MAY 1, 2008 JOSEPH BROWN?

I read then reread all the papers. Why does the government think that Joseph Brown survived past James' death? I couldn't see any evidence of Joseph Brown still being alive after July 1867. Several aquaintances of his including his uncle and brother in-law? all state that he drowned in July 1867 in the log/raft accident. Although no body was recovered, nobody heard from Joseph Brown after that date. I think that there probably were a couple of Joseph Browns in the area since it is a fairly common name and the government might have been confusing him with someone else.

Rebecca seems to have married James Shay in good faith believing that Joseph Brown had drowned the previous year. I think she is the lawful widow of James and that Joseph Brown did drown in 1867. Two different documents state conflicting details of her 1st marriage. One says she married Joseph Brown in 1865 and he drowned in 1866. Another document says she married him in 1866 and he left her shortly afterwards then drowned in July 1867. I see a couple of statements attesting to the Summer 1867 drowning so I believe that they were more likely married in 1866 when Rebecca was about 15 years old.

I find it interesting that Rebecca Peal's death certificate lists her as widowed twice. Why do they not include her being a widow of Joseph Brown. I wonder if Rebecca questioned Joseph Brown's drowning death herself. She would have technically been widowed 3 times. I wonder what kind of guy Joseph Ruthledge was like if she married him in 1872 and divorced him a year later. Divorce wasn't too common in 1873 and you really needed a good reason for it.

Another thing I found interesting is that 1 document states that Mary Withrow was present at the birth of James' children. I guess the families must have known each other. Perhaps there is a connection that Margaret Mayberry has to the Withrow/Ashley families. Rebecca Peal was also born in Ballard County, KY in 1851. Could be plausible that Margaret's mother was a Ashley or Withrow or some connection?
**********************************************************************************
That bothered me too that there wasn't any documentation showing he was alive - maybe there is something is the new paperwork coming. I couldn't read the handwritten note on the bottom of the one document - I deciphered to a certain point then I couldn't figure it out.

That's a possibility - that there is an Ashley connection to our Mayberry. Per your conjecture about Shay meeting Margaret - you are right on - the land in Jackson MO was bought 1 Feb 1861 - you add a year and subtract the 3 months and add 2 weeks - its just about Mary's birth date - give a week or so. Interesting enough on the Jackson County MO Gen Site - there is a Shay that has donated documents. I wonder......