Sketch of the Life of my Grandfather

Abia William Brown Sr.

By

Abigail Ann Whiting Bird

1943- Mapleton, Utah

Chapter One

Abia William Brown (18 October 1799) was the son of Samuel Brown and Ann Kempton Brown. Samuel Brown was the son of William Brown, who was a Quartermaster in the Revolutionary war.

Abia's parents were very wealthy at that time, and belonged to the leaders of his time. They were devout Quakers in their religious convictions. It was the true church to them. They gave their only child, my grandfather, the best education that could be had. He had private tutors, also attended Boy Schools in order to give him social contact with his young companions and the needed associations which would prepare him for future life.

When Abia was about fourteen years of age his father, Samuel Brown, was called for duty in the French and Indian War. He took his place as an officer and was shot and killed. This left Ann, his wife, the only one to see and care for their great estate, which consisted of a large tract of land in the city of Philadelphia. Abia William's mother, now a widow, had care of all the estate as well as the rearing of her son.

Being devout Quakers, they were very strict in keeping the laws of that organization, and tried to live as near as they could all the laws that were given them, both by speech and action. They were very careful in every way not to harm man or beast that did not harm them.

My Mother has told us many things of her Father's life. He could remember well helping to save his Mother's best pieces of silver by digging a hole in the basement underneath the boards, and putting their valuables in there for safety as there were many solders and sailors from different countries coming and going continually from port to port, and they then lived not far from the landing of all ships going and coming from the East coast. Many pirate ships, as well as merchant ships, would come into ports there in the city. They were in constant danger all the time, as there was a state of war existing at that time, and they were very wealthy people all alone now. So they had to not trust even their servants in the house to know about everything.

Abia William caught a mouse when just a lad nearing sixteen years. He put it in his desk, trying to tame it. Little did he know what it would mean to him in his future life. He was then attending a school for boys, being away during the day. His mother happened into his room, and found the mouse shut in, and she turned it loose, as were the laws of the Quakers against harming unprotected beasts.

Abia William Brown, a lad of fifteen came slowly down the path leading from the school, and into the street. His eyes were dark blue, and a good look would tell you that they were nearly black. He had a very pleasing face, and was well groomed. One would know by looking at him that he was well educated.

In the distance Abia William saw a sailor coming, and they had the following conversation:

Sailor: "Hi lad, where be going?"

Abia: "I am on my way home from school, Sir."

Sailor: "Have a drink." (Taking a bottle of brandy from his pocket)

Abia: "No thank thee, I never tasted such a drink."

Sailor: " Oh, it is good, makes you feel so gay and lively. It knocks out all the devils in you, and puts forty more in. It is lots of fun, come, don't be afraid, it won't hurt you."

Abia: "No thank thee, I do not want to taste such stuff. Please tell me about the great ocean, and what thou has to do as a sailor?"

Sailor: "We have good times, playing games, telling stories and have good times when not on duty."

Abia: "What ports do thou sail to?"

Sailor: "England, Ireland, Turkey, and many places we go ashore for a short stay, to gather up our ship load for our home land, America. We have a fine time when we land. We have to make repairs, we then see the gals, and say, what fun we have! Would you like to be a sailor? I can stow you away and no one will know. So just come along, I like you, Boy. 'Bye, I must go. We sail tonight, and I have a lot of work to do, so Bye.' If you want to go, just find Sailor Jim, and ship number 200, named 'Rover'."

Abia: Goodnight, and thanks for all thou has told me."

Abia returned home, went to his room, put his books in their accustomed place, then went to his desk to see his mouse, and low and behold, it was gone! He knew his mother had been in his room, and let his prize go. He was very angry, and so sat down to think how he could get revenge. No plans suited him, until his thoughts returned to the sailor of the afternoon. I will find Sailor Jim if I can, he suddenly decided.

The dinner bell rang. It sent its chimes out for dinner, the last to greet his ears for many days. He went down as was his custom, but very silently stood at his place. Helping his mother first to be seated, then took his own chair at the table. Since his father's death he had tried to be kind and take his father's place as far as he could toward his mother.

His mother spoke, saying, "Why did thee shut that tiny mouse up in thy desk to starve Abia?" Don't thee know it is wrong to do harm to anything that is living and helpless?" Abia quickly replied, "I was trying to tame it, Mother." He finished his dinner and excused himself to his mother. Little did she know that she would not see her son again for many long years.

