In April 1999 I spent several days in Richmond at the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Historical Society. On the last day I found this reference to a James Britian Bain: On page 555 of the “History of Norfolk County, Virginia, and Representative Citizens” published in 1902, George McKendree Bain (first high school principal of Norfolk High School) wrote that his father was George M. Bain of Norfolk, his grand father was George Bain of Portsmouth, and his great grand father was James Britian Bain also of Portsmouth, Virginia. George McK. Bain was born on May 11, 1859, and died without issue on June 13th, 1916.

In August 1999 I had several days to research in Norfolk and Portsmouth and found many references to the Bain and Britton families. James Bain married Ann Britton. Other Bains and Brittons acted as surety bondsmen for each other, often married by Reverend Arthur Emmerson. I suspect that Britton Bain’s name came from a union of these two families.

Could our Britton Bain be the same as George McKendree Bain’s great grandfather James Britian Bain? Britton Bain was born about 1785 as calculated from his reported age on several census records. If you assume an average generation of 25 years, James Britian Bain would be born about 1784! But if James Britian Bain had a family and son George, in Portsmouth in the early 1800’s what happened? We know that our Britton Bain married Mary (Molly) Jerry on 27 February 1816 in Sussex County, Virginia. Britton and Mary then moved into Kentucky and Tennessee and founded our families. Judy Williams mentioned a James Bain Jr. who disinherited two sons. Could political decisions around the War of 1812 have split the family? Could there have been some family tragedy that ended a marriage and alienated father and sons? Could James Britian Bain have been disinherited, drop the James from his name (because it was also his father’s name), marry again, and move west to start over?

In “Marriages of Norfolk County Virginia 1706—1792, Volume I” the following entries are recorded:

26 December 1789. William BAINE and Catherine Alwinkle, orphan of Isaac Alwinkle. Sur. John BRITTON. Married 17 January 1790 by Rev. Arthur Emmerson.

24 April 1782. John BRITTEN and Margaret McDurman. Sur. Demse Viel (Veal).

5 May 1789. William BRITTON and Susanah Alwincle. Sur. Paul D. Luke. Michael Warren makes oath that Susanah is of lawful age; no relationship stated. Married 23 May by Rev. Arthur Emmerson.

26 May 1792. William BRITTON and Lydia Bunting, orphan of Benjamin Bunting. Sur. Lyon Culpeper.

In “Marriages of Norfolk County Virginia 1788, 1793—1817, Volume II” the following is recorded:

1 September 1796. BAINE, Charles and Mrs. Mary Harrison. Sur. James BAINE Married 1 September 1796 by Rev. Arthur Emmerson, who records, “Charles Bacon.”

17 January 1800. BAINE or BANE, William and Catherine Alwincle. Married by Rev. Arthur Emmerson. Minister’s Return.

31 January 1816. BRITTAIN, Charles and Amelia Godfrey, whose guardian, James Stone of Princess Anne County consents for her. He states she is the orphan of James Godfrey, dec’d. Wit. To consent Edmund S. Lindsey and Mary Stone. Sur. Edmund S. Lindsey.

15 October 1795. BRITTAIN, James and Sarah Owens. Sur. Thomas Wilson. Married 19 October 1795 by Rev. Arthur Emmerson who records, “James Bohltoun.”

13 March 1793. BRITTEN, John and Mrs. Sarah Diamond. Sur. Jonathan Kay.

16 June 1800. BRITTON, William and Sarah Hughes. Sur. William BAINS. Married 17 June 1800 by Rev. Arthur Emmerson.

In “Naturalizations and Declarations of Intention, Norfolk Borough/City, County, etc. Virginia, 1784—1884” the following is recorded:

Norfolk County Circuit Court (Now City of Chesapeake)
Country of Emigrated Date of Declaration
former from of Intention and/or
Name Age Allegiance and when Oath of Allegiance

BAINE, Robert O.A. 4-20-1786
BRITTEN, John 28 Scotland Glascow 1827 O.A. 5-20-1833

In “Norfolk County, Virginia, Will Book 11, 1772—1788” the following is recorded:

BRITTON, BENNET (Ports. Parish)
30 Mar. 1772—Aug. Ct. 1773
EX’X: Wife, ANNE EX’R: My son-in-law, JAMES BAIN

DAU: ANNE BAIN, Wife of JAMES BAIN (for both their natural lives, the use of 1 A. of land adjoining the house JAMES built on lately, marked off with stones; if they live there; not to sell to anybody buy my son BENNET).

WIFE: ANN (the use of all my Estate during her life or Widowhood except the above bequest; if she marries, to have only one third).

SON: BENNET (after the death of my Wife, all my land Pers. Estate).

In “The Portsmouth Star, Bicentennial Edition, 1952” the Bain family was mentioned as follows: The first record available at this date of the earliest Bain ancestor dates back to James Bain, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He was captain of a sailing vessel and came to Portsmouth prior to the Revolution. The present Bain home, on the corner of Court and North Streets, was presumably built by this same James Bain after his marriage to Miss Ann Brittan, who lived on Western Branch. The article goes on to mention later “Bains: Rev. George M. Bain of Monumental Methodist Church, Judge Kenneth Allison Bain, and others.

I have found the following name variations (and their sources):
Britton Bain, 1820 census Simpson County, Kentucky
Britian Bain, Will, 1840, Benton County, Tennessee, Misc Records Book 1
Brittain Baines, War of 1812 Company Muster Roll
Britain Banes, War of 1812 Company Pay Roll
Britain Bain or Banes (Marriage Register 1754-1850 pages 155 290, Sussex Co, VA)
Britton Bane, Benton County Tennessee Entry Book; 1827-1849; p 14; no. 636. "Britton Bane enters 36 3/4 acres 12th district by virtue of the occupant law paper 1826 in range 7 Section 5."

Britton Bain’s military service is recorded as: Private, Capt Thomas Jones Company, 8th Reg, VA militia, from 21 Aug 1814 to 24 Oct 1814. Company Muster Roll says in Norfolk on 24 Oct 1814 and Norfolk to Sussex C.H. 90.

Another Britton J. Baines married Cynthia V. Breedlove on 14 October 1840 in Pittsylvania, Virginia. Was this Britton J. Baines a nephew of our Britton? It was the custom to name your sons after your brothers.

My mother is Irene Bain Hix. Her father was Dr. Charles James Bain. His father was George Britton Bane. His father was Joseph James Bane. His father was Britain Bain. All of Benton County, Tennessee.

Please email me at rjhix@earthlink.net and we can figure out how we are related and see what other information we can share.

Richard Bain Hix