It has
been so long since I have written a blogpost, I feel the need to summarize
where this next family fits into my family story. So here is a quick recap: My grandmother, Ada Hartley Goldsberry, was
the daughter of Phoebe Sprague Hartley, who was the great-great-granddaughter
of Revolutionary War soldier Joshua Sprague.
Joshua Sprague was one of the earliest settlers of Ohio, and built part
of the blockade known as Campus Martius to protect the Ohio Company, which
later became the town of Marietta.
Joshua was born in 1729 to William Sprague and his wife, Ellis (or
Alice) Brown. It is that Brown Family of
which we learn today.
Ellis
Brown was born May 31, 1691 in Providence, Rhode Island. She married William Sprague on September 16,
1714. Her parents were Daniel Brown and
Alice Hearndon. Daniel was the son of
Chaddus Brown. Daniel was born in England
about 1634. The first record of Daniel
in America is of him serving on a jury investigating the drowning death of two
settlers who fell through an icy river. He
married a neighbor’s daughter, Alice, and had at least nine children. I love the names of their children: Alice, Ann, Daniel, Hallelujah, Hosanna,
Jabez, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Judah and Sarah.
The strong Biblical influence of their names is a testimony to their
grandfather’s heritage. You see,
Daniel's father, Chaddus Brown was the first Baptist minister ordained in the United
States. Chaddus Brown was born in 1600
in Buckinghamsire, England and married Elizabeth Sharparowe in 1626. They arrived in the Massachusetts Colony in
July of 1638 on the ship “Martin.”
Chaddus
was disappointed to find the Massachusetts colony to be as rigid in their
religious rules as the Church of England which he had escaped. He moved very quickly to a new colony called
Providence, which had been started by Roger Williams. Chad and 12 other of the original proprietors
signed the “Providence Plantation Compact,” guaranteeing religious freedom and
separation of church and state.
In 1642, Chad Brown was ordained as the first
official pastor of the Baptist Church of Providence. The church was organized by Roger Williams and originally met in the woods or
orchards. The First Baptist Church of America is the name of the church in Providence
which traces its history to this group. It is affiliated with the American
Baptist Association and is located at 75 North Main Street in Providence.
First Baptist Church of America in Providence
Chad was known to be
an excellent arbitrator of differences.
It is said he was often described by the phrase, “blessed are the
peacemakers.” His first property in
Providence was on “Towne Street,” which is now land upon which Brown University
is located.
Chad Brown’s plot in the original layout of Providence is 18th
from the top.
Chad’s nephews James and Obadiah Brown
entered the slave trade and became very wealthy. James died and Obadiah raised James’ four
sons, who became known as the “Four Brothers of Providence.” A fascinating book
about the Four Brothers is available on Google Books: Sons of
Providence: The Brown Brothers, the Slave Trade, and the American Revolution by
Charles Rappleye. One of the brothers, Moses, later became a Quaker
and abolitionist, putting him at odds with his brothers.
The
College of Rhode Island was chartered in 1764.
The Brown Family convinced the college to move to Providence by donating
land (Chad Brown’s original property) and large sums of money. Members of the family served as professors
and treasurer. The college was renamed
Brown University in 1804.
Sources
Rhode Island Historical Society Postal History Collection, http://thesaltysailor.com/rhodeisland-philatelic/rhodeisland/stampless79c.htm
.
Barnard, Joanne, “Victoria Jo’s Family Stories,” http://victoriajosfamilystories.blogspot.com/2015/11/chad-brown-c1600-c1650-52-ancestors.html
The
New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
p. 84
Sons of
Providence: The Brown Brothers, the Slave Trade, and the American Revolution by Charles Rappleye. Available on Google
Books.
