Hi Tim,

It has been a good decade for finding Britton Cousins. I think the most likely candidate for your Robert Britton (there are a couple of them) is my GGGrandmother’s brother.

This Robert Britton’s parents are Ephraim Britton and Elizabeth Duncan. Ephraim married Elizabeth Duncan in Ireland (I have more about Ephraim’s siblings/ancestors and Elizabeth’s siblings).

According to an Irish Cousin, Ephraim & Elizabeth went to America. According to records on this side of the Atlantic only Elizabeth came to the US with her children (I believe via Canada first). Family legend claims Ephraim was shipwreck, survived but later died of his injuries, and never went to America. Family folklore also claims Ephraim was a pirate.

I’ve done work on finding more info on the shipwreck (which I do believe did happen). I think Ephraim was probably a contraband (whiskey and food) smuggler during the early famine years (and maybe before) not a Johnny Depp type of pirate.

In any event, Ephraim Britton married Elizabeth Duncan. Their five children are:

1) Robert Britton (b. May 5, 1836 or 1838 – Jul 23, 1902) married in 1871 to Barbara/Barbetta Bodenheimer (b. Oct 16, 1837). I think this might be your line.

2) John (b. Jul 15, 1841 in Malin, County Donegal – d. Oct 20, 1926) first marriage was Nellie Unknown who died in San Jose. 2nd marriage was in San Jose, CA to Elizabeth “Lizzie” Harliss (b. Mar 6, 1851 – d. Feb 25, 1936).

3) William (b. May 18, 1845 – d. Feb 21, 1920) first married Laura Evelin Inman (b. circa 1853 – d. before Mar 22, 1915). 2nd married was to Annie Craig (b. Dec 1857 – d. Jun 23, 1932).

4) Ephraim Britton (b. Jun 22, 1847 – Nov 4, 1914) married Mary Jane Montgomery (b. Mar 1848 – d. 1904). This is the Lewis H. Britton line.

5) Mary Ann (b. Aug 11, 1848 – d. Dec 5, 1916) married Josiah Chrisman (b. Sep 1841 – d. Dec 17, 1921). This is my line.

In the US, Elizabeth first turns up in PA where she marries Alexander McGee and they had one daughter, Rebecca McGee. I believe the bulk of our immediate Britton’s & McGee’s came to San Jose at the end of the Civil War about 1865/1866 (both John and William served; I don’t know if Robert did).

Robert married Barbetta in San Jose in 1871. They had four children, all born in San Jose: Josephus (b. Dec 21, 1871), David Duncan (b. Dec 10, 1873), Henrietta (b. Jan 6, 1876), and Bernhard (b Apr 25, 1879). Henrietta married Remig Schneider.

Robert & Barbetta Britton, “Etta” & Remig Schnieder, Gladys Ruth Schneider, Marjorie E. Burdett, Charles Burdett, Floyd Edwin Parks, Elenor V. McCann (I presume related to you) and Samuel Britton are all buried in a family plot in Oak Hill Cemetery.

In addition to my records, we have a couple of cousins pursuing the Ephraim Britton & Elizabeth Duncan/Britton/McGee lines and other San Jose Britton cousin lines. Between us we can probably answer most of your questions and/or point you in the right direction for records. And we are happy to share what we know. Please contact me. My e-mail address is mhtruck@yahoo.com.

Thanks.

Mary Helen