Elizabeth Payne Webb - Brown was born November 27,1790 in Hawkins County North Carolina, on a 150 acre farm next to the Holston River about 20 miles East of what is now Knoxville, Tennessee. Elizabeth was the first child of Larkin Morris Webb and Elizabeth Payne Webb.  This was Indian country and living was not easy. It is not known what happened to Elizabeth's mother as her father Larkin married Matilda Brown in 1798, and they had a son Thomas Larkin Webb September 18, 1799. It is known that her father enlisted in the military and would have been away fighting Indians at times.  In 1801, Larkin and Matilda had a second son, William when Elizabeth was 11 year old and a daughter Mary "Polly" in 1804. As is customary in pioneer families, the older children took care of their younger brothers and sisters, which would have been the case with Elizabeth. Women were key to survival in the wilderness.  

In 1796, Tennessee became a State and Larkin's farm became part of Tennessee. In 1806 the new state of Tennessee passed a law requiring all residents to prove ownership of their land. As her father Larkin had received his land at age 11 as payment under his indenture to John Payne, their title was not accepted and they had to leave.

In April 1807, Elizabeth at age 19, her brothers Thomas Larkin age 8, William age 6, Polly age 3, her mother Matilda Brown Webb and father Larkin along with other settlers who had lost their land including John Payne, packed their belonging into boats and sailed down the Holston River to the Tennessee River then up the Elk River to a place called "Simms Settlement" in "Indian Territory", built their cabins and planted crops.  While at Simms Settlement, Larkin and Matilda had a son John Payne Webb in 1808.  The following year Government troops removed them from the land and burned their homes, claiming the land belonged to Indians. Among those removed was Andrew Jackson, later to become President of the United States.

The Settlers then moved north up the Elk River to Giles County, Tennessee. Some of the land was available to them under grants for service in the military. As Matilda's father, Isham Brown, had served in the Revolutionary War under George Washington at Valley Forge, he was able to receive over 2,000 acres, which he sold and gave to family including Larkin and Matilda.    

The following year of 1810, Elizabeth married James Brown, her stepmother Matilda's younger brother.  The families were close and Elizabeth and James were the same age. They would have grown up together and known each other well.

Elizabeth's father-in-law Isham Brown was a respected leader in the community and had donated the land for the Indian Creek Baptist Church, where Rev. George Brown, James older brother was pastor. Elizabeth and James were probably married there, as this was their church.