MARY BUTLER LAMAR BROWN

Uriah Lamar was traveling with a group moving from Georgia that included Stephen and Hannah Powell. Stephen died in Kentucky (reportedly in 1808), Uriah married Hannah the same year Stephen died (even though he was already married to Mary "Polly" Butler) and they proceeded to Indiana Territory.

I have read the above story many times but that story has a flaw. That Stephen and Hannah Powell were traveling to Indiana Territory from Georgia is certain. However, Uriah was living in Warren County, Kentucky in 1800 so he was not with the group when they left Georgia. Probably Stephen died in or near Warren County, Kentucky and the group stopped in the community where Uriah lived. Exactly how Uriah and Hannah met will never be known but they did meet and they did marry. Unfortunately, Uriah was already married when he married Hannah.

Uriah marrying a woman when he was already married wasn't that uncommon in the nineteenth century. My guess is that both Mary and Hannah knew Uriah was married to the other. How could they not know? Uriah moved both families to Indiana Territory and maintained both families for 8 years in a very small community. Most people had to know. From what I've read, authorities frequently looked the other way when men married more than one woman. After so many years, one of the women probably grew tired of sharing a husband and demanded Uriah make a choice and so authorities in town demanded Uriah make that choice. It was probably Mary who would have complained as Uriah did choose to stay with Hannah. Mary and Hannah no doubt put up with this for so long because women had no rights in those days and they both had children to feed and raise. Mary's last child with Uriah was John Lamar, born in 1815. I think her divorce from Uriah was finalized in 1816 so perhaps, after John's birth, Mary told Uriah to make a choice. Speculation on my part.

We know Uriah stayed with Hannah until his death in 1841 but what became of Mary? I'm not sure where she was in 1820 but I have found her on the 1830, 1840 and 1850 census. What is confusing is that she has Larkin, Patsy, and John with her. I've read many listings that state Uriah was given custody of Patsy but Patsy is with her mother in Tennessee. In 1830, Mary is living in the household of William Brown in Giles County, Tennessee. Next door to her is her twin sister, Malinda Butler Ingram Bray and her husband, Reuben. Also in Giles County is Mary's son, Larkin, his wife, Millie and their daughter, Mary. Living next door to Larkin is his sister, Patsy, her husband William Garrett and their children. I'm not sure if William Brown was Mary's husband or her son-in-law as he is about 20 years younger than her but he is with her until her death in 1853.

In 1840, Mary and William Brown are living in Maury County, Tennessee next to Larkin Lamar, Patsy Lamar Garrett and Sterling Brown, a son of William's. By this time, John Lamar has married and is living in Maury County with his family.

In 1850, Mary and William Brown are still living in Maury County, Tennessee. Mary's grandson, William Garrett, Jr., is also living in the household with his wife, Manerva and daughter, Polly. John Lamar and Patsy Lamar Garrett are living in Maury County but Larkin has moved to Lauderdale County, Alabama. John Lamar and Patsy Lamar Garrett live their lives and die in Maury County while Larkin dies in Alabama.

It's entirely possible that William Brown was Mary's husband even though there was a big age difference. There are other children in the household in 1830 and 1840; either these kids are William's by a previous marriage or they are the children of Mary and William. Patsy Lamar Garrett and John Lamar are living in the household in 1830 but there are five others and I don't know who they could be. In 1840, there are three kids in the house but by 1850 they are gone and Mary's grandson is living there. Mary's grave marker has the name "Mary Brown" on it so we know she was married to a man named Brown. It could very well be William.

And, her son John Lamar was undoubtedly very close to his mother as he is the one who erected her grave marker.

I found this photo on the Find A Grave website (www.findagrave.com). The information about Mary Butler Lamar Brown located on the site was contributed by Trish Holaway and the photo of the marker was added by Mary Bob McClain.