Isaac Brumfield, Washington Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Al Brumfield, from manuscript of BRUMFIELD HISTORIES ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Isaac Brumfield, b. ca. 1770 in N.C., son of Charles Brumfield of Wake Co., N.C. & later York Co., S.C., arrived in Bayou Sara, Spanish West Florida, abt. 1804, the year after the Louisiana Purchase, as an agent for American Land Speculators. He worked in close coordination with Ira C. Kneeland and John Barclay, first and second Assistant Surveyors General to survey and expedite granting of Land Grants from the Spanish Crown. Isaac Brumfield and Elizabeth Barclay, dau. of John Barclay, married 4-23-1807, marriage recorded in St. Josephs Cathedral in Baton Rouge, seat of the Spanish Govt., and also recorded in Wilkinson Co., Ms., the nearest American Courthouse. They had twin dau. born 12-3-1807. Dau. Caroline was named in the will of her grandfather, Charles Brumfield, written in S.C. in 1815. The other twin drowned at an early age, and her name has been lost. The Spanish Surveyor General appeared to not get involved in things. The assistants were required to give pledge of allegance to the Spanish Crown! In 1804, Reuben Kemper, and his two brothers, Nathan & Samuel, who operated a tavern in Pinkneville, Ms., led an army of about 300 men in a failed attempt to capture Baton Rouge, and the Spanish Grand Pre. They fled North "Across the Border" into the United States. Later Ira C. Kneeland led a posse of about 30 men at night across the border into Pinkneville, Ms. and captured the three Kemper men as they slept in their tavern home. The next day, Spanish soldiers were taking these trouble makers and agitators to Baton Rouge, by boat for trial and probable hanging! As they passed the American outpost at Pointe Coupee, Reuben succeeded in alerting the garrison, who gave chase, and captured the boat. The whole group was taken to an American Court in Ft. Adams, Ms. The judge there suggested to the Spanish that they hurry back acoss the border, and let by-gones be by-gones! William Barker, a Jr. Spanish Officer, delayed, in order to learn what would happen to the Kempers. He was caught by Reuben Kemper and soundly beaten on the Courthouse Green! In a later incedent, Reuben Kemper caught Ira C. Kneeland, beat him, cut his ears off, then pickled the ears in a jar of wine, and displayed them in the Kemper Tavern. In Nov. 1810, the Anglo-American Rebels attacked and captured the Spanish Fort in Baton Rouge. Ira C. Kneeland gathered up all the surveys and documents in his possession and fled, because he was so widely hated! The newly formed Govt. of the Republic of West Florida, passed a resolution to be kept informed of Kemper's activities. Soon after, Reuben Kemper wrote a letter to John Rhea, President, that Ira C. Kneeland and an unnamed companion from Bayou Sara had died of Yellow Fever in Spanish Pensacola, Florida, the first week of Nov. 1810. By June 1811, separate legal notices of the deaths of Kneeland and Brumfield appeared in the St. Francisville, La. "West Florida Timepiece" newspaper. It is hard to believe that Kneeland and Brumfield died together, of Yellow Fever, so soon after their flight from the rebels. It is hard to believe that Kneeland's bitter enemy, just happened to be near by, so far from home, when they died! Caroline Brumfield married in Marion Co., Ms. in 1828 to Hugh Bullock, had 7 children, had numerous descendents, more thoughly covered in "Bullock, Twigs & Branches" by Marie Luter Upton Elizabeth Barclay Brumfield m. (2) 9-20-1818 Seaborn Robinson in the home of Aaron Robinson, in St. Tammany Parish, La. They lived in St. Tammany or Washington Parish, where Seaborn was said to have operated a ferry across the Bogue Chitto River. They had 6 children, all born in La. After 1831 and before 1834, they moved to the Nacogdoches Dist. of Mexico. This was before the Texas War for Independence. They apparently traveled overland via Sabine Parish, La. and corresponding Sabine Co., Texas. Their decendents remained in Texas! We would appreciate more information on the sequence of events and the death of Isaac Brumfield! See BRUMFIELD HISTORIES, pg. 4 & 5 for more on Isaac Brumfield See "Correspondence of the West Florida Assembly" LA. HISTORICAL QUARTERLY, Vol. 21, 1931. See THE STORY OF THE KEMPER BROTHERS, by Stanley Clisby Arthur See the STORY OF THE WEST FLORIDA REBELLION, by Stanley Clisby Arthur. Contributer Beulah bbr@digitex.net Albert R. Brumfield BRUMFIELD HISTORIES of La. & Ms. 10108 St. Paul Ave. River Ridge, La. 70123-1423 e-mail albrumf@juno.com