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Browning, Meshach (1771-1859)
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A History of Preston County West Virginia
Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole
Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914
by H. S. Whetsell

Pages 834-835, THE BROWNING FAMILY. 

Meshach Browning was one of the pioneer hunters in Preston county. In
1859, the year of his death also, he published an "Auto-biography,"
setting forth thrilling accounts of his life as a hunter. The
reliability of Mr. Browning's work is vouched for by such authorities
as Judge Thomas Perry of the Fourth Judicial District of Pennsylvania
and others who knew the correctness of many things that appear
strange, almost miraculous. His work is entitled, "Forty-Four Years
in the Life of a Hunter." During that time Mr. Browning killed nearly
2,000 deer, 500 bears, about 50 panthers, more than 1,000
rattlesnakes, and scores of wolves and other beasts. Many of them
were in Preston county. He was not a very large man, but a powerful
man physically and an athlete of great note. On two occasions he
entered the bears' cave and fought with the bruins in their den.

Meshach Browning was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1771. He
was the son of Joshua and Nancy, whose four children were: Dorcas,
Joshua, Jeremiah, and Meshach. In 1792 the family moved into
Monongalia county. When he was two weeks old, Meshach's mother became
a widow and the boy was raised by an uncle, James Spurgeon. In time
he married Mary McMullen and settled in Sang Run, Garrett county,
Maryland. She was an excellent woman, and died in 1839. James
Browning, a son of Meshach and Mary, was born June 21, 1814, on Sang
Run. He was reared in Garrett county, Maryland, on a farm, and
attended a subscription school. In May, 1836, he was married to
Ismena Barnard, and to them were born ten children: Franklin,
deceased; Notley B., of Terra Alta; Mary, now widow of Smith Kelly;
Rebecca, widow of J. H. Feather; Maria Susan, deceased; Meshach, of
Blaine, W. Va.; Susan, the second, wife of A. H. Parsons, of Terra
Alta; Minnie C., wife of Dr. M. L. Fitchner, of Terra Alta, W. Va.;
Isaac, of Preston; Ferdinand, of Thomas, W. Va.; Louisa, wife of
Charles Jackson, of Los Angeles, Cal. Mr. Adam H. Parsons was one of
the oldest and best known citizens of Preston county. He was born in
Tucker county in 1840. His second marriage gave birth to four sons:
Orra, Claude, Ernest and Harry, now all well-to-do young men.

In 1865 Mr. James Brown came from Cranesville to Terra Alta where he
conducted a railroad boarding house for some six years, then removed
back to Cranesville. He died January 30, 1900.

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From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #
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MOTHER: 
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