Martin R. Brown was born Mar 4, 1840 in Fulton Co IL., the eldest of
three children born to James and Nancy Stover Brown. His younger brother,
Thaddeus S., was born ca 1843, his sister Sarah, ca 1853. No record of
James Brown's death has been found, however, the birth of Sarah and the
marriage of Nancy to William Fenton, 25th of Sept, 1854 in Bond Co Il.,
indicates the approximate period. William Fenton was the father of 6 children
at the time of his marriage to Nancy. The name of the eldest, born about
1828, is unknown, Robert, b 1833, William D. b 1837, Harriet, b 7 Dec 1838,
Joseph, b 1841, Rebecca, b 1844. The marriage of William and Nancy produced
3 additional sons, James Monroe, b 10 July, 1855, Marvin Nehemiah Bracestreet,
b 16 Jan 1857, and Stephen Arnold Douglas, b 8 Nov 1858. All 3 were born
in Bond Co Il and moved with the family to Wayne Co about 1866, joining
Martin, who had moved prior to 1860.
Martin married Ardena E. Cates 9 Oct 1859. They were the parents of Rhoda (1860-1882), Martha Ann (1862-1931), and Mary Jane (1864-1865). Martha married Thomas C Shreve 16 Nov 1879. They were the parents of 12 children, including 3 sets of twins, Bertha May (Silas Talbert), John Edward (Mattie Davis), Benjamin Franklin (Ethel Legg), Cora Ellen (Orda Dalton), Granville, Mandaville Amanda (Fred D Meyers), Lillie Edith (Clarence Scarbrough, Thomas Braddy), Wilbert, Gilbert (Lydia Gregory), Bertie, Gertie (Lloyd Bosley), and Arthur (Ethel Shoemake). After the death of Ardena in 1904, Martin married Mary Jane Gallaspey, 10 Aug 1905. Martin was buried beside his first wife Ardena after his death in 1917.
Martin was baptized 4 Dec 1867, at Dry Fork, Wayne County, IL. He was ordained an Elder of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 7 June 1878, at Brush Creek in Wayne Co, by G. H. Hillard, J. F. Thomas, and T. P. Morris. (Church records at Independence, MO) He was a member of the Dry Fork Congregation.
This old country home, the scene of more than half of the marriages recorded in this book, was built by Martin R. Brown between 1865 and 1870, and was located on the NE corner of the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 31 of Berry Township, Wayne County, Il., North East of Wayne City. (the land is presently owned by Berlin Scarbrough). By the time this picture was taken in 1940, the ravages of 70 years of family living and the neglect caused by the depression of the '30s, was apparent. The end came in 1943, when it was destroyed by fire. With the exception of faint races of the drive way, all vestiges of the old homestead have disappeared, and the land has been returned to cultivation.
Waneta Braddy Evans supplied the picture, with the following comments:
"Grandfather Martin built the house in the late 1860s, as near as I can figure. My mother, Nellie Shreve Braddy, related that Grandmother Martha Shreve said the house was built when she was small, and that she, Martha, climed up into the rafters, and was spanked for her achievement.
Martin was a farmer and country carpenter, as well as an Elder of the church. He built the house and outbuildings himself. The door openings were scaled to his height, which some say was around 5 feet, causing the taller members of my family to duck every time they passed through them. I also have the cane bottom chair Martin made for his own use, the legs of which are very short, another indication of his height.
My family moved into the house in 1927, and, after the fire, remained on the land in another house until 1956."
Editor's notes:
The marriage records reproduced in this volume are copied from the original record book kept by Elder Martin Brown during his ministry. It appears that another book of records existed at one time, since the reproduction on page 19 indicates that there were "10 on the first book" and "5 that were not listed previously".
The last last 5 were evidently performed early in the ministry, since children from 2 of the couples were married by Martin later on.
Records prior to the court house fire in 1886, could not be verified, however. all the rest, with one exception, are to be found in the County Clerk's office in Fairfield, IL. The incomplete records in Martin's book, were completed and are in this volume. The one exception was the marriage of John Joseph Felchlia, and Ola Jane Fenton, my parents, that record was found at Carlyle, IL and on family records. Their wedding was in Centralia, IL, Brookside Township, Clinton Co.
All of the Fenton, Dalton, Matthews, and Shreves families, recorded in this book, are included in the genealogy that I am preparing for my mother's side of my family.
Abbreviations:
ca about
b born
m married
yoa years of age
R- place of residence
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