114. CAPTAIN JOHN CLIBBON BRAIN (1840-1906) AGE 66
Death of His Father?
John Brain, father of John Clibbon Brain, did not go to Canada with the family members who moved there. He, instead, seems to have moved to Holly Springs, Mississippi, from the advertisements for Felton's Self-Sharpening Portable Grist Mill that are found in the newspaper 1858-1859. In addition, JCB claims Holly Springs as his home in various statements to the courts and press.
Elizabeth, mother of John Clibbon Brain, moved to Canada and lived with her daughter, Lucy, and Lucy's husband, John Hamilton. The 1871 Census of Canada indicates she is widowed. But this is no guarantee that her husband is dead. Often women who were divorced or whose husbands had left stated that they were widowed.
In The Last of the Confederate Privateers, the Hays state that John (the father) died in 1866 in Holly Springs. Whether they gained this knowledge through the letters that John Clibbon Brain wrote to family members or from another source is unknown. I have been unable to find anything to confirm his death in 1866.
But an interesting item is found in a Savannah newspaper from 1875 that makes me wonder if John (the father) didn't follow his son to the Savannah area. And that perhaps there was some confusion about exactly who it was that died 1866, because JCB's wife DID die then.
As always, further research is ongoing.
Elizabeth, mother of John Clibbon Brain, moved to Canada and lived with her daughter, Lucy, and Lucy's husband, John Hamilton. The 1871 Census of Canada indicates she is widowed. But this is no guarantee that her husband is dead. Often women who were divorced or whose husbands had left stated that they were widowed.
In The Last of the Confederate Privateers, the Hays state that John (the father) died in 1866 in Holly Springs. Whether they gained this knowledge through the letters that John Clibbon Brain wrote to family members or from another source is unknown. I have been unable to find anything to confirm his death in 1866.
But an interesting item is found in a Savannah newspaper from 1875 that makes me wonder if John (the father) didn't follow his son to the Savannah area. And that perhaps there was some confusion about exactly who it was that died 1866, because JCB's wife DID die then.
As always, further research is ongoing.
(Transcription from the Savannah Morning News, Savannah, Georgia, Saturday, July 31, 1875, Page 3.)
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Sudden Death and Inquest.
John Brain, a white man, who has been employed as a laborer in this city for some years, died yesterday afternoon under the following circumstances: For several weeks past Brain has been drinking very hard, from the effects of which, in connection with the heat, he became unwell about noon yesterday while on the street, and returned to his home on Montgomery street, near Bay. Upon reaching his home, he laid on the bed for a few moments, but being very nervous jumped up and lounged about the house for awhile, and then went out on the steps at the foot of Montgomery street, leading to the bluff, where he sat for some time in apparently an unconscious state. He was finally aroused by two men who happened to pass that way and taken to his home. He insisted on lying down in the yard, and his aversion to going to his bed being so great, they made no objection to this singular proceeding. The inmates of the house, it is stated, presuming, doubtless, that he was intoxicated, paid but little attention to him. About three o'clock in the afternoon they went to look after him and found him dead. The Coroner was notified at once and held an inquest, and there being no evidence showing foul play, the jury rendered a verdict of death from providential causes.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at savnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 14, 2017.
(Transcription from The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, Tuesday, August 3, 1875, Page 4.)
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SAVANNAH.
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—John Brain died suddenly from too much whisky.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 18, 2017.
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