WILLIAM & RACHEL (CLAYTON) BRITTAIN
Shirley (Brittain) Cawyer, P.O. Box 164, Stephenville, TX 76401

     William Brittain appears on many deeds, court minutes and civic records of both Buncombe and Henderson Counties.  His estate record is on file in Henderson Co. in the Court Minutes and Quarter Pleas Sessions for the year 1867.

  1. Leander Brittain, b. 6 Feb. 1820, Buncombe Co, d. 21 Dec. 1900, Henderson Co, NC; m. Nancy Elvira Carland (or Carlin), b. 22 Nov. 1826; d. 22 Aug 1890. Both Leander and Elvira are buried in the Mills River Presbyterian Cemetery, Henderson Co.
 2. Sarah D. Brittain, b. ca 1821, Buncombe Co; d. Jan. 1913, Long Beach, Calif.  She married ca 1843 to Alexander Hamilton Jones of Buncombe Co.  Alex. H. Jones was born 21 July 1822, Buncombe Co; d. 29 Jan. 1901, Long Beach, CA.
 3. Isabella Brittain, b. 25 Feb. 1823, Buncombe Co, NC; d. 25 Dec. 1895. She married before 1850 to George W. Howell, born 8 May 1818, and died 30 June 1894.  Both are buried in the Warren Cemetery, Buncombe Co, NC.  (For further data on this family, consult Dr. Kenneth D. Israel, 2332 Buttonwood Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32216, a descendant.)
 4. Rebecca E. Brittain, b. 5 Nov. 1824, Buncombe Co, NC; d. 6 Feb. 1905; bur. Mills River Presbyterian Cemetery, Henderson Co.  She married in Henderson Co. 15 Jan. 1857 to Hugh Johnson Greer, born 17 April 1820; d. 24 July 1902, Burke Co, NC.
 5. Francis M. "Frank" Brittain, born Aug. 1827, Buncombe Co; d. 31 Jan. 1890, Henderson Co, NC.  He married there 19 March 1874 to Rachel Bryson, b. ca 1829, NC; d. 5 March 1899, age 70 yrs, 6 days.  Both are buried at the Mills River Presb. Cemetery, Henderson Co, NC.
 6. Mary E. Brittain, b. 16 July 1828, Buncombe Co; d. 3 July 1921, Henderson Do.  She is buried in the Mills River Presb. Cemetery.  Mary Brittain did not marry until she was aged 45 years, then in Henderson Co, 19 March 1874 to Russell Jones, age 65 yrs.  Mary did not have issue.
 7.  James Lambert Brittain, born ca 1829, Buncombe Co; d. 1897, Henderson Co, NC.  He married (1) Minerva R. Posey in Henderson Co, 10 Aug 1859.  Married (2) in Henderson Co. to Rebecca E. Posey on 26 May 1867.  Minerva and Rebecca were daughters of Williamson and Elizabeth Posey of Henderson Co.  James L. Brittain served in the C.S.A.
 8. Martha Brittain, b. ca 1830, Buncombe Co; m. 5 Jan. 1855 to Robert H. Johnson in Henderson Co.  On the 1860 census of Henderson Co. we find Martha Johnson and her two young daughters, Cleo and Rachel, living in the household with her brother Francis M. Brittain.  Nothing is known of Robert H. Johnson. No record of Martha's death date.
 9. R. Attilla Brittain, b. 12 August 1837, Henderson Co, NC; d. 7 June 1910. She married in Henderson Co. 17 Jan. 1856 to William B. Moore, b. 17 March 1834; d. 9 November 1922.  He was the son of John Covington Moore and his wife Mary "Polly" Bryson.  Both Attilla and William B. Moore are buried in the Mills River Presb. Cemetery, Henderson Co.
10.  Thomas Davidson Brittain, b. ca 1839, Henderson Co, NC; d. 3 March 1919; bur. Mill Pond Cemetery, Henderson Co, NC.  He married in Buncombe Co, NC, 3 Feb. 1870 to Laura Jones, b. Feb 1847; d. 9 Jan 1929, Henderson Co.  Laura (Jones) Brittain was a daughter of R.G. Jones and Ann Owensby of Buncombe Co, NC.  Thomas Davidson Brittain served in the C.S.A.
--ALOB, October 1984, Vol. V, #10, p. 84-92

     Lorenzo Dow Brittain married ca 1826/27 in either Buncombe or Haywood Co, NC (marriage not found), to Arminta Russell, born ca 1809 in Rutherford Co, NC, and died after 1850 in either Missouri, Arkansas, or what is now Pittsburg Co, Oklahoma.  Arminta was a daughter of George Russell, Jr., born 1772, and died after the 1850 census of Camden Co, MO, and his wife, Rhoda Reavis, born 21 Sept. 1769, and died after the 1850 census of Camden Co, MO.  Arminta Russell Brittain's paternal grandparents were George Russell, Sr., born ca 1735 in County Antrim (now Northern) Ireland, died 1782 in what is now Rutherford Co, NC, and his wife, Mrs. Mary (Underwood) Whiteside, widow of John Whiteside, Sr.  Arminta's maternal grandparents were also from Rutherford Co, NC, they were David Reavis, born 16 Nov. 1748, died 29 Sept. 1826 in Cooper Co, MO, and his wife, Gemima Reid, born 18 Nov. 1750, and died in Cole Co, MO, 20 April 1841.  Both David and Gemima Reavis are buried in their family burying ground on their farm in Cooper Co, MO.

