The Brown Families of Butler County, Ohio

No family of Butler county is more prominently identified with its development, or more thoroughly a part of its history, than the Browns, of Ross township. The ancestors of the present generations of the family bearing the Brown name came to this part of the Buckeye state from Berkeley county, Virginia, about the same time as did the Andersons, Butterfields, Cones, Harveys, Sliaws, Willeys and Wades. They purchased vast tracts of bottom lands on the great Miami river, extending from Venice Well into Crosby township, Hamilton county, the land being purchased at the first sale of government land on the Miami river, in May, 1803. These pioneers, injured to the hardships and privations of frontier life* commenced the hard task of clearing the land, which at that time was covered with dense timber and which to render fit for cultivation required strenuous toil unappreciated at the present date. These early pioneers soon erected the typical log cabins of the period and in a short time their homes were rendered comfortable, and as time passed the families prospered and contented. The immediate subject of this sketch, Richard Brown, was born near Venice, Ross township, this county, November 11, 1838. He received a complete education as gauged by the facilities of that time and period, and by occupation is a civil engineer. During his active practice of this profession he attained considerable note because of the careful and painstaking methods followed by him and his public spirit and popularity soon made him a prominent figure in local affairs. A Democrat in politics, he early became identified with party matters and was for many years connected with the auditor's office, having held that responsible position for six years and having also acted for twelve years as an efficient deputy in that office. “In 1889 there was an interim of ten months in the auditor’s office made so by an act of the legislature. The commissioners tendered Mr. Brown the appointment, for the interim, provided he would depose the late Christian Rothenbush, who was his able, honest and efficient deputy. The offer was spurned with contempt, although it entailed a loss in salary to Mr. Brown of two thousand five hundred dollars. He gracefully retired from the office for ten months, after which he entered upon his second term with Christian Rothenbush as his chief deputy.” Upon retiring from this official position Mr. Brown went to his farm, which is located two and one-half miles south of Hamilton, and has ever since been living in retirement, enjoying the fruits of years of industry. Mr. Brown’s public career, characterized by ability, industry and close application to his duties, gained for him a host of warm personal friends and today he enjoys an enviable reputation as a scholarly gentleman and a useful and influential citizen. Mr. Brown takes a keen interest in the early pioneer history of Butler county, and is also a keen student in the field of achaeology. It has been said that “Honest Dick Brown was one of the best officials Butler county ever had in any capacity,” and he certainly well deserves representation in this volume.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ANDREW C. BROWN.

Among the old and highly respected residents of Butler county, who have been prime factors in its development, is the well-known and popular citizen whose name appears at the head of this article. During a continuous residence of eighty-four years in the vicinity of Middletown he has not only been an eye-witness of the numerous changes that have taken place, but has also been an active participant therein, and it is to such sound minds, strong arms and ripe judgment as his that this part of Ohio is so greatly indebted for the prosperity which has characterized its growth and development along the various lines of agricultural, industrial and general business activity and advancement.

Christopher Brown, father of the subject, was born in Wyeth county, Virginia, and grew to maturity in his native state, marrying, in his young manhood. Miss Mary Conmary, whose ancestors were among the pioneer settlers of Pennsylvania. In an early day he moved to Clinton county, Ohio, and after a short residence in that part of the state changed his above to Warren county, where he lived until 1820, when he migrated to the county of Butler and engaged in the distillery business, which he carried on for a period of five years in connection with agricultural pursuits. Disposing of his distillery at the expiration of the lime noted, he purchased the place a short distance east of Middletown now known as the Marsh farm, where he spent the remainder of his life as a prosperous miller of the soil, dying about the year 1868, honored and respected by all who knew him. Of the eight children that constituted the family of Christopher and Mary Brown the subject of this review is the only living representative and to a brief outline of his career the reader’s attention is herewith respectfully invited.

Andrew C. Brown was born in Warren county, Ohio, February 9, 1818, and was two years of age when his parents moved to the county of Butler. His earliest experiences were connected with his father's distillery, and when about seven years old he went to the farm east of Middletown, in the clearing and development of which he subsequently took such an active and effective part. Reared to hard labor, he shirked no duty, however onerous, and turned from no responsibility, but with true filial regard gave the best of his strength to the general welfare of the family and while still a mere youth was able to do a man's work at almost any kind of toil. As opportunities afforded, he attended the indifferent subscription schools common to this part of the country sixty and seventy years ago, but at best his education was limited, although in later years he obtained a wide knowledge of books by devoting his leisure hours to reading, in this way and by close observation becoming in the course of time an intelligent and remarkably well-informed man.

