2008, AMC 169.
PROCESSED BY: Sarah Galligan, April 2012.
CONTAINER LIST:
BOX 1:
Series I. Brown family papers (1764-1838, 1898)
Box 1, Folder 1:
(All documents in Folder 1 relate to Abishai Brown, 1717-1766 unless indicated by “Jr.”)
Will of Abishai Brown, 1764 Oct. 13.
Inventory of Abishai Brown’s estate sold by his widow, Mary Brown, to their son, Abishai Brown (Jr.), 1766 Dec. 15.
Deed, Mary Brown to Abishai Brown, for the estate of her deceased husband, 1766 Dec. 26.
Deed, Mary Brown to Abishai Brown, for the land holdings as part of the estate of her deceased husband, 1778 May 4.
Court order to Abishai Brown (Jr.) to distribute parts of the estate to his siblings of their late father. 1779 Feb. 11.
Court order to Abishai Brown (Jr.) to pay his siblings their shares of the estate of his deceased father, 1779 March 2.
Box 1, Folder 2:
(All mention of Abishai Brown in Folder 2 refer to Abishai Brown, 1746-1799.)
Deed, Daniel Wood to James Brown for ten acres of land lying in Greenfield, 1 Feb. 1795.
Letter of Administration ordering James Brown to act as administrator for his father Abishai Brown’s estate, 14 May 1799.
Court letter appointing Ephraim Wood, Jacob Brown, and Peter Barrett to appraise the estate of the late Abishai Brown, 13 Nov. 1799.
Letter, Abishai Brown’s children to whom it may concern, authorizing James Brown to sell fifty acres of their late father’s land to pay off deeds and other debts, 1801 May 2.
Inventory of Abishai Brown’s estate taken by son James Brown, 1801 Nov. 6.
Inventory of Abishai Brown’s estate taken by the court ordered appraisers with James Barrett, undated.
Deed, Thomas Barrett to James Brown for 124 acres of land in Concord, 1805 Feb. 26.
Court letter appointing James Brown as administrator to the estate of Jerusha Brown, 1811 Oct. 3.
Letter appointing Ephraim Wood, Abiel Heywood, and John Proctor to appraise the estate of the late Abishai Brown set off to his widow Jerusha upon his death, 1811 Oct. 3. Inventory of the estate is attached, 1811 Nov. 18.
Copy of the inventory of the late Abishai Brown’s estate set off to his wife Jerusha, 1811 Nov. 18.
Court order appointing Epraim Wood, Abiel Heywood, and John Proctor to inventory the personal estate of Jerusha Brown, 1811 Oct. 3. Inventory of the estate is attached, 1811 Nov. 18. Letter acknowledging James Brown as administrator of the estate, 1811 Dec. 3.
Letter of administration authorizing James Brown to sell the estate of Jerusha Brown 1811 Dec. 3.
Receipt from Jerusha Brown’s children excluding James Brown to James Brown acknowledging that each child received 100 dollars from the estate of Jerusha Brown, 1812 Feb. 1.
Lease, James Brown to Cyrus Howard, 1812 April 1.
Box 1, Folder 3:
(All mentions of Abishai Brown in Folder 3 refer to Abishai Brown, 1777-1838.)
Description of the deeds related to the estate of Andrew Hildreth of Concord beginning 1826 Sept.
Fire Insurance Policy of Abishai Brown for $550 of coverage for his house and barn, 1827 Jan. 29.
Deed, Samuel Burr to Abishai Brown for six acres and seven rods in northern Concord, 1827 June 11.
Survey sketch of the land of Peter Jones, which adjoins the land that Abishai Brown purchased from Samuel Burr, 1827 April 14.
Note, from Andrew Hildreth acknowledging his debt of $490 to Nancy Hildreth, 1827 July 26.
Deed, from Joseph Smith to Joseph Dudley for fifty acres of land in Concord witnessed by Abishai Brown, 1828 March 4.
Writ of attachment for the goods of Andrew Hildreth to Nancy Hildreth for a total of $699, 1830 Sept, 21.
Court order commanding Andrew Hildreth to prison until he can settle his debt to Nancy Hildreth, 1831 Feb. 7. Also letters explaining the auction of Andrew Hildreth’s mortgaged estate, some of which was purchased by Abishai Brown, 1831 Feb. 25-26.
