Individual Details

James was born 1738 in Ireland. He was killed by Indians on 9 May 1788 on the Tennessee River, near Nickajack. That is now Marion Co near the GA, AL borders. He married about 1759 to Jane Gillespie who was born 22 Jun 1740 to Patrick and Anne Denniston Gillespie. Jane was probably born in Frederick Co VA.

Guilford Co NC
DB 1, p.206 ____ 1772 James Brown and Jane his wife of Surry Co to William Jackson for 60£. Tract in Guilford part of tract purchased by William Brown from Earl of Granville on 11 May 1757. South side North Buffalo Creek, 220 acres. Signed: James Brown, Jane Brown. Wit: Rees Porter, William ?Kelly. Proved Feb 1773.
DB 1, p.274 16 Dec 1772 William Anderson of Orange Co to James Brown of Surry for 97£, 282 acres on branch of Reedy Fork of Haw River on S side of fork, both sides of county line between Orange & Rowan which now falls in Guilford. Granted by Granville to sd Anderson on 23 May 1758. [Since this grant was in 1758 I do not believe this could be the William Anderson that married James' daughter, but could be older relative.]
DB 2, p.16 13 Nov 1779. James Brown received NC grant #216 for 150 acres at the head of the long branch of Reedy Fork, William Donnel's line.
DB 2, p.229 22 Oct 1782 James Brown received NC grant #613 for 200 acres on waters of Reedy Fork; George Finley's corner, John Maxwell's line, his own line. AND NC grant #605 for 200 acres on waters of Reedy Fork begin at Widow Boyd's, Capt Robert Bell's, to Finley's Mill.
DB 2, p.318 22 Oct 1782 James Brown NC Grant #502 200 acres on waters of Troublesome & Jacobs Creeks; Joseph Cunningham's line, Charles Baker's line, crossing the Waggon Road. [Perhaps a different James?]

Rugeley: They lived first in Surry Co NC but moved to Guilford. After selling his father's land [See notes of William Brown] James bought 282 acres on a branch of Reedy Fork of the Haw River perhaps from a relative of his son-in-law William Anderson. In 1787 he sold this land to John Stewart. James was a member of the Buffalo Presbyterioan Church.

James received NC Grant #417 for 3980 acres on the Duck River in TN, now Maury Co. Eventually he had six other grants for a total 7845 acres. As this land was still in the hands of the Indians, James bought 320 acres on the Cumberland River at the mouth of White's Creek near the present site of Nashville.
In 1787, the family prepared to moved to White's Creek. They trekked overland to the Holston River where they built to flatboat to go down the the Holston, take the Tennessee River through Georgia, Alabama and up to Livingston Co KY, then up the Ohio, next up the Cumberland to French Lick [Nashville]. Traveling with them were children James, John Joseph, Jane, George, Elizabeth "Betsy" and Mary "Polly. On 9 May 1788, James and two of his sons were killed by Indians and other members of their party captured. Jane and the children were eventually.

Jane Gillespie Brown died at the home of her son Joseph on 4 Jun 1831, near the mouth of White's Creek.

There were a total of 16 children: 3 died young and not named, Ann married William Anderson, Margaret married James Hamilton, William married Arminta Tanner, Patrick, James, John, Jane who died at 1 year; Joseph married Sarah Thomas, Daniel Gillespie, another Jane who married James Collinsworth, George married Polly ?Thompson, Elizabeth, and Mary who died 2 years after she was released from captivity.

Birth	Abt 1738	Ireland
Death	9 May 1788	Tennessee River

Father	William Brown (1687 - 1757)
Mother	Margaret "Peggy" Fleming (1701 - 1801)
Sibling	Frances "Fanny" Brown ( - )
Sibling	David Brown (1727 - )
Sibling	Joseph Brown (1731 - 1815)
Sibling	William Brown ( - 1815)
Sibling	Elizabeth Brown (1740 - 1832)
Sibling	Jane Brown (1745 - 1806)