Richard BROWN

The following bio was taken from pages 129-130 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Gloria Riley

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Richard Brown was born in Philadelphia, November 16, 1808, the son of Dr. William Brown, a pioneer physician. After the death of his father and mother when he was three years of age, an aunt, Mrs. William McKee, in Charlotte, North Carolina, reared Richard. He came to Texas in 1836 and joined the Texas Army. After six months in service he returned to North Carolina in 1837, but in 1838 he came back to Texas. He lived in Walker County and taught school. He also worked as a surveyor, helping to survey the island of Galveston. In 1842 Richard Brown volunteered to join the Somerville Expedition to fight the Mexicans along the border. He joined the Meir Expedition as a member of Company B under Captain Eastland. He was one of the men captured in the ill-fated venture and was imprisoned for two years in Castle Perot, Mexico after he drew a white bean in the famous Black Bean Episode. He was chained the entire time to A.B. Hanna, another Texan. The prisoners were released in September 1844, and they returned to Walker County. Needless to say, the two men became lifelong friends. They settled in Rusk County on Murvaul Creek in 1845. In 1849 Brown married Nancy Jane Cook, and Hanna married Bettie Hitson. The four lived in the same house on Murvaul creek for three years. Then Hanna moved to Kaufman County and Brown bought land six miles east of Henderson upon which he established his home. Brown was twenty-four years older than his wife, Jane, and he lived to be eighty-five, dying in August 1893. Jane lived to be eighty-four and died December 29, 1916. Both are buried at Pine Grove Cemetery. The children of Richard and Nancy are: Mary Elizabeth, who married Robert P. Smith; Richard McKee, who never married; William Archibald, who died November 12, 1876; Eliza Susan, who married James Whitfield; Veasy Shannon, who married Emma Jane Lanford; Annie Isabella, who married Jesse G. Watkins; Sarah Jane, who married John H. Yandle; Harriett Lavenia, who married Reuben C. Burk; Charles Pinkney, who never married; Robert Lee, who married Esther Craig; Julian Leland, who married Ellie Coats; and Kate, who never married. The tenth son of Richard and Nancy Jane Brown was Robert Lee. He married Esther Craig, and they had six children: Thelma Brown, who married John T. Leath, a teacher, was also a teacher, having taught in a large number of Rusk County schools. Thelma and John T.’s children were Frances and Robert. Fay Williout Brown, who never married, was a teacher at New Prospect and other Rusk County schools. Mary Shannon Brown, who never married, is living in the family home on East Main. She taught for a while and then worked at other jobs for Rusk County. Robert Lamar Brown and Jewel Brown were two other children, and the last child was Charles Stroud Brown. Charles was married twice, first to Emma Pearl Bassett, and their children were Charlene, Jane, Austin and Sidney. Charles’ second marriage was to Juanita Patton by whom he had one son, Charles Jr. Charles Jr. had one daughter. Charles Stroud Brown’s children are: Charlene, who married Alvin Shattuck, had a son, John David Shattuck; Jane, who married O. O. Nicholson, had a daughter, Susan Joy Nicholson; Austin, who married Dolores Hart, had Lane, Tommy, and Tammy; Sidney, who married Nelda Hardy, had one daughter, Stacy Marie. Sidney’s second marriage was to Cheryl White Brown. Written by Mary Brown Note: The historical marker placed at the grave of Richard Brown in Pine Grove Cemetery in Rusk County, Texas reads: RICHARD BROWN (November 16, 1808-August 24, 1893) An 1836-67 Republic of Texas soldier who joined 1842 Mier Expedition to punish Mexican invasions of Texas. Captured in Mexico, he escaped firing squad by drawing a white bean, but was chained in prison for two years. The well-educated son of a Philadelphia, PA, doctor, Brown worked as a teacher, surveyor, and farmer. Helped found Pine Grove Church and Sharon Masonic Lodge. In 1849 he married Nancy Jane Cook. They had twelve children. Recorded-1971.