Tristram Brown and Sarah Lewis

Citing this biography: Boyd, Michelle, "Tristram Brown and Sarah Lewis," article, Olive and Eliza, last accessed [current date]."

Tristram Brown was born 10 November 1786 to Richard Brown and Nancy —. Tristram married Sarah Lewis 1 January 1810.

Tristram was a tanner and shoemaker. He was murdered 3 October 1814, aged 27, on his way home from delivering shoes to the United States army.

It is known that he was survived by three young children. His son, Orsmus, was adopted by Tristram's brother, Calvin, and Calvin's wife, Nancy. What happened to the other two children, Jane and Isaac, is currently unknown. It is also not currently known what happened to Sarah. While she could have died young, before Tristram, she is equally likely to have survived Tristram and found herself, out of necessity, needing to turn to family to adopt out one or more of her children.

Tristram and Sarah’s children are:

1
 Jane Brown.
2 Orsmus L. Brown, born 17 August 1811 in Oneida county, New York, married Diantha Parks 1 Jan 1838, lived in Elba, Genesee, New York in 1840 and in Byron, Genesee, New York in 1850 and 1860 (a butcher in 1850 and a farmer in 1860), assessed for taxes as a veterinary surgeon in 1865 in Byron, Genesse, New York, lived in Alexander, Genesee, New York in 1870 and 1875 (a farmer in both censuses), owned land in Byron, Genesee, New York in 1876, lived in the home of son Alva in Washington, Henry, Ohio in 1880, later moved to the home of son Tristram in Canandaigua, Ontario, New York,died 7 Aug 1893 in Canandaigua, Ontario, New York after a long illness, buried by Diantha at Pine Hill Cemetery, Elba, Genesee, New York.

Wife: Diantha Parks, b. 16 Jun 1815 in Elba, Genesee, New York to George Washington Parks and Mary Clark, d. 28 Jan 1893 in Canandaigua, Ontario, New York "of general prostration and heartfailure," bur. 29 Jan 1893 at Pine Hill Cemetery, Elba, Genesee, New York.
3
 Isaac Brown.


Summary of Sources

  1. Email, Benjamin Brown to Michelle Boyd, 23 February 2023, citing the autobiography of Tristram Deloss Brown.
  2. Benz, Scott, Town of Elba 175th Anniversary, Genesee County Publications Corp., 1995, pgs.189-190.
  3. Progressive Batavian (Batavia, NY), 3 February 1893 and 11 August 1893.
  4. Gravestones of Orsmus and Diantha (Parks) Brown, Pine Hill Cemetery, Elba, Genesee, New York.
  5. AncestryDNA “ThruLines for Michelle Boyd,” matches through Richard Brown (1745- ), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 3 July 2020.)


Photos

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Painted portrait of Orsmus Brown
Orsmus Brown
Painted portrait of Diantha (Parks) Brown
Diantha (Parks)
Brown

Source Materials

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Orsmus' son Tristram Deloss Brown stated that Orsmus' parents were Tristram and Sarah(Lewis) Brown. This is supported by evidence from DNA matches provided by Ancestry DNA's ThruLines.

A ThruLines report for Richard Brown (Calvin's father) shows that I have DNA matches to descendants of Richard's known children Chauncey and Achsah, as well as a probable son Richard (results are summarized below). While ThruLines's accuracy is semi-dependent on the quality of the documentary research, it does indicate DNA matches with a high number of people who claim descent from the Brown family.

Other circumstantial evidence includes a strong custom during that era for close relatives to adopt orphaned children and the fact that Orsmus and Diantha did name a son Tristram, a name not seen in Diantha's family. When these are taken with the DNA evidence and the identification of a grandson in his autobiography, there seems to be very strong support for Orsmus being the son of Tristram and Sarah, the nephew of Calvin (and Achsah, Chauncey, and Richard), and the grandson of Richard and Nancy Brown.

 Below is a summary of results for my matches as found in ThruLines (Ancestry DNA) for Richard Brown:

Descendants of Achsah:

Descendants of Chauncey:

Descendants of Richard:

Source: AncestryDNA “ThruLines for Michelle Boyd,” matches through Richard Brown (1745- ), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 3 July 2020.)


