Thomas Brown, of Tooting House and Denford

Vanneck Family Tree - Thomas Brown

• Born - 25 April 1742, Newbury, Berkshire, sone of Thomas Browne and Martha Stowers.
• Married 31 Jan 1864 to Hannah Heptinstall at St. Vedast Foster Lane & St. Michael Le Querne.

They eloped and were married in the city of London at St Vedasts Church. She was two years older than him, his 23 to her 25.
* Died 16 March 1822 aged 79.

His staff wore the livery and coat of arms of Browne-Weare of Denford, near Hungerford. He was a twin at the tail end of a long family and was adopted by his great uncle by marriage, Samuel Wilse, of Gloucester. Thomas Brown was strikingly handsome, stately in figure, gay in manners and dress and "won the heart of the eldest of five bony Miss Heptinstalls" - she had to climb out of her window to elope with Thomas. Ayot Rectory, Carola Oman.

Thomas Brown was a partner with Charles Rogers in an import business importing Cashmere shawls and India muslin. They were cousins of one another and the Sneades again and again. Ayot Rectory by Carola Oman.

Thomas Brown's father was the first of his line to drop the E from the name and he became Brown. Ayot Rectory by Carola Oman.

Thomas Brown had engaged Bluemantel Pursuivant to establish a descent from Viscount Montague ‎(1st Visc. Montague died in 1592)‎ according to Carola Oman in Ayot Rectory. The family book owned by the head of the family, Anthony Brown in Wimbledon, states that Elizabeth Kilburn, the eldest of the family, has no recollection of her grandparents and no faith in the connection with Viscount Montague. The papers by Bluemantel Pursuivant are still in the possession of the family, it is believed, according to Michael Heslop a first cousin of Anthony Brown.

It was said in the family that Hannah and Thomas Brown eloped in dead of night. Her sister may already have married Charles Rogers who was Thomas's business partner in the East India Company. At any rate he was not thought smart enough and they eloped and had a long and happy marriage with 17 children. Hannah not only raised her own children but many others who lodged with them at Tooting when they started as children in her husband's business as apprentices. CDB

There is a 1779 will of a Samuel WILSE of Gloucester late Linen Draper of London on www.ancestry.co.uk. In it he mentions many members of the BROWN family... especially children of his late uncle Benjamin BROWNE from Newbury, Berks. He also mentions his kinsman Thomas BROWN linen draper of the City of London a lot.

www.familysearch.org has a marriage of a Thomas BROWN and a Hannah HEPTENSTAL on 31 Jan 1764 at St Vedast Foster Lane and St Michael le Querlo (think this should be St Michael le Querne)

A will on www.ancestry.co.uk of a Thomas BROWN Esq of Upper Tooting dated 1822. In it he mentions his wife Hannah, late son Joseph Thomas BROWN, sons Benjamin and Charles, daughter Sophia and her husband Edward KENSINGTON, daughter Elizabeth (married surname KILBURN) and her children Benjamin, Robert, Hannah, Thomas, Sophia and William), plus late son Henry BROWN (plus Henry's children Henry BROWN, John Read BROWN, James Richard BROWN, Ann Martinez BROWN, Eliza Casinager? BROWN). Plus late son Joseph Thomas BROWN's wife Mary, their son Thomas, a daughter Hannah now married to a Major WILLIAMS - Joseph had six children the will states). Plus Thomas mentions his daughter Ann SETON; late son George BROWN is mentioned (plus the fact that he had children and by implication the one named in the will as George Henry BROWN), Thomas' nephew John BROWN of Hungerford, Berks, ironmonger and John's son Anthony BROWN, Thomas' nephew Thomas BROWN, nephew William BROWN, Thomas' sisters Ann FARMER, Harriet ROGERS, Martha HOFFMAN. John FARMER, Charles ROGERS, James Kirkman ? HOFFMAN are also mentioned so they be their respective husbands. And.... in he mentions as relatives in a codicil, John HOFFMAN, James HOFFMAN, Martha BLAKESLEY, Mrs TILLSTONE, Mrs HARMSWORTH ? , Mrs Charles HOFFMAN, Mr LAFORST ?.

In a further codicil he mentions his grandson Thomas BROWN "now at the Cape of Good Hope"

A very lengthy will with 4 codicils, many thousands of pounds mentioned, lots of names (more than listed above). Clearly a wealthy man.

Image Courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/runninginsuffolk/13150240444/in/photo...
"Thomas Brown of Tooting born 1742 Married Jan 31st 1764 Hannah second daughter of Robert Heptinstall of Roundhill Hall Ackworth Yorkshire

They had 14 children. Samuel Wilse a Kinsman adopted Thomas Brown making him his heir and residuary legatee"

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 16 2016, 18:26:58 UTC