NN Brown

Baby Boy Brown is the seventh of eight children born to James Brown and Isabella Hogg, both from Scotland. Isabella and four children immigrated from Scotland to America on the ship “Cynosure.” James, the family’s father, came several years later. When Isabella her children arrived in America, they traveled to Nebraska and joined the John W. Woolley Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Isabella, expecting another child, and her family began the journey west on August 9, 1863.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Twenty days later on August 29, Isabella gave birth to a baby boy, who lived a short time. (They did not name him.)

The baby is buried 14 miles West of Ash Hallow, Nebraska. The Johnston/Brown Family history states that 15-year-old Joseph F. Smith made the burial shroud for the baby, sewing the fabric himself.

From the William McLachlan journal: "Saturday 29" August, 1863. Nooned at Wolfe Creek, and traveled up the bed of the Platte River instead of going over the Big Sand hill and cut off. Captain Haight's train camped this evening this side of a large slough. Haight's train close by us on the other side. A Sister Brown gave birth to a son this morning, died the same day."

"Sunday 30" August. Passed Ash Hollow this morning and nooned at Castle Creek where we took up some flour. Captains Haight's & Ricks' trains came up before we started and nooned close by us. Sister Brown's infant was buried here. Camped 14 miles this side of Ash Hallow."