He returned to his room, sat down, and waited a long time until the house clock struck twelve midnight. All seemed quiet in the house, and he arose, went to his closet, took from a hook an old carpet bag, and then proceeded to collect his clothes as best he could. He put them in the bag and also tied some in a red bandanna handkerchief, and waited again until he was sure that all were asleep in the big house. He slipped quietly out the back way into the street, and made his way quickly to the ship yards. It was not very long before he found his sailor friend of the afternoon. The sailor consented to stow Abia away in a barrel.

After some hours of waiting the great ship was moving away. He knew not where he was going, or when he would return. With some sad feelings in his heart, he thought of his dear mother all alone except the servants, but it was too late for repentance for him, as he had no way to return to his mother and home. Now just a few tears trickled down his soft cheeks, and in his heart he was very sorry for what he had done to his dear, kind mother. He was having his revenge, in a very sad way!

The sailor was very kind and faithful to the boy in the barrel slipping food to him and water to quench his thirst. He gave him some good, kind advice in being brave, and told him of the good times they would have together when they reached England. It all helped to cheer Abia and he soon began to be more reconciled. These first few days were not very pleasant, as he was a little seasick, he did not require much to eat.

No one knew that the boy was on board ship except Jim the sailor. On the fifth day out, he came on deck, dragging the stowaway, and shouting, "I found him in a barrel. What shall we do with him, throw him overboard, or shoot him?" "Shall we return him to his parents?" The captain then said, "Not either, we will take him with us. He can work for his board, and we will return him safely to his home when we get our shipload for America. Jim gave him a good shaking up, then took him below to his berth, and gave him his duties on board the ship. The farce that Sailor Jim put up to save his own neck was very clever. He learned to love the boy, and was a kind friend to Grandfather through many years upon the great ocean.

They often talked of their first meeting in Philadelphia, and wondered how his mother was and if she would forgive him for the terrible thing he did to her who was so kind and so willing to do so much for her son. However, he never sent a line home to his mother.

Chapter Two

His experiences on board ship and on the ocean

The Captain questioned the boy.

Captain: "Does your mother know you are on this ship?"

Abia: "No Sir, she offended me, and I ran away from home. My mother was very kind, and I love her." He then bent his head in shame and sorrow. "I would return if I could. I am her only child, and she is all alone."

Captain: "How old are you?"

Abia: "I will be sixteen years old my coming birthday. The 18th of October, 1799 was the date of my birth."

Captain: "We cannot return you, but we will bring you back to your home when our ship has it's load, and again makes reports at the harbor of Philadelphia. Until then you will be treated as one of my crew to work for your board."

His experiences as a sailor were very interesting. He learned to love the great ocean, and it's many hardships which they encountered. He was good as a student, and learned many valuable lessons while on the sea. They landed at many different ports on their route, all of which held special interest for him.

During the nine years at sea he was shipwrecked three times. Twice they were picked up by friends, but the third time was the climax. They took to the life boats, but his faithful friend did not get in the same boat with Abia. The others not in their boat were never heard of again, and he never knew what fate overtook his staunch friend and pal, Sailor Jim. This was a sad day for Abia William Brown. The two friends who had shared all the hardships of a sailor's life were separated never to meet again. During nine long years they had been as brothers on board the ship. They had learned to love each other, and had never been separated before during those long years. It was a sad parting to young Brown. He felt that he had lost his best friend on earth. Although Jim was unlearned, he had a big heart, rough, but kind. He cared for the boy through all their troubles, and thought to return him to his mother someday, and also to the beautiful home that he had helped him leave.

The life boat he was on drifted many days. Their food gave out, and water could only be gotten when it rained, and they were fortunate enough to catch some. Some went insane. One jumped overboard, and there were but four left when they decided that one would have to die in order to save the lives of the others. They drew cuts to see whom it was to be, and the lot did not fall to Grandfather. But they could not commit this terrible deed, so they sat and waited many hours, feeling that they soon must join their companions, when one of them sighted a ship bound for Turkey. When they boarded the ship, they found that it was a pirate ship, and when they reached the port of Turkey, they were sold to the Turks as slaves. Two of the four died, leaving my Grandfather Brown and one of the sailors. They were kept as prisoners, and slaves. Grandfather was placed in the office as clerk, and did the booking of loads going out and coming into the port. His companion was attached to a cart, and hauled garbage from the city. They were permitted to room together at night. Abia William's training at home, and his splendid education saved him many hard positions. He was now a man in his twenties, and had a fair education, he had always been trained at home in the best of good conduct toward all people, and it served him well.

