Henry Wallbrown was born in Prussia, Germany, January 15, 1836. Little is known of his early life. It is said he was an only child of a wood cutter and as a child helped his father gather in the wood. At that time in history the German ruler gave each family a job to do. Henry's father was to supply fire wood for the area in which they lived. This could be a possible clue to the origin of the "WALLBROWN" name. In Germany, some names were derived from their professions. In German, woods or forest is spelled "WALD". In the 1870 census of Butler County, Pennsylvania, " WALLBROWN" is spelled "WALDBROWN".

Emily Jane was born October 19, 1844 at Westernport, Allegany County, Maryland, daughter of James Thomas and Mary Elizabeth (Warwick) Wilt. John Thomas Wilt was born about 1819 in Allegany County, Maryland and died August 11, 1861 in Wood County. John Thomas married Mary Elizabeth Warwick (Warnick ?), August 11, 1840 in Allegany County, Maryland. Mary Elizabeth was born June 14, 1819 in Allegany County, Maryland and died June 24, 1911 in Gilmer County, West Virginia and is buried in the Trace Fork UM Cemetery, Gilmer County. The 1860 Gilmer County Census shows Emily as having the following siblings: Washington F., Frederick, Sarah A., John F., and Vashti C. All were born in Allegany County, Maryland, except for Vashti who was born in Gilmer County.

In 1748, Johann David von Nida was born on the Atlantic ocean as his parents made their way from Germany to America. It is believed that their early years were spent in Maryland or Pennsylvania but it is not known what happened to the parents of David Nida, as he was now called. David?s name is found as "Niday" on many documents. He worked as a chain carrier for a surveyor and was married to a German girl, Mary, about 1774. David owned considerable land in Hampshire and Berkeley Co., VA and was living in Berkeley Co. in 1780. Shortly after this time, he and his family moved to Botetourt Co., VA where he purchased more than 1000 acres of land.

Thomas Pleasant McCune (most often referred to as Plez) is believed to have come to the Roane County area about 1870. Plez was born in Calhoun County, VA about 1854. His parents were Peter and Martha Patty (Parsons) McCune. Peter was the son of Daniel F. McCune, a member of the so-called Hellfire Band.

Richard McCauley provides this history of the M'Cauly Clan