Re: An Appeal for Help

HI Linda,
No, they are not quite the same Brashears family.
Yes, they are connected, but quite remotely.

Brothers Robert C. Brashears and Basil Brashears left Maryland in the 1740s after financial difficulties. They both settled in North Carolina, in the Granville District, in what ultimately became Guilford County, where they had adjoining land grants.

The Robert Brashear/Elizabeth Whitten strain of Brashears descend from Philip Brashears and Ann Wilson, of Henry Co, VA. Philip was oldest son of Robert C. Brashear.

The Breshears families of Southwestern Missiouri (John; Henry Jr; Middleton; Nathan Turner; Alexander; and others) descend from Middleton Brashears, oldest son of Basil Brashears.

That makes the two groups about 97th degree cousins. They probably didn't know each other. They may not even have known of each other's existence. Philip's family went through south central Kentucky-- Pulaski, Casey, Bath counties-- while Middleton's family went through Spartanburg Co, SC; Lawrence Co, TN; to Benton (etc) Co, MO.

Incidentally, I've recently received some information from a pension application that the stray James Anderson Beshears was part of the Robert Brashears/Elizabeth Whitten line, but I haven't been able yet to decipher just exactly how. The application said James was second cousin to Elijah and his brothers, including William Anderson Brashears. There's an Anderson family somewhere in that woodpile!

Yes, by all means, send me what you have on Elijah's family. I have a file of additions and corrections, and if there is ever a revised version of the book, I'll include them. Otherwise, I'll print them as the final volume in this series. May I live long enough to complete the series!

Thanks for asking,
Charles Brashear
1718 Arroyo Sierra Circle
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-7762
707/545-3903