After two years had passed, he found a way in which to escape. At last an English sailing vessel came into Turkey to unload some merchandise, and since he was in the office, and had care of the bookings in ship loading, he wrote a note telling the Captain of their condition there, and said how much they would like to get back to America. He slipped this note into the Captain's pocket. The Captain returned that evening on business as a pretense, and gave Abia a note saying the time that they would sail, and told him to be there promptly. This they did, and escaped from their prison home in Turkey, sailed to England, then to America and to his mother.

After nine long years of life on the ocean, and two years in Turkey, he arrived at his home at the age of twenty-six.

His Mother did not recognize him, her own boy. Such a look of wonder she gave him. He exclaimed, "Mother, don't you know me, your own son Abia William, who left you as a boy but returned as a man, after these many long years?" His mind flew back to his mouse, and that true old friend, Sailor Jim.

"Mother, I have come to beg thy pardon, and ask thee to forgive me for causing thee so much sorrow. I have come home to stay, if thou will take me back again."

Chapter Three

Back Home

"Oh, how happy to be at home once more, with my Mother who thought me dead. It was a shock to her, but her kind heart forgave me, and once again she put her arms around me, and I felt the beat of her true mother heart, and I did repent sincerely, the great sorrow I had caused her."

"But how different from the home I left eleven years ago. My mother was then alone with the servants. My mother had since married Ephraim Haines, a very distinguished gentleman. Now there was Stepfather, and three half-sisters, Ann, Hannah and Mary and a half-brother, Ephraim Haines, Jr."

Abia's mother, now Mrs. Haines, took him back and sent him to study to be a doctor. This being his choice, he made good at his profession, and at the end of four years came home with his degree in medicine and surgery.

He devoted the rest of his life to the sick, and unfortunate in every way he could during his short life. He was very successful in his work as a physician, and surgeon, and was now coming into his own at the age of thirty, and decided to take a companion for the remainder of his life.

Being a man of intelligence, he felt that he knew best in this choice, although his mother did not approve of the woman he had chosen to be his wife. She, being the daughter of a country gentleman, and a farmer, was not the choice of Mrs. Haines. She had chosen a girl of Abia's social class, (that of an aristocrat) with wealth, and she felt he was being very unkind to her, and was doing wrong to marry out of their circle of friends. But Abia William was a man and felt that he alone knew what he should do, so he gave his mother this answer. "Mother, I do appreciate all thou has done for me. Give me only enough to take my sweetheart to the alter, and we will commence our life by the Quaker laws, as her people are devout Quakers, then my education as a doctor will see us through life."

The reply of Ann Kempton Brown was this, "If thou will not accept the girl of my choice, then I will disown thee this day, and cut thee off with one dollar, and to that effect will sign my will, which is now awaiting my signature in my lawyer's office." She was very angry with him, but it had no effect on the will of Abia Brown.

He married the country girl, Abigail Cadwallader (born 31 January 1797), and they lived very happy together. They were married April 30, 1830, and had only twenty eight years of married life. He then contracted typhoid fever and died, August 27, 1848.

His wife, Abby Cadwallader, was a daughter of a country gentleman of Welch decent. As far back as we have traced her progenitors, they have been leaders among men, in their day on this earth. Many were ministers of the Gospel of Christ.

Richard Cadwallader (a progenitor) was burned at the stake, because he would not deny Christ. He said that he would rather die, than give up his faith in God.

Abia and his wife Abigail moved to Virginia from Philadelphia, and some time after to Ohio. Grandfather had a good practice as a physician.

Seven children were born to them. Ann Kempton, Jane Cadwallader, Hannah Haines, Mary Trotter, William, who died when only a few days old, Elizabeth, who also died as a baby, and Abia William Brown, Jr.

Grandfather died early in life, leaving Grandmother alone with her children to raise. She was very industrious, and taught them to help care for themselves very early in life. They learned the art of silk production from feeding of the tiny worm, up to the reeling and spinning of the silk threads, also of dying the silk ready for use.

Grandmother had the privilege of hearing the Gospel of Christ as taught by Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, and she was baptized and came to Utah with her oldest daughter, Ann Kempton Dunyon, and made her home with her until her death February 22, 1872.