Samuel "Sam" Broadwater, son of Cornelius Broadwater and Mary (Piper) Broadwater, came to western Maryland from Loudoun County, VA, with his mother about 1809. They settled on Big Savage Mountain on a tract of land called "Beatty's Plains" in what is now Garrett County. After his mother died, Sam continued to live in this area. At the time of the 1840 census, he was living alone.

Sam married Nancy Ann Layton who was much younger than Sam, having been born about 1825, daughter of James Layton and Elizabeth Chambers.

Sam died 3/26/1864. He was buried in the Corbus Cemetery not far from his home. In 1870, Nancy headed a household that contained four of her children. In 1880, she and her father were members of son Kennard's household in eastern Garrett County. In 1910, Nancy was living at her daughter Elizabeth's home in the Gilmore District of Allegany County. Nancy died on Dans Mountain near Moscow Mills, Allegany County, on 1/29/1911.

The census taker recorded late in Nancy's life that she had had nine children. Several died young. The names of four are known: Amos Broadwater (born about 1842), Elizabeth Broadwater (born about 1848), Sarah Ellen "Ellen" Broadwater (born about 1851) and Samuel C. "Sam" Broadwater (born 11/16/1858).

This page was revised November 26, 1999. For more information about western Maryland family history, visit Walt Warnick's Western Maryland Family History Home Page.