Mr. Brown assisted in cultivating the home farm until his twenty-third year, at which time he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah M. Sutphin. daughter of John and Jane Sutphin, the ceremony being solemnized in 1841. During the ten years following his marriage he farmer as a renter, but at the end of that time purchased the place south of Middletown which now adjoins the corporate limits of the city and which he still owns. Moving to his new home in 1850. he at once began the work of its development, and by well-directed industry and a general system of improvement succeeded in due time in making the place not only one of the finest and most productive in the township, but also one of the model farms of Butler county. System appears to have characterized all of his undertakings and, being an excellent manager, with an eye to detail, he reaped abundant returns from his time and labor and it was not long until he forged to the front as one of the leading farmers and stock raisers in a section of country long distinguished for the intelligence, success and progressive spirit of its agricultural class. For a number of \72ars Mr. Brown devoted great attention to stock, especially cattle and horses, and from this source and the raising of grain the greater part of his ample fortune has been derived. After acquiring a comfortable competency and feeling the need of rest from his many years of arduous toil, he left the farm in 1886, and moved to Middletown. where, surrounded by everything calculated to minister to his comfort and enhance his enjoyment, he has since been living a retired and contented life.

Mrs. Brown, who was born a few miles east of Middletown in 1821, bore her husband four childreU" and died on February 27, 1896. Only one of these children lived to years of maturity, namely, Moses P., whose birth occurred in 1853, anfl wo is now traveling representative for a large machinery and agricultural implement house, his territory including Ohio and other central and western states. 'He is a married man. his wife having formerly been Miss Susan J. Howell, who was born in St. Louis and moved to Ohio in infancy and they reside at this time in the city of Middletown.

In 1856 Mr. Brown united with the Methodist Episcopal church and entered upon the consistent Christian life for which he has since been characterized. He has been active in all lines of religious and benevolent work, gives liberally to all worthy enterprises and charities and for many years has held official positions in the local congregation with which he is connected, his influence having always been on the side of morality and right as he has understood the meaning and significance of these terms. Mr. Brown cast his* first ballot in 1839 and one year later voted for Gen. William Henry Harrison for president, from which time until its dissolution he was an earnest and uncompromising supporter of the old Whig party. When the Republican party came into existence he at once espoused its principles and, believing that every good citizen should be a politician, he has ever since consistently adhered to his course, voting for the candidates of his party and contributing to its success by able and judicious counsel,.as well as by active work with the rank and file. A reader and a thinker, he is well informed on the great political issues of the time, keeps in close touch with public matters and current events, and, notwithstanding his advanced age, is still recognized as. an influential factor in political circles and a leader whose advice has contributed not a little to the success of the principles which he upholds and of which he has so long been such a stanch and unswerving advocate. It is a fact worthy of note, that during the long period that has elapsed since lie was old enough to exercise the rights and prerogatives of citizenship, Mr. Brown has never voted anywhere except Middletown; sixty-five years having dissolved in the miss of the past since he cast his first ballot where his last one was deposited, an instance perhaps without a parallel in the history of the state. Mr. Brown has reached the ripe old age of eighty-six years, but is still strong and vigorous physically and able to do considerable manual labor, besides attending with all the mental clearness and insight of his prime to his various business interests. He has always been temperate, which accounts largely for his remarkable strength and longevity, and having ever looked on the bright side and avoided pessimism, his life has been pleasant and cheerful, as all who have come within the range of his influence will bear witness.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HENRY W. BROWN.

This old and highly esteemed citizen has been a lifelong resident of Butler county, having been born in Middletow'n in the year 1832. Paternally he is descended from

66o sturdy New England stock, his grandfather, John Brown, settling in Vermont in colonial times, and his father, who also bore the name of John, being born in that state as early as 1804. When eighteen years of age John Brown, Jr., came to Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life as a merchant and it was in this state that he met and married Miss Sarah Bowen, a native of Pennsylvania and of German descent. The death of Mr. Brown occurred in 1854, that of his wife forty-five years later, she departing this life in

Until his twentieth year the subject lived with his parents, working a part of the time as a farm hand, but on attaining the age noted he took up the carpenter’s trade, in which he soon became proficient and to which he devoted his attention until the breaking out of the late Civil war. He served a short time in that struggle as a member of Company G, One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Ohio Infantry, and at the expiration of the period of enlistment (one hundred days) returned home and began learning the trade of shoemaking. After acquiring skill in this calling Mr. Brown opened a shop in Okeana, where in due time he secured a lucrative patronage and from that time to the present he has steadily followed the trade, his success the meanwhile being such as to enable him to provide comfortably for those dependent upon him and to accumulated competency for his declining years.

