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just to numerous to name. The people that have helped have been so generous 
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future generations.  
 
            
                The Brownings of Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia 
              
The earliest name found was Bruning. This spelling is found in the Domesday 
Book. There is no mention of the name Brown. The first change of the name into 
Browning appears in 1297 when Thomas Brownynge is mentioned. One of the 
founders of the American Family of this name was Nathaniel, who was born in 
1618 in London, England. He had suffered persecution because of religious 
beliefs and when he came to the New World he opened a door of freedom, peace 
and security. Arriving in the United States he settled in Portsmouth, Rhode 
Island and became a member of Roger Williams' Colony of religious thinkers, 
whose views were far in advance of the time. 
Debruni, is said by the Poet Browning, to be the earliest form of the surname 
Brewning. Later recorded as Bruning, Brueling, Browneing, Brimming, Brininge, 
and Browninge. Acording to the scholar John Airon Browning, the surname in 
High Germain is Browning and Low German, Bruning. This Ancient Germanic 
Surname followed the migration to England where the Anglo Saxons changed it 
into Browning. In England the family settled in the southern part of the 
county of Kent, later spreading north over all of England, crossing also into 
Scotland, Ireland and Wales. 
The name Browning has been an eminent one in America. There were other 
colonists of this name who came over at different periods and settled in 
various locations. The name has been a distinguished one in the Southland 
coming from lineage of the Virginia Families. 
There are three branches of the Browning Family that came over from England 
in earlier days. The one we are directly concerned with came from England to 
America and settled in the Virginia Colony.
There were other branches of the family, all related in England, who settled 
in Massachusetts Colony, and in the states of New York and New Jersey. 
The Southern branch of the Browning Family migrated westerly and southerly 
through the Southern States. This branch of the family were Puritans, and were 
driven from Great Britain by persecution, and came to the new world to enjoy 
religious liberty, and the freedom to be found in America. 
The Browning Family is one of the oldest and first families of America. It has
been said we date as far back, and are related to one of the son's of Noah, 
which I am sure many other families can claim the same lineage. Noah's sons 
traveled over much of the old world as we know it and established many 
families who in turn traveled the land, finally crossing over into Germany and 
into England.  
Captain John Browning, one of the first Brownings to come to America, was born 
in England. In 1622 he was among the passengers of the "Abigail" bound for the 
American Colonies. The ship landed on the "College Lands" in Virginia, later 
known as Jamestown, York County, Virginia. Captain John Browning settled in 
Elizabeth City with his family. He served as a burgess there in 1629 and 
during that period purchased 250 acres of land. In 1632 he was a burgess of 
Morris Bay and in 1635 of Elizabeth City. In 1638 he is recorded as having 
purchased three thousands acres of tobacco from a land owner named Thomas 
Gridon. John's plantation was about 3 miles from what is now Williamsburg. 
Captain John, as he was known by, received the name not for his knowledge of 
the sea, but by a set of circumstances and carried the name "Captain" for the 
rest of his life.