Milstead [Brown]
Franklin F. Milstead received two
land grants in Cherokee County, Alabama. The first is dated May 6, 1843
and the other, dated July 15, 1851, is per the Military Act of 1847.
Family tradition says he ran a ferry across the Coosa River near Rome,
Georgia during the Civil War. A tract map of Section 29, Township 10
South, Range 9 East (where the 1843 land grant is located) shows the
Coosa River dividing Franklin's land. All other official records for
Franklin Milstead were destroyed with the Cherokee County Courthouse.
Thus Franklin is my brick wall as far as the Milstead surname goes.
Returning to family tradition: "He married Mary, whose maiden name
was Brown and she was married first to 'a' Brown. She had three
children with Brown and they had four children." Family and official
records support this tradition. Mary's three children with Brown are:
Leap Gian, Bill, and Laura A., who married Wash Williams. Mary's
Milstead children are: a son who died at birth, Sue b. 1846 who married
Sterling 'Star' Jones as his second wife, Benjamin Franklin (1848-1931)
and Alice Allen (1855-1900).
Researchers of the William Brown born 1732 in Scotland and James
and Margaret Leeper lines agree, my Mary (Brown) Brown Milstead is
another descendant--based on her son 'Leap Gian' and 'Gian' is used as
a middle name in every generation from Alice (Milstead) Sparks. But we
haven't figured out where she fits in the line. I highly recommend Judy
Voran's Brown Family Genealogy webpage:
And the very specific section on
the immigrants James and Margaret Leeper:
Additional Materials
For Milstead:
Here is a
transcription of Stephens County, Oklahoma Probate Packet #1463,
Benjamin Milstead, brother of Alice (Milstead) Sparks.
Berthaletter1 and
continued on Berthaletter2
are from a family history written by Bertha (Sparks) Edmister, daughter
of James and Alice (Milstead) Sparks, for her nephew Gilbert Sparks.
Joseph Milstead Probate
links to a transcription of the 1803 will, inventory and administration
bond for Joseph Milstead as found in Amherst Co., VA Will Book 4, pages
127-128, 140-141, and 374.
Betsy Milstead Probate has a transcription of the will of Betsy Milstead as found in Amherst Co., VA Will Book 4, pages 535-536.
Peter Milstead is a link
to transcriptions of the guardian bond for Peter Milstead as found
in Amherst Co., VA Will Book 4, page 516, and of the Marriage
Register entry for his marriage to Betsy Shrader.
Transcriptions
of National Archive records of Franklin Milstead's application
for Bounty Land Record and Warrant #48433 issued January 1856 for
service in June, 1836 with Capt. Patrick's Company of the
Alabama Volunteers during the Creek War.
Time Line
for family (including step-family) of Franklin F. Milstead, born
1809 or 1812 in Alabama, and died after April 1873, probably in Texas.
For Brown:
Image of Marriage Bond recorded in Amherst Co., VA and dated 3 August 1780, for Moses Brown, Batchelor and Milley Milstead, Spinster.
Image of Consent signed by Joseph and Rebecca Milsted for Milley to marry Moses Brown.
Image of Register of Marriages Page that has the the above marriage bond entry.