Email from Benjamin Brown:

"As I mentioned in my initial email below, a son of Orsmus and Diantha, Tristram Deloss Brown, wrote an autobiography, and it has a great deal of useful information.  First, I've noticed his father's name is sometimes spelled Orsemus.  The autobiography always spells his name Orsmus so I imagine that's the correct spelling.  As to the father of Orsmus, Tristram Brown, he was born on November 10, 1786, was married to Sarah Lewis on January 1, 1810, and was murdered on October 3, 1814.  According to the autobiography "he was  a tanner and shoemaker by trade and was murdered on his way home from delivering shoes to the United States Army.  He left behind three small children, Jane, Orsmus and Isaac and four brothers, Richard, Calvin, Chauncy and James and one sister, Jane, who married Carter Peckham."  Since Orsmus was born on August 17, 1811, he was only three when his father was murdered.  The listing of Tristram's siblings confirms that Calvin was a brother."

Source: Email, Benjamin Brown to Michelle Boyd, 23 February 2023, citing the autobiography of Tristram Deloss Brown.


Calvin and Richard Brown

Calvin Brown was born on June 14, 1788, Coventry, Connecticut, the son of Richard and Nancy Brown. At the age of 14, he accompanied his parents to Oneida County, New York. Near the breaking out of the War of 1812, he came on to the Holland Purchase and located on a farm in the north-east part of the town of Elba. At the time very few improvements had been made in the town. Foot paths by marked trees and ox-sled trails through the woods, constituted the channels of travel. After making an opening upon his land and building, a rude tenement, he sold out his "betterments" and returned to Oneida County. In 1813 he married his wife Nancy. He returned to Elba in 1824 and located himself near his first selection, where he remained until his death. He became a member of the Methodist Church at its first organization in the town. Calvin died on April 4, 1871 and Nancy followed very shortly after on October 8, 1871. They are buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, in the southeastern part of the cemetery, next to the church that he helped to establish. They had 3 children: Richard C., Ruanny, and Eliza and they also adopted a son, Orsemus.

Richard C. Brown was born in Rome, New York in 1814. He was married twice; his second wife being, Miss Clara C. Barr, daughter of Phineas Barr, Jr. whom he married in February of 1870. Typhoid pneumonia claimed his life on March 16, 1875. He left 2 children; Adele, who married William H. Cole and Lina who married Charles Morris.


Orsemus Brown was born on August 17, 1811 and orphaned at the age of 4.  His father had been robbed and murdered. The Brown's took him in and adopted him as their own. On January 1, 1838, he untied in marriage with Miss Diantha Parks, the oldest of the 13 children of George Washington and Mary Parks. They had five children; Tristam Delos, George Washington, Franklyn C., Emma J. and Alva P. In their later years they moved to Canadagua to live with their son Tristam, and that is where they died.  Diantha passed away on January 28, 1893 and Orseumus on August 7, 1893. The bodies were brought back to Elba and interred in the Pine Hill Cemetery.


Source: Benz, Scott, Town of Elba 175th Anniversary, Genesee County Publications Corp., 1995, pgs.189-190.


Orsemus Brown

Progressive Batavian:
Orsemus Brown, formerly a well-known citizen of Elba, died at the residence of his son, T. D. Brown, of Canandaigua, Aug. 7th, aged 83 years. He was born in Oneida county, N. Y., in 1810; and at the age of ten years was left an orphan, his father having been murdered and robbed. Calvin Brown, a well-known pioneer settler in Elba, took Orsemus to his home and reared him up to manhood. Jan 1st, 1838, he united in marriage with Miss Diantha Park, of Elba, a woman of remarkable energy and enterprise. This union was blessed with five children, all of whom are living. T. D. Brown, of Canandaigua; Alva P. Brown, of Southern Indiana; George W. Brown, of Michigan; Franklyn C. Brown, of Little Sioux, Iowa; and Mrs. Emma J. Boyd, of North Dakota. And it is not a little remarkable that no death occurred in the family until in February last when Mrs. Brown, the devoted wife and mother, died. For a number of years, Mr. Brown has been in poor health and for a time he was entirely helpless, but was entirely cared for by his son, T. D. Brown. His remains reached Elba Tuesday evening and were laid in the old cemetery by the side of his companion and other relatives. The brief service at the grave was by his former pastor, Rev. E. A. Wheat.

Source: Progressive Batavian (Batavia, NY), August 11, 1893.


Photos are shown below as thumbnails. Click on each thumbnail to view a larger version of the photo in another tab.

Pine Hill Cemetery, Elba, Genesee, New York

Gravestone of Orsmus Brown
Orsmus Brown
Photo credit:
connie (#47113023),
findagrave.com
Gravestone of Diantha Parks Brown
Diantha Parks Brown
Photo credit:
connie (#47113023),
findagrave.com


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Author: Michelle A. Boyd
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Last updated 27 February 2023