In the year 1855 Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Miss Caroline DeArmod, whose birth occurred in Morgan township, Butler county, Ohio, in 1834, being the daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Youmans)

DeArmod, both parents natives of the Keystone state. Mr. DeArmod, a descendant of one of Pennsylvania’s old French families, was born in 1809 and died a number of years ago, the exact date not known; his wife, who was born in 1810, departed this life in 1897, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been bom five children, three of whom died in early life, those living being L. V., and Mahala, wife of W. A. DeArmod.

Mr. Brown has lived a long, active and useful life and has the satisfaction of looking back over a past in which he finds little to criticise and much to commend. When a boy he acquired those correct habits of industry, perseverance and resoluteness of purpose which exercise such a powerful influence in the development of character, and by living as nearly as possible according to his ideal of manhood, his career, though uneventful, has been eminently honorable and his example at all times worthy of emulation. He has never aspired to high position nor sought the notice of the public, but in a quiet, unobtrusive manner pursued the even tenor of his way, unmindful of the applause of men, but ever intent upon discharging his duties and making the world better by his presence. Mr. Brown belongs to no church or religious organization, but has well-grounded opinions relative thereto, his own views being broad and liberal. He recognizes good wherever it may be found and perceive in every human being, however humble, the spark of divinity which indicates a heavenly origin and an immortal destiny. When the Republican party came into existence he was not long in giving it his support, but a number of years later he severed his allegiance and since about 1884 has affiliated with the Democracy. Mr. Brown is a gentleman of kindly nature, genial manners and large heart and has many warm friends who have ever entertained 'for him the highest personal regard. A continuous residence of nearly three-quarters of a century in Butler county has been the means of giving his name wide publicity and today few men are as well or favorably known and no one enjoys in a more marked degree the esteem of the public.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM E. BROWN. The Second National Bank of Hamilton, of which Mr. Brown is President, was organized with a capital stock of $100,000 in 1864, at which time he with others went to Washington, D. C., and obtained the charter. For thirty years he has been associated with the management of this bank, and for the last twenty-four years has been its President, not a mere figure-head, but one who by his ability was fully competent to take and did take an active part in the management of this institution. 1 1 is forty years’ experience as a lawyer has always been of great use to the bank and to many of its patrons who avail themselves of his advice. Not only has the bank paid good dividends, but at the present time it also has a surplus of $50,000, and its deposits average over $500,000. The bank owns its own building, which is arranged in such a manner as to facilitate business, and as an investment has proved one of the best. During times of panics, when many banks failed or suspended, this institution maintained its credit unimpaired, and came out of each crisis without loss of confidence or the failure to honor each of its obligations when presented.

Some facts connected with the personal history of Mr. Brown will bo of interest to the reader. He is a son of Edward and Ann (McCue) Brown, the latter of whom died in 1827. The father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, as early as 1818, while living in Blairsville, Pa., engaged in transporting goods between Pittsburg and Philadelphia. Unfortunately, however, he lost the savings he had so laboriously accumulated. He left Blairsville in 1824 and moved to Xenia, Ohio, and in that city our subject was born November 13, 1825. In 1826 the family removed to Cincinnati, where the wife and mother died the following year.

At the conclusion of his studies our subject began to teach school, at the age of nineteen, in Greene County, Ohio, and was thus engaged for some time. Having learned the trade of a shoemaker, he was thus enabled to pay his way while reading law at Xenia and Dayton. In March, 1849, he was admitted to practice at the Bar. With a letter of introduction from his preceptor addressed to Thomas Millikin, of Hamilton, he then proceeded to his future home, and arriving here hung out his “shingle” as an attorney-at-law. With limited resources and few acquaintances, business did not come his way at first. In the fall of 1849 an older lawyer was obliged to go away on account of ill health, and he left young Brown in charge of his office and practice. Shortly afterwards the lawyer died and Mr. Brown thus became successor to the business, which amounted to about $600 per annum, and which he had no trouble to retain.

