George Brown

George Brown patented land "Browns Chance" on Mar 7 1754 with improvements listed as 60 young apple trees, 40 small peach trees, 5 cherry trees, 20 peach tree sions, log'd house 16x12, 350 panels of old fence, 8 ac cultivated land. (So Cert. 0365) This land is NE of Princess Anne, MD about half way between the town and the Somerset/Worcester County line.

On Apr 9 1765, George Brown bought land "Heaths Venture" from William/Mary Heath and Wilson/Rachel Heath of Somerset (WoLR-F:333) and had tract "Browns Luck" surveyed Dec 5 1774 for 296a, a resurvey of "Heaths Venture" which was originally 100a but 196a of vacancy were added (Wo Cert. 0242) but, this remained unpatented.

George Brown's will was written May 28 1788 and proven in Worcester Co. on Jun 27 1788 with the following provisions:
- To son George Brown, 50a part of land called "Heaths Venture" to be laid off for him at the end of the tract whereon he now lives.
- To beloved wife Sarah, the remainder of the afsd tract during her widowhood and afterwards to son John Brown.
- To Sarah 56a, the cultivated portion of "Browns Chance" for her widowhood
- To son David Brown, "Browns Chance" lying in Somerset Co. during his life and at his decease to his son William Brown.
- To daughter Sarah Tull, one shilling
- To daughter Margaret Brown, one shilling
- the remainder of my estate to be divided equally amongst my five children George Brown, David Brown, John Brown, Rebecca Ruke (Ruark), and Mary Hitch
- To wife Sarah, executrix
Be it known that I have a negro man Lott not mentioned in the body of the will, I leave him to wife Sarah during her life and then to William Brown, the son of my son David Brown and if he dies w/o heir then to George Brown, the son of my son John Brown.
Witnesses: William Wilson, Job Wilson, John Harris Hayman (WoW-1783/90:148-150)
[Compiler's note: Mary Hitch is Mary (Brown) Hitch, 2^nd wife of Benjamin Hitch (1738/40-1814)]
George Brown lists nearest of kin as Andrew Wilson Brown (e.g., his brother) and William Heath Jr. (his half-brother).

An inventory of George Brown's estate was presented on Jul 3 1788 as appraised by John Harris Hayman and John Dryden (as Dreadon). Kindred listed were William Heath (as Hath) and Andrew Brown with creditor as Maragret Wilson (as Margit) Sarah Brown, executrix gave oath on Nov 5 1788. Desparate debts were listed as due by William Townsend, Joshua Hayman, Stephen Heath and Benjamin Hitch (WoInv-1783/90:355).

George married Sarah Denston, daughter of John Denston (Shoemaker) and Margaret (?), about 1742 in MD. (Sarah Denston was born about 1724 in Somerset Co., MD ¹ and died 14 Mar 1792-19 Nov 1796 in Worcester Co., MD.)