Deed, Abel Moore to Abishai Brown for the mortgaged estate of Andrew Hildreth for $800, 1831 March 28.
Receipt, Nancy Hildreth to Abel Moore, for proceeds from the auction of Andrew Hildreth’s estate as well as a schedule of the personal property of Andrew Hildreth sold at auction, 1831 May 30.
Bill for costs in case of Abishai Brown v. Andrew Hildreth; Nancy Hildreth v. Andrew Hildreth; and George W. Hildreth v. Andrew Hildreth.
Writ of attachment for $1500 of Abishai Brown’s property to Job Brooks, 1831 Aug. 7.
Deposition of Rebekah Brooks in the case of Job Brooks v. Abishai Brown, 1832 April.
Valuation of the estate of Job Brooks in 1828, 1829, and 1830, 1832 April 11.
Receipt, John Keyes for $38 received from Abishai Brown, 1832 Sept. 6.
Receipt, Silus Holden for $2.24 dollars he received from Abishai Brown for attendance and travel at court, 1832 April 19.
Receipt, David Brown for $6.20 from Abishai Brown for attendance and travel at court, 1832 April 19.
Receipt, Job Brooks for $1 from Abishai Brown for claims on mortgaged property of Andrew Hildreth, 1832 April 19.
Receipt, Samuel Hoar to Abishai Brown for $18 for his services at court, 1832 Sept. 6.
Receipt, Benjamin Hildreth as guardian to Nancy Hildreth for ten dollars from George Hildreth and Abishai Brown, for expenses in the case of Brooks V. Hildreth and Brown 1833 Aug. 20.
Bond, Abishai Brown to Mary Hildreth for $500 with interest, 1836 Aug. 1.
Quit claim deed, Mary Hildreth to Abishai Brown for property in Concord, 1837 March 10.
Will of Abishai Brown, 1838 Sept. Letter assigning Frederic Holden as executer of Abishai Brown’s will, 1838 Nov. 19.
ALS, signed J.B.P. to Charlie, 1898 Jan. 18.
BOX 2 (All items unfoldered):
Series II. Newspapers and newspaper clippings related to members of the Brown, Keyes, Walcott, and Hudson Families (1758, 1912-1923)
The Newport Mercury, No. 27 1758 December 19 (facsimile?)
Boston Evening Record, 1912 April 15
2 pages on Titanic (including front page)
Boston Evening Transcript, 1912 April 15
“Titanic’s Danger Over”
Includes notable passenger list
The Boston Post, 1912 April 20
Headlines- “Ismay admits Titanic was Racing 21 knots an Hour”
Other information on the sinking ship
Deaths of people from Boston area
Story of Colonel Astor
Complete report of Senate inquiry
Pictures from the Carpathia saving Titanic survivors
The Boston Herald, 1912 April 20
14 pages on the Titanic
Including short article on Caroline Lamson Brown
The Boston Journal, 1912 April 23
“Unknown ship passed liner after wreck”
Story of disaster according to Officer Boxhall
The Sunday Herald, 1912 April 28
6 pages of Titanic stores
“Why England, Germany and Russia Went to War” New York Times publication
containing diplomatic correspondence and papers from August 23, 24 1914 and September 27, 1914, inscribed R. Walcott
Boston American, 1915 May 8
Sinking of the Lusitania
New York Herald, 1916 May 28
Article about the Concord Men of 1916 including George S. Keyes and John M.
Keyes
The Boston Herald and Journal, 1918 April 8
“Concord Society Girl Goes to Work in Garage”- Miss Marion Hudson, daughter
of George Shepard Keyes and Alice Mary Brown Keyes.
New York Times, 1919 February 23
Pictures of soldiers and people, signed G. Keyes
The New York Times Book Review and Magazine,1923 April 19
“Sorolla in Chicago and Spain,” possibly related to the interests of Alicia M. Keyes.
Series III. Other documents.
“An act for establishing the northern boundary line of the country purchased of the Chickasaw by the treaty of eighteen hundred and thirty two,” Twenty Third United States Congress, 1833 Dec. 2.
“Resolution presenting the thanks of Congress to George Washington LaFayette, the son, and to the surviving family of General LaFayette,” Twenty Fifth United States Congress, 1838 Dec. 3.
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Mounted 21st April 2012. rcwh.