Census Sunday~John H Brown, 1850 Lauderdale County, MS

In the early 1800’s sometime around 1802 John H. Brown married Sarah Rivers, the daughter of Frederick Rivers. John and Sarah's firstborn, a son they named Frederick Epps was born 9 months later. Shortly thereafter John, Sarah and Frederick left Chesterfield County, South Carolina migrating southward into Georgia.

There their next three children were born; William Lafayette, ca 1807,  Epps Rivers, ca 1810 and John R., ca 1815. There may have been other children borne to this couple but record have not been found to substantiate this fact. 

It seem about 1815 timeframe John and Sarah decided to moved West and the next three children were born in Alabama; Martha, ca 1818, Henry Epps 22 May 1820 and Stephen, ca 1823 in Monroe County, Alabama.

Then we have Nancy born 1831 in Mississippi and James D. “Jim” born 1838 in Mississippi. 
Very few documents have been found between 1805 and 1839 on this couple thus making the documentation of their adventures very sparse.  In 1840, they are enumerated in the Population Census for Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [1]

The family composition was:
2 Males < 5 years
1 Male 5-9 years
3 Males 15-19 years
1 male 20-29 years
1 Male 60-69 years [John H. Brown]
1 Female 5-9 years
1 Female 40-49 years

That’s 8 males and 2 females.

Then in 1850 Lauderdale Mississippi we have this listing for the Family.[2]



By 1850, only two of the boys are still home and enumerated with their parents.



1850 CENSUS: Lauderdale County, Mississippi; Roll  M432_375; Page: 385B; Image: 326, Line 36, Dwelling 844, Family 857;
John H. BROWN, Farmer, age 63, born in SC;
Sarah BROWN, female, age 66, born SC;
James BROWN, male [Son], age 12, born in MS
Henry BROWN, male [Son], age 29, Atty. at law, born in AL.

By 1850, all the known Children are married and only Henry Epps and James Brown remains in the household. Their son, Frederick is living in Choctaw County, Mississippi; Son, John R. has married Elizabeth Pigford and moved off to Anderson County, Texas and son, Epps Rivers has married Dorinda Adair and they are living in Union County, Arkansas in 1850.[3] [4]

Then on 4 Sep 1855, John H. Brown died in Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi.[5]



After John was buried, Sarah moved to Arkansas to live with her son, Epps Rivers Brown where she is enumerated in both 1860 and 1870. [6] [7]

Also, about this time, tragedy has struck their son John R, and daughter-in-law Elizabeth and the two of them have either died or been killed. The six children of John & Elizabeth can be found in their Grandparents Pigford home in Mississippi and with Epps Rivers and their paternal grandmother in the 1860 census for Arkansas.

By this time, Stephen, James D. and Henry Epps have moved from Mississippi to Arkansas joining their brother Epps Rivers.



Sarah Rivers Brown died in Berryville,Union County, Arkansas. Her reported death occurred in July 1871 according to several secondary sources; but, I haven’t been able to confirm this date. If you have any information on the death of Sarah Rivers Brown I would love to hear from you.














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[1] 1840, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, population schedule, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, Page: 47; Line 13, None, Household off John H. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:viewed 18 June 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication Roll M704_216.
[2] 1850, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, population schedule, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, enumeration district (ED) No ED, Page: 385B, Line 36, dwelling 844, family 857, Household of John H. Brown; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication Roll M432_375.
[3] 1850 U. S. Census, Union County, Arkansas, population schedule, El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, Page 226A, Line 31, Dwelling/Family 21/21, Household of Epps R. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:viewed 24 July 2011); citing NARA publication Roll: M432_30.
[4] 1850 U. S. Census, Anderson County, Texas, population schedule, Anderson County, Texas, Page 15B, Line 12,, Dwelling 101, Family 101, Household of John R. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:accessed ); citing National Archives Microfilm M432_908.
[5] Lauderdale County, Mississippi, Probate Court Estates, Filebox 31: No 253, John H. Brown.
[6] 1860 U. S. Census, Union County, Arkansas, population schedule, Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, Page 316B, Line 17, Family/Dwelling 703/651, Household of Epps R. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:viewed 24 July 2011); citing NARA publication Roll: M653_51.
[7] 1870 U. S. Census, Union County, Arkansas, population schedule, Franklin, Union County, Arkansas, Page: 523B; Line 26, Dwelling/Family 107/108, Household of Epps R. Brown; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com:viewed 24 July 2011); citing NARA publication Roll: M593_65.