In 1852 Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Miss Mary A., daughter of Robert Beckett. Failing health induced him to move into the country, but he still gave some attention to his legal practice and also dealt in real estate. In this he was successful, his knowledge of the law being of great assistance to him. lie continued thus occupied until 1870, when he became President of the Second National Bank. He still continues to deal in real estate, and is also President of the Carr-Brown Milling Company. In public affairs he has always been interested, though not aggressively so, and as a substantial and honorable citizen has merited and received the confidence of the people with whom he has had business or social relations. In daily life he was a Democrat, but became a supporter of the Republican party upon its organization, and has since advocated its principles, though never himself an aspirant for official positions.

Six children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, as follows: Clara, who married W. B. Carr, and died in January, 1892; Robert; William B.; Mary, wife of Judge R. E. Sloan, of Arizona; and Ella and D. P., who are with their parents. To his children Mr. Brown gave the best possible educational advantages. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church, in which he has officiated as an Elder since 1857.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM E. BROWN was born at Xenia, Ohio, November 13, 1825. His parents were Edward and Ann (McCue) Brown, natives of Pennsylvania. The father was early engaged in transporting goods between Pittsburg and Philadelphia. In 1824 he left Blairsville, Pennsylvania, where he had resided, and moved to Xenia, Ohio. In 1826 the family removed to Cincinnati, where the wife and mother died the following year.

The subject attended the public schools and when nineteen years of age taught school in Greene county, Ohio, in which profession he was engaged for some time. Having learned the trade of shoemaker, he was thus enabled to pay his way while reading law at Xenia and Dayton. In March, 1849, he as admitted to practice at the bar. With a letter of introduction from his preceptor, addressed to Thomas Millikin, of Hamilton, he then proceeded to his future home and arriving here hung out his “shingle” as an attorney-at-law. With limited resources and few acquaintances, business did not come his way at first. In the fall of 1849 an older lawyer was obliged to go away on account of ill health; he left young Brown in charge of his office and practice. Shortly afterwards the lawyer died and Mr. Brown thus became successor to the business, which amounted to about six hundred dollars per annum, and which he had no trouble to retain.

In 1852 Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Miss Mary A., daughter of Robert Beckett. Failing health induced him to move into the country, but he still gave some attention to his legal practice and also dealt in real estate. In this he was successful, his knowledge of the law being of great assistance to him. He continued thus occupied until 1870, when he became president of the Second National Bank, in which responsible position he remained until his death in 1904. During his incumbency as president of the bank he continued to deal in real estate and was also president of the Carr-Brown Milling Company. Mr. Brown always took a deep interest in public affairs, and was an honorable and substantial citizen and received the confidence of the people with whom he had business or social relations. In early life he was a Democrat, but later upon its organization became a supporter of the Republican party.

To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born six children, as follows: Clare, who married W. B. Carr, and died in January, 1892; Robert; William B.; Mary, wife of Judge R. E. Sloan, a member of the supreme court of Arizona; and Ella and Paul. To his children Mr. Brown gave the best possible educational advantages. The family are members of the United Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Brown officiated as an elder from 1857 until his death.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

WALDO F. BROWN.

Among those who have honored and dignified the great basic art of agriculture through personal interposition and able contributions to the literature of the great science as touching theoretical and applied phases, is the subject of this review, who is one of the leading farmers and influential citizens of the county and the editor of that valuable little brochure, “Experiments in Farming,” which has reached its fourth edition and attained a circulation of thirteen thousand copies.

