James Brittain

Biography

Retrieved from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brittain-34 on 22 September 2024 and then edited

James Brittain, son of William Brittain and his wife Hanna (Aschea), was born about 1705 in Wales, and died about 17 Oct 1776 at about age 71 in Guilford, North Carolina, United States. [SIC: died ca 1768 in what was then Rowan County, N.C.]

James Brittain arrived in Maryland in 1723. In about 1723, he is spotted in Chester, Pennsylvania, Orange, and Virginia[citation needed], hunting & prospecting throughout the lands especially in North Carolina where he would one day move. Although he enjoyed hunting and prospecting through North Carolina, he returned to Virginia where he met and soon married Mary Whitty in Hopewell, Frederick, Virginia (about 1740) and where they remained for a while. With her sister and husband (Simon Moon), they moved and settled at Moore's Creek Guilford Co. NC. They were among the first settlers.

Family

The list of children needs further work.

James Britton bc 1704/5 m Mary Witty.

Issue:

1. James Jr. who went to the Mills River Section of what is now Buncombe County.
2. Samuel
3. Nathaniel
4. William Brittain, no proof that he was the man who married Rebecca Ballenger, dau of Henry & Hannah (Wright) Ballenger. See William Martin Brittain, Sr. (son of Samuel Brittain and Mary Alburtis)
5. Daniel
6. Benjamin
7. Mary
8. Joseph Brittain, m. Jemima.

"Hannah Achea Brittain was the first child born in that area." She was the daughter of William Brittain, not James.

Comments: "There are errors and omissions in all of these versions. We only offer these to show how many errors have been published on the early ancestor, "James Brittain of Wales to Va., to N.C."

DNA

Several men with the surname Brittain and the same genealogy petigree have had their DNA tested. They match markers with Michael Britton, who was born in England and whose most distant Britton ancestor was born in England. He was tested some years ago by Oxford ancestors.

Notes

Records indicate that he was in Orange County Virginia in 1740 and Frederick County in 1743, more than likely the same place but the county lines were changed during that time period. In 1754, he owned land in Rowen County North Carolina which later became Guilford County. He lived at Horsepen Creek near Greensboro.

Possibly born in 1699 or 1680 but 1709 more likely.

From "The genealogical study of James Brittain of Buncombe County, North Carolina" book page 11, viewer page 22. < link >

We believe this early James Brittain died ca 1768 in what was then Rowan Co., N.C.

This last deed or mention of this James Brittain is in 1768 in the deed where Samuel Hargrave of Caroline Co., Va, sold land to Thomas Jessop, "land where JAMES BRITTAIN formerly lived."

James has not been located on any later tax record or deeds in Rowan or any surrounding county. We copied only part of the old erroneous sketches we have located on the early James Brittain. Not one of these offered documentation or source for any of the statements. The names of the children differ, as does the age of the early James. He is listed as born from 1699, 1709, 1710, etc. Many of these sketches credit this early James as being the father of Revolutionary soldiers of Buncombe Co., our James, b. ca 1755, and his brother, William Brittain, b. 1762 and married Rachel Brank. This is incorrect. ...

After many years of researching the Vinginia and early North Carolina records, engaging many professional genealogists, we have not found documentary proof of our earliest ancestor. The records of Orange, later Frederick Co., Va., show a James Brittain there prior to 1750, and he is associated with names that are later familiar in Rowan Co., N.C. records. This leads us to believe that this James Brittain was indeed, the same roan, yet whether he was the father of our Joseph Brittain is yet to be documented. We found many other James Brittain in early Virginia records, Chesterfield, Henrico, Lee, and other counties, yet they either died before-1750, or they remained in those counties long after the Frederick Co., Va. James came to N.C.

Origins

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brittain-35

Sir William Brittain was born around 1676, married and lived in Wales. In "Brittain Gleaming," it mentions Two of his children came to America around 1720 (James being one of them) and the others came later. Supposedly he had seven sons, four of whom left for America. Three of William's sons' remained in Wales. Their names were: Benjamin, Samuel and William.

BEVAN BATES ATKINSON and KIDD Ancestries - with a MULTITUDE of Cousin Lines! Errol Beavan. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bevangene... (dead link)

It was Errol Beavan's on line website that popularized the notion that James was from William. Errol Beavan should the line of decent using available sources and early DNA results. The Church of the Latter Day Saints also had a version on file during the early eighties.

References

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 4 2018, 23:35:36 UTC
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jul 17 2021, 19:51:54 UTC'
• Source Citation SAR Membership Number: 81834 Description Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.Source DescriptionThis database contains applications for membership in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution approved between 1889 and 31 December 1970. These records can be an excellent source for names, dates, locations, and family relationships.Viewer built on Microsoft Technology
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GQYC-KR6
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brittain-34 cites
  • Brittain Gleaning p129. Brittain History Library of Congress book 6.p 277
  • History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, by special staff of writers; Lewis Publishing Company, 1919-North Carolina. Page 163-165. < GoogleBooks >
• The genealogical study of James Brittain of Buncombe County, North Carolina. (1988) Statement of Responsibility: compiled by Shirley Brittain Cawyer Authors: Cawyer, Shirley Katherine Brittain, 1921 Stephenville, Texas : S. Cawyer, 1988. Physical:ix, 617 p. : ill; Subject Class:929.273 B777. < GoogleBooks >; < FamilySearch > book page 11-12, viewer page 22 of 630 < page link >
  • Notes from Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Source Citation: Place: Maryland; Year: 1723; Page Number: 27. Source Information:Gale Research. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Filby, P. William, ed.. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2006. James Brittain
• Notes from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?fannie,king::bri... (dead link) James Britton bc 1704/5 m Mary Witty Issue: 1. James Jr. 2. Samuel 3. Nathaniel 4. William 5. Daniel 6. Benjamin 7. Mary