Katie Groverner [Grovernor] Brown standing next to her house on Sapelo Island, Ga

Katie Groverner [Grovernor] Brown was born on Sapelo Island in McIntosh County, Georgia, on June 10, 1853, to John and Corten Groverner [Grover, Grovernor]. Her mother's grandfather was Bilali Muhamad, a Muslim man who was enslaved by the Spalding family. Bilali wrote a famous document in Arabic, which is known as the "Bilali Diary." During the Civil War, the island was abandoned by its white population. In 1865, General William T. Sherman had issued an order that the Sea Islands' lands, including Sapelo, should be given to the recently freed African American population. Nevertheless, the order was never implemented. By 1871 a consortium of three African American men, which included John Groverner, Katie's father, bought 1,000 acres from the former white owner's heirs and created the settlement of Raccoon Bluff. Katie grew up there attending school until fifth grade. She married Ben Brown on August 7, 1877, and had at least four children. Dr. Turner described her as being very intelligent and serious, if somewhat reticent when he interviewed her. Katie Brown passed away on November 19, 1940, and was buried at Behavior Cemetery, Sapelo Island.