Isabella Brown

Daughter and co-heir of her father James Brown of Gattonside and his wife Ann nee Mellor, daughter of Abner Mellar (all q.v.).

1. Isabella, daughter of James Brown and Ann his wife, born 03/11/1791 and baptised 03/02/1793 in Kingston, Jamaica.

2. A portrait of Isabella, daughter of James Brown and Ann nee Mellor, by Sir Henry Raeburn, appeared in an exhibition of old masters in New York in 1912. The accompanying text read: "Isabella Brown was born 1790 in Jamaica, daughter of James Brown, a coffee planter, who married Anne, daughter of Abner Mellor, also a coffee planter in Jamaica. In 1799 Isabella was sent to relations in Edinburgh to be educated. The portrait was painted there, and sent out to Jamaica in 1800, but after the death of her grandfather was brought back to Scotland in 1803 and taken to Gattonside (near Melrose), where they lived until James Brown's death in 1816, when his two sons sold the place, and they all went to England, but she never settled anywhere. Her brothers both became Vicars in Northamptonshire, and she lived near them for some years. She died in 1870. Previously owned by a member of the family in England." The portrait shows a little girl in a white dress seated with her hands on her lap.

3. James Brown died in 1816 and left his estate to his children share and share alike. There were three known heirs: his only surviving daughter Isabella, his sons James Mellor and Abner William.

4. In 1841, Isabella Brown, age 45 (rounded down to the nearest 5 years), born out of county, was an inmate in Lincoln Lunatic Asylum. She has not been located in 1851. In 1861, Isabella Brown, age 70, "gentlewoman", born Kettering, Northamptonshire [sic] was an inmate in Lincoln lunatic asylum. In 1871 she was still there, "lady", described as a "lunatic", born in the West Indies.

5. Probate of Isabella Brown of Lincoln who died intestate 05/04/1871 was granted to her brother and only next of kin Rev. Abner William Brown, sworn effects under £4,000. She presumably owned property in Scotland as administration of her estate was also lodged in Edinburgh.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

2. 'Loan exhibition of old masters, for the benefit of the Artists' fund and Artists' aid societies : at the galleries of M. Knoedler & Co. ... January 11th to 27th inclusive, 1912' (1912) pp. 24-25.

3. GROS CC18/4/3, Peebles Commissary Court.

4. 1861 and 1871 censuses online.

5. GROS Wills and testaments: Reference SC70/4/133, Edinburgh Sheriff Court Wills; Reference SC70/6/8, non-Scottish Court. National Probate Calendar 1871.

We are grateful to Kate Birley for her assistance with compiling this entry.