Waldo F. Brown is a native of the old Bay state, having been born in the city of Worcester. Massachusetts, on the 24th of October, 1832. He is a son of Lewis and Mary Elenor (Knowlton) Brown, both of whom were born and reared in Massachusetts, the former being of Scotch-Irish lineage and the latter of Welsh, while both families were represented in the early settlement of New England. The genealogy of the Knowlton family is clearly defined for more than four centuries, and the valuable and interesting family record covering this long period is in the possession of the subject of this sketch, three brothers of the name having come from Wales to America in the early colonial epoch of our national history, while their descendants are now disseminated throughout divers sections of the Union. Waldo F. Brown initiated his educational work at a very tender age, entering the infant class in the schools of his native city when but four years old, while at the age of five he could read with no little facility, being at this time appointed to read aloud to the school twice each week. In 1838 he accompanied his parents on their immigration to the West, and the family settled on a farm near Brownsville, Indiana, and here the educational advantages were limited and he was not able to avail himself to a full extent of the opportunities afforded, since he was needed at home, to assist in the work of the farm. When he was sixteen years of age his parents removed to Butler county, Ohio, and located near Oxford, in which vicinity he has ever since continued to make his home. Here he prosecuted his studies in the country schools for four years during the winter terms and supplemented this discipline by attending the graded school in Oxford for one term. That he made the best use of the advantages thus afforded is evident when we revert to the fact that he made himself eligible for pedagogic work, being a successful teacher in the district schools of the county for several terms, while in the fall of 1854 he entered Miami University, where he continued his studies for one term. Thereafter he was employed as a teacher in the Oxford schools for one term, at the expiration of which he took charge of the school at Millville, this county, retaining this position for part of one term. In 1859, at the age of twenty-seven years, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Hyla J. Sample, a cousin of the late David Sample, well-known in this county, and she died in 1868, after an illness of very brief duration. On the 13th of February, 1871, Mr. Brown wedded Miss Laura A. Cross. Of the first union were born five children and of the second, two, and all are living. For a number of years after giving up the work of teaching Mr. Brown devoted his attention to market gardening and general farming, and for more than half a century he has resided on his present fine farm, which has the best improvements and which is looked upon as a model in its line, the same comprising ninety acres and being located two miles northwest of the attractive village of Oxford. He has been very successful in connection with the horticultural industry, not depending upon the raising of grain and live stock, and his careful study and investigation and his progressive methods have not only brought him marked success but have also gained him a wide reputation, which has been greatly augmented by his many and valuable articles published in the newspaper press and issued in book and pamphlet form. In 1863 Mr. Brown began the propagation of various products for seed purposes, and in this line built up a satisfactory business. In this year, it may be appropriately noted, he secured a seed board and from the same grew some prodigious specimens, one ot the number holding eleven gallons and three pints. This was placed on exhibition at the fair of the American Agricultural Association, in New York, and attracted much attention, while there was a large concomitant demand for seeds from the stock. In connection with the raising of the various seed products Mr. Brown eventually built up a business amounting to an average of three thousand dollars a year. His success and prominence in this line led to his being chosen as editor of the agricultural department of the Cincinnati Enquirer, in 1872, five years later was offered much better salary and accepted the position as associate

Google editor ol the Ohio Farmer, which position he held for a number of years, and in the spring of 1897 became agricultural editor of the Cincinnati Gazette. He has thus been engaged in editorial work along this line for more than thirty years, and he has done much to further the interests and success of the farming community and has gained prestige as a vigorous and able writer, handling his subjects with marked discrimination and intelligence and presenting his views and the results of his experience and experiments in such a way as to prove of great practical value. He is one of the staff contributors of the New York Tribune, the Country Gentleman, and Home and Farm, while he has contributed for many other papers along the special line to which he has so long given his attention. Among his more notable published works may be mentioned the following: “Home on the Farm,” “Farm and Stock Encyclopedia,” and “Nineteenth Century Progress in Agriculture,” besides a number of smaller works which have been widely circulated. He is known as one of the most able and practical writers on agricultural topics in the Union, and his prestige has continued to increase from year to year. Realizing most fully the dignity and the possibilities offered by the farm industry, he is an enthusiastic advocate of its claims, and has advised many young men to “stick to the farm,” knowing that industry and wise management would here give as good returns as in any other field of business enterprise. In 1864 the militia company to which Mr. Brown belonged was ordered into active service and was attached to the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the subject receiving an honorable discharge at the expiration of his term. He is a man of great public spirit and advanced ideas, and has wielded much influence in public affairs of a local nature. He has given a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, having voted for its first presidential candidate. John C. Fremont, but he has never sought official preferment. He became a member of the Presbyterian church at the age of eighteen years and has ever since been a zealous worker in the same, being now a ruling elder in the church at Millville, of which Mrs. Brown likewise is a member. He was one of the first to suggest the holding of farmers’ institutes, and was personally engaged as a lecturer in institute work for many years. In this connection he has traveled more than sixty-four thousand miles, having visited all the counties in Ohio except five. He is a man of inflexible integrity and is one of the valued and honored citizens of Butler county, where his friends are in number as his acquaintances. Mr. Brown is a member of Milligan Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Oxford.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.