Chipping away at a brick wall

 I have been focusing some of my time lately on my paternal grandmother's maternal family.  Mainly the Bell and Brown families of Haverstraw and Garnerville, NY.  

Mary, or in some documents, Barbara Brown was born about 1833 or 1834.  She married William Brown. They had nine children over the course of 16 years, at least seven surviving to adulthood. 

I know so little about Mary/ Barbara. Her first name seems to interchange in each record I find. Her maiden name, while I have several clues, it remains a mystery for now. I was able to find a small death notice for William, who died in 1883, but until recently I had no death information for Mary. 

According to the 1870 Census, William and two of his oldest sons work at the Calico Factory, a major part of the economy of the Garnerville area in the 1800's in a building that still stands today.  

Two doors down from the Browns, live the Bells. In 1888, Henry Bell marries a daughter of William and Mary. Henry and Mary Ann become eventually my second great grandparents. Henry literally married the girl next door. This is a great example, of why its important to know the FAN Club, the Friends, Associates and Neighbors of your ancestors.  

In my efforts to learn more about the Brown children I began to search the baptism records in the New York Archdiocese records being archived through the Find My Past database. In addition to several leads on Mary's possible maiden name, I have been able to learn each child's baptismal date and who witnessed their baptism. These are names I will attempt to find out more about soon, more potential FAN club members. In small towns like Haverstraw, I have made several family connections by paying close attention to the FAN club. All of the Brown children were baptized in St Peter's Church in Haverstraw, NY. This is the same church I was baptized in nearly 100 years later. 

The baptismal record for the youngest son Patrick resonated with me. There are no other records for Patrick. He never appears on a census or a draft card. This leads me to think that he died young, perhaps even in infancy. Being listed as Patrick's mother in the baptismal certificate is also the last time I locate Mary/ Barbara in a record. William in the 1875 NY Census and the US 1880 Census is listed as  Widower.  

Patrick is the only child in the Brown family who is born and baptized on the same day, April 26, 1871. All the others were baptized three to six months after birth.  One of the witnesses to Patrick's baptism is his older brother Francis Brown, who was 16 at the time of Patrick's birth. This leads me to believe that getting Patrick baptized quickly was crucial. 

I have discovered one last record for Mary Brown. Using the Hudson Valley Historical Newspaper database, I was able to search the Rockland County Messenger and in the death notices there is just one line. Mary Brown of Haverstraw died on April 26, 1871, aged 37 years.  There is no mention of Patrick.

I am confident that this Mary Brown, is the correct one. I have much work left to do on the Brown family and hope to learn more about Mary, especially her maiden name. The Browns have been a huge brick wall for me and bit by bit it will crumble. 

Happy Researching!