James Brown | Pearce Family Connection, Confirmed

In a previous post, the potential connections between Josiah Pearce and Rachel Pearce, wife of James Brown were explored based on similar migration patterns and the presence of T. J. Brown in both households.

Since the publication of that post, a deed has been located in Belmont Count Records (Book X, page 316–317) that confirm the family connection. (Deeds on belcolgis.com; Indexed on familysearch.org)

Know all men by these presents that we James Brown & Rachel Brown (formerly Rachel Pearce) and Josiah T Pearce have made constituted and appointed and by these presents do make constitute and appoint and in our place and stead put and depute Sanford C Hill of Liverpool, Ohio our true and lawful attorney for us and in our names to sell or demise a certain lot of ground lying and being in the town of Liverpool township of Liverpool in the County of Columbianna and numbered on the plat of the town of Liverpool 186 and lately owned by Joseph Pearce, decd…. 1839

Deed Book OOX, page 316, Belmont County, Ohio

The County of Columbiana is north of Belmont County, along the border with Pennsylvania. Liverpool Township is along the southern border next to the Ohio River, as it connects (then) Virginia and Pennsylvania. The township was established in 1834.

In 1842, the same year Josiah T Pearce married Nancy Craig in Belmont County, Pearce sold lot 186 in Liverpool to Edward DeBarenne (Columbiana Deed Index | family search.org) Sanford C Hill acted as a witness to the deed. (Deed Book 34, page 600; familysearch.org)

Joseph Pearce bought the lot in 1832 from Cleaburn Simms. (Columbiana Deed Index | family search.org). The lot was in “East Liverpool”. Both men were said to be residents of Columbiana.

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In 1832, Rachel Pearce married James Brown in Belmont County, OH, and in the marriage license, Dr. Thomas Carroll attested her age as above 21; Joseph Pearce did not. Thomas Carroll was from an Irish Quaker family that had migrated to the States in 1801, where they settled in Columbiana County, Ohio. As an adult, Carroll moved to Belmont County, Ohio. Thomas Carroll is listed in the 1830 Census for Belmont County as a man in his thirties. (Belmont Chronicle, 23 Mar 1871 | newspapers.com). It is possible that he knew the Pearce family from Columbiana County and they had connections with his parent’s family.