My Rhode Island "Quaker" Roots
     
    Elizabeth (Brown) Hursh was born on 9 September, 1819 , the daughter of George and Permelia (Briggs) Brown.  Her mother, Permelia (Briggs) Brown, was born 3 April, 1783 in Rhode Island and died 17 January, 1860 at Rose, Wayne County, New York.  A citation was found among the Friends Meeting at Farmington Site, Ontario County, New York that gives references to the Hicksite Branch Quaker background of Permelia Briggs Brown.

    Elizabeth Brown married John Myers Hursh 22 March, 1837 in Wayne County, New York.  They migrated in 1853 to Isabella County, Michigan. The journey was very hard since there was no roads leading into Isabella County. One history cites that "with their oxen, they cut a road the last few miles into the county".  Elizabeth was with child during this journey and shortly after arriving at their homestead (near the present day site of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan), she gave birth to a daughter, who they named Isabella.  Isabella Hursh was the second white child to be born in Isabella County.  Elizabeth (Brown) Hursh was shrewd business woman, who through legal legation won back land titled to her, that her husband had mortgaged shortly before his death. Elizabeth Brown Hursh died 8 February, 1881.
    Elizabeth Brown Hursh and her ancestors represent my Quaker ancestry from Rhode Island.