Son of William E. Browning {b.1813) and Rebecca Toler {b.1814-1880}

From FAG contributer D. Clarkson:

William Chapman Browning was a very wealthy man. He owned a huge track of land at Verner. He had mineral rights also. He was noted in James P. Ragland's book as one of the most prominent people in West Virginia.

He was married twice. The first marriage was to Jane Hatfield having nine children by this marriage. She died and he remarried Almedia Hatfield. The two ladies were second cousins. Jane was the daughter of Joseph Hatfield and Almedia was the daughter of James P. Hatfield. The two men were cousins. James P. was the son of Aly, who was the brother of Joseph. Aly and Joseph were the sons of
Valentine Hatfield and Martha Weddington.

After the marriage to Almedia, William Chapman owned a saw mill and lost his life to a logging accident. By this marriage he left four children. Media as we knew her, worried because she had no income due to the fact that William Chapman first family came in and took their part. Almedia was afraid she could not feed her children. She sold the property at Verner to Elk Creek Coal Co. for a load of coal. In years to come, Kennie received several notices to appear in the Williamson Court regarding the deal with the coal company. There was some
question as to whether the agreement- -signed by the children who were not old enough to know what they were signing--was legal. But Elk Creek Coal Company
never showed up at the hearings, and that was their way of making their claim stick: dodging the court. It was not uncommon for big companies to take advantage of widows.

Media took her four children to Williamson, where she supported them by working in a hotel. Devil Anse Hatfield, her cousin, while wearing his famous long black coat, would ride into Williamson by night. Media put him up in the family's room, fed him, and hid him from the law and any McCoy's who were interested in his whereabouts. When evening fell and he felt safe to travel, Anse would be on
his way.

Later Meda, married Edward Browning and they had one child, Dewey. She actually married Edward Browning twice. She was a very sweet and kind person as I can remember my mother and her sisters talk of her. She would always take up for the children and cooked on a coal stove late at night if someone was hungry. When she came to visit my grandparents and their family, she always wore the clothes on her that she would need while visiting. She would take layer after layer off when she got to Earling. There was no need of a suitcase for her.