     Lorenzo Dow Brittain was evidently very close to his brother, Benjamin Stringfield Brittain, as he went to Haywood Co. to live near him.  The only record of Lorenzo in Haywood Co. is that he appears on the delinquent tax list for 1832-34 for 50 cents.

Lorenzo and Arminta Brittain had one child born in North Carolina.  She was Sarah Elizabeth Brittain, born ca 1828/29, and died in Cass Co, MO.  Sarah Brittain married in Camden Co, MO, ca 1847 to James A. Wilson.

Their second child was Jams [sic] Overton Brittain, who married Martha H. Hammer, daughter of Felix and Ellen (McCombs) Hammer of Camden Co, MO.

Their third child was William Lafayette Brittain, married in Camden Co, MO, to Henrietta Clinton, of Kentucky.

The last child was David Lorenzo Brittain, born in Boone Co, MO, in 1832 and died on 1 March 1869, in Lake Co, California.  David was a freighter in the Nevada Territory and California.

Lorenze Dow Brittain must have known he was dying because he made a deed of trust, naming Benjamin F. Proctor as guardian of his children and his estate which was very small.

     Buncombe Co, NC, Deed Bk. 17, page 97, dated 25th December 1823:  "James Rutledge of Buncombe Co. deeds to Horatio N. Brittain and to his sister, Delilah Brittain, land lying in Buncombe County, containing 100 acres.  This land was situated on both sides of French Broad River near McNitt Alexander's line....being a tract Granted by the State to David Russell and by him conveyed to Solomon Israel, and from ad. Israel to James Rutledge, grant dated 19 December 1804.  This land was paid for by James Brittain Sr., for a consideration of $200.00.

     Horatio N. and Elizabeth Brittain were the parents of Marcus, Amanda, John, Nelson, Julius, Franklin P., Joseph P., and Samuel S.L.

     There is no death date or cemetery listing for Horatio.  His estate was settled in 1866.  In November 1866, Bk. 1, page 149, Haywood Estate Records, Elizabeth Brittain, Frank, Nelson T., Julius N. and James R. Brittain deeded 60 acres on Richland Creek to James R. Love.

     By 1870 Elizabeth Brittain is in the Clay Co, NC, census, but is not found there in 1880 or 1900.

     The daughter Amanda P. Brittain, born 23 Nov. 1841 in Haywood Co. died 12 Oct. 1885 in Towns Co, Ga, married there 27 Feb. 1867 to Joseph H. Trulove, born 18 July 1846, and died 18 Sept. 1921 in Towns Co, Ga.  The Trulove's had eight children.  Many descendants are living in the Towns and Union Counties, Ga, and Clay County, NC area.

     Nelson Taylor Brittain, was born 12 October 1847 in Haywood Co, NC, and died in Towns Co, Georgia, 20 June 1922, buried at the old Union Cemetery.  He married 1st in Towns Co, Ga, to Nancy Louis Hogan on 21 April 1869.  One son, William R. Brittain, born 1871 was of this union.  William R. Brittain married in Towns Co, GA, 29 Sept 1887 to Miss M.L. Pruett.  Nothing is known of this family.

     Nelson Taylor Brittain married 2nd before 1880 to Sarah J. (?).  They had one child, Vance N. Brittain, born Feb. 1880.  No record of him except the 1880 census of Towns Co.

     Nelson Taylor Brittain married 3rd after 1900 to Mrs. Rebecca Hood, born 28 Dec. 1874, died 5 May 1955, buried with Nelson Taylor Brittain in the old Union Cemetery, Towns Co, GA.

 . i. Joseph Brittain, b. 1788; d. 1840.
  ii. Robert Brittain, b. before 1810; d. Aft 1818.
  iii. William Brittain, JR, b. before 1817; d. after 1850.
  iv. Elizabeth Brittain, b. Bef 1840.
   v. George Brittain, b. before 1840.
  vi. Jane Brittain, b. before 1840.
 vii. Priscilla Brittain, b. before 1840.
viii. Rachael Brittain, b. before 1840.
  ix. Samuel Brittain, b. before 1840.

 i. Rachael Brittain.
 ii. John Calvin Brittain. 
iii. Avaline Brittain, b. 1812; d. 1891.
iv. Emily Brittain, b. 1815.
 v. A. Hanson Brittain, b. 1820, North Carolina; d. 1864.  He married Lydia Mary
    Chambers (1840-1850)
vi. Harriet Brittain, b. 1823.
vii. Joseph Brittain, JR, b. 1824; d. 1861.
viii. Myra Brittain, b. 1825; d. 1891.
 ix. William Thaddeus Brittain, b. 1826; d. 1865. He married Margaret  Hemphill
--OBCGS Vertical files