Francis Brown (1827-1872)

Biography

Francis Brown was born 2 November 1827 in Ridgeway, Orleans County, New York, United States to Francis Brown (1801-1838) and Mary Ann Quade (1806-1882) and died 26 December 1872 Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States of unspecified causes. He married Magell Mancheeta (1835-1857) 13 May 1847 in San Diego, San Diego County, California, United States.

Francis Brown was born 2 November 1827 in New York. His father’s first wife died in Canada, leaving two young sons and remarried a few years later in New York. Francis was the first of seven children born to Mary Quade, the last two being born in Canada. It is uncertain when the family joined the Church but likely in Canada before traveling to Missouri by 1838 where his father signed a petition for relief from the persecutions. His mother stated that a body of armed men came to their home and ordered the family to leave the next morning. She stated further that her husband was sick at the time, and died in the fall of 1838 while traveling into the adjoining county to the east. Eventually arriving in Nauvoo, the family was active in temple work.

Mormon Battalion Veteran

Participant in the march of The Mormon Battalion. This unit of the US Army served in the Mexican-American War and was the only religiously based infantry unit ever created by Presidential order. It consisted of nearly 500 men recruited exclusively from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormons). They undertook the longest infantry march in U.S. military history (as of 1847) and in the process marked out and creating the first continuous wagon road to California which linked the future states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California to the United States. Most members served an initial 12 month term (Jul 1846- Jul 1847) with some members re-enlisting for an additional 12 months afterwards.

The family traveled to Council Bluffs in 1846. His married stepbrother, Daniel Brown (1822-1899) and wife, volunteered for the Mormon Battalion at Mt Pisgah on July 7, making his way to Council Bluffs, Iowa to join Company E, the last to be organized. Francis, age 18, and his oldest stepbrother, John Brown (1821-1896), also enlisted, all three serving in different companies. Francis was in Company B and John served in Company A. At Fort Leavenworth, he sent $20 from his clothing allowance to his mother who was living near a river. Franklin sent a note with his brother John to their mother and young siblings from Santa Fe dated October 16, 1846.

“I send my best to my mother sisters and brothers. I wish I could see you but as I cant I will just say bee good children until I see you safe in california. I am sorry that it is not so that I could send you some money home but so it is and I cant help it for we drawed so little and I must cloth warm in this coald world...”

His step brother Daniel continued past Santa Fe for a few weeks but was detached to Pueblo in the Willis detachment and was the first to return to Mary from Salt Lake, while Francis and John continued to California where Francis was assigned to San Diego and John at Los Angeles.

San Diego Marriage

According to Norma Ricketts, Francis became ill and a young Indian girl named Magell cared for him, nursing him back to health, then marrying in May 1847. But no primary documents have been found to verify details. After discharge, a census record reflects all three boys returned to Iowa by 1850 to assist their mother Mary, suggesting that Magell was left pregnant to give birth to a child in 1850. It is unknown who Magell was living with or helping her at this time. A California pioneer emigration index of Francis’ sister might suggest he possibly arrived back in California in 1852 with his mother and most of his siblings traveling in a small party. Magell gave birth to their second child in 1853 in Santa Cruz about the same time as Francis submitted a bounty land application witnessed by two of his brothers.

Second Marriage

According to Francis’ second wife’s grandson, Francis and his “Indian wife” and children were living in San Bernardino when they became acquainted with Elizabeth Burch Potter (1823-1899) who was running a business while her husband was on a mission to the South Seas. During that mission, her husband, Arnold Potter (1804-1872), somehow came under the delusion that he was the chosen Messiah. When he returned home, Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with him and left him.

In a pension application, Elizabeth stated she left her husband and traveled with her children and the Browns to Utah arriving at Fort Johnson (in current Iron County, Utah) where Elizabeth recorded that Magell (McGill) died in 1857. It is possible Francis’ half brother John was traveling with them since he lived and was later buried in this area.

Later Years in Utah

Family histories suggest that both Magell and Elizabeth were both pregnant en route to Utah but when Magell died, Francis reportedly gave the baby to a family in St. George to raise although there are different accounts of the birth. No further information has been found on this third child. Francis married Elizabeth in 1858 in Beaver, Utah.

In the 1860 Salt Lake census, Francis and his wife Elizabeth and her children from her previous marriage are listed but Magell’s children are not. They are found in the Salt Lake 1860 census as ½ Indian with Thomas and Miriam Ford, suggesting Francis gave the children to another family to raise. Francis and Elizabeth had two children who were listed in the 1870 census record.

Working as a logger, Francis was killed in an snowslide avalanche in the Cottonwood Canyons in 1872 on a very wintry day after Christmas.

Children

Offspring of Francis Brown and Magell Mancheeta (1835-1857)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
George Washington Brown (1850-1932)
Ellen Brown (1853-1894)
Mamie Brown (1857-1928)

Offspring of Francis Brown and Elizabeth Ann Birch (1823-1899)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Francis Brown (1861-1908)
Elizabeth Rosella Brown (1863-1935)

Siblings

Offspring of Francis Brown (1801-1838) and Abigail Edmunds (1800-1823)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
John Brown (1819-1887)	24 August 1819 Quebec, Canada	11 June 1887 Leeds, Washington County, Utah, United States	Eleanor Male (1828-1904)
Daniel Brown (1822-1899)	2 October 1822 Saltfleet Township, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada	21 October 1899 Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, United States	Harriet St. John (1829-1920)

Offspring of Francis Brown (1801-1838) and Mary Ann Quade (1806-1882)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Francis Brown (1827-1872)	2 November 1827 Ridgeway, Orleans County, New York, United States	26 December 1872 Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States	Magell Mancheeta (1835-1857) Elizabeth Ann Birch (1823-1899)
Mary Ann Brown (1829-)
Samuel Brown (1830-1831)
Eunice Brown (1832-1889)
Israel Brown (1833-1901)
Susan Brown (1835-)
Joseph Brown (1837-1873)

Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

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