John Franklin Brown was born on Aug 25, 1816 in either Monocacy, Frederick Co., Md.[per family history] or North Carolina [per his statements in 1850 and 1880 U S Censuses] to Benjamin F. and Mary (Daywald/t) Brown. He became a Carpenter and married Priscilla (whom he always called "Pricilla" H. Burkhart of Knox County, Tennessee on March 7th, 1839 in Knox Co., Tennessee. She was the daughter of Peter Burkhardt and Rachel (Owen) Burkhart, b. Jan 9th, 1820, (per her youngest daughter's memorial) in Sullivan Co., Tennessee. Her mother had passed away in 1832 and her father had remarried in 1836; she was the older sister of Harriett Evaline, b.1830, who eloped with Thomas J. Swann (b.1818) to Illinois. Priscilla and John went with Harriett and Thomas, as Priscilla wanted to be close to her younger sister, according to family history [and, as an older sister, I can quite understand]. They initially resided in Williamson County, Illinois, which is where John and Priscilla's last two children were born. John and Priscilla were blessed with the following children:
1. James F. (Franklin?), b.1840 in Knoxville, Knox Co., TN,
2. George M., b.Nov 1841 in Knoxville, Knox Co., TN.
3. Milas Hamilton, b. Jan 3, 1843 in Knox Co., TN.*
4. John L., b.1845 in Knox Co., TN.
5. Margaret E., b.1846 in Knox County, TN.
6. William A., b.Oct 8, 1849 in Knox Co., TN**
7. Morgan E., b.1852 in Knox Co., TN.
8. Phillip C., b.1854 in Williamson Co., Illinois
9. Malinda J., b.Apr 20, 1855 in Williamson Co., Ill.***
* Milas Hamilton's headstone shows birthdate of June 8, 1843
He was married 3x. He is buried at Seagraves Cemetery.
**William A. changed his middle initial from A to M to Thomas and year of birth to 1852 after financial problems beset him in early 1900's. He lost the family farm, his wife, Martha E. (Harper) divorced him, and he died Sept 10, 1920. He is also buried at Mulberry Grove Cemetery.
***Malinda J. married Columbus Kershner. She d.Apr 21,1933 and is buried with her husband at Rolla Cemetery, Phelps Co., Missouri.

John Franklin Brown started out as a carpenter while living in Knoxville, Tennessee when he answered the 1850 Census. on Oct 12, 1850. He stated that he had been born in North Carolina and that his father had been born in Maryland and his mother had been born in North Carolina. At the time, John and "Pricilla" [John's spelling of his wife's name] had six children: James F., age 10, George M., age 9, Milas H., age 6, John L., age 5, Margaret E., age 4, and William "A", age 8 months (b.Feb.1850).
The only other census I've been able to find for him, under either his name or his wife's, using multiple spellings, was taken in 1880, on June 7th, when the family was living at Mulberry Grove, Bond County, Illinois. John was now 63 and his occupation was that of Wagon maker [known as a good one, per a relative who is now deceased]. This relative stated he was also a lawyer and school teacher. Priscilla was still "keeping house", and Morgan E., b.1852, was still living in the home and working on the farm. There were also three grandchildren living in the home, John W., b.1866 in Canada, Alice E., b.1868 in Illinois, & Eliza J., b.1870 in Illinois.
Priscilla died May 16th, 1887 and was buried at Mulberry Grove Cemetery without a marker. John remarried, to a widow, name unknown, and he himself passed on July 13, 1894. He was also buried at Mulberry Grove Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
Most of the information regarding "Pricilla", my 1st Cousin, was generously shared with me by my newly found cousin, Carol Nygren, paternal 3rd generation granddaughter. Priscilla's dates of birth and death were obtained from her youngest daughter's memorial (Malinda Jane "Jennie" [Brown] Kershner) and the person who created and manages her memorial, "Anonymous".