The Brown Families of Pickaway County, Ohio

ISAAC X. BROWN, one of Pickaway County's honored survivors of the great Civil War, to which he gave three years of his young manhood, is a well-known agriculturist of Muhlenberg township, owning a highly cultivated little farm in Muhlenberg township, consisting of 14 acres, which the word “garden” apply describes. Mr. Brown was born June 16, 1831, in Knox County, Ohio, on a farm 10 miles northeast of Mount Vernon, and is a son of Nathan and Elizabeth (Long) Brown.

The parents of Mr. Brown were born in the vicinity of Cove Mountain, Pennsylvania, and were brought to Ohio by their parents in childhood. They married in Ohio and when our subject was seven years old moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, where they resided on a farm for some seven years and then decided to seek a new home in the West. Nathan Brown started with his wife and ii children, but when he reached Circleville he was taken sick and died in 1848, aged 55 years. The family remained at Circleville until the death of the mother, which took place on July 5, 1855, when the family became scattered. The children were: Polly, Abraham and Susan, all deceased; Isaac N., of this sketch; Jacob, a resident of Illinois, who survived imprisonment at Anderson ville, during the Civil War, through a period of 11 months and 13 days; Barbara, now deceased, who married John W. Frost, a veteran of the Mexican War and moved with him to Missouri; John L., of Indiana; William, a member of an Illinois regiment in the Civil War, who died in 1862, at Memphis, Tennessee; Nancy J., a resident of Columbus; Solomon; and Mrs. Elizabeth Simmons, who died in Missouri.

In the spring of 1849 our subject proceeded to Muhlenberg township and sought and obtained work on a farm, by the month, lie continued to work in this way for nine years on the farm of James and Perry Dawson, receiving as wages the sum of $8 a month. After he married he continued to live there for two years longer, after which he moved to the James Abernathy farm, which he rented for two years and then removed to the Z. P. Adkins farm near Five Points.

Mr. Brown was living on this place when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, on August 30, 1861, entering Company C. 20th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., Third Brigade of the Third Division of the 17th Army Corps, under Capt. J. M. McCoy and Colonel Whittlesey. When Mr. Brown became a soldier, he entered upon a path of great hardship and constant danger as will be seen on recounting the many battles in which his life was risked. Not including minor engagements, Mr. Brown participated in these battles: Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Bolivar, Iuka, Big Hatchie River, Hankin’s Ferry, Raymond, Champion Hills, the whole siege of Vicksburg of 47 days duration, Jackson and Baker’s Creek. After three years and one month of service, he was honorably discharged. He was several times injured in the service. At Raymond he was slightly wounded in the left high by a bullet and had three ribs broken and a leg broken by being thrown down and run over by a wagon attached to a six-mule team. On April 1, 1864, this injury landed him in the Vicksburg hospital, where he remained for one month and then was sent to Louisville where he remained until he was mustered out.

Upon his return, Mr. Brown resumed farming and continued to live on his rented farm until the fall of 1888, when he purchased his present home of 14 acres which he has placed under a very fine state of cultivation and which yields handsomely. He has erected the buildings here and has made all the excellent improvements.

In 1852 Mr. Brown was married to Hester A. Starks, who was born in Maryland and died in Iowa. She had three children, viz.: Franklin P., of Iowa; John Wesley, deceased at the age of four years and Eliza Jane, deceased at the age of six years.

Mr. Brown was married (second) in November, 1868, to Mrs. Isabelle F. Nichell, who was the widow of Andrew J. Nichell, who died in the army during the Civil War, leaving four children, viz.: Elias D., of Illinois; Robert C, of Illinois; Mrs. Sarah E. Lyons, of Hardin County, Ohio; and Mrs. Augusta Smith, of Muhlenberg township. Mrs. Brown was born in Vinton County, Ohio, February 22, 1840, and is a daughter of Elias and Sarah (Gardner) Ramey, the former of whom was born in Belhiont County, Ohio, and the latter in Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have had these children: Rose Ann; Mrs. Gertrude Kern, deceased; Hattie, wife of Daniel H. Crawford, of Hardin County, Ohio; John M., of Madison County; Etta, wife of Fletcher Graham, living near Derby; Loutie M., who has been a teacher for the past 10 years; and Myrtle, who is the wife of Albert Brown, of Illinois.

Mr. Brown has been a life-long Republican. He is one of the old and esteemed members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Darbyville.

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

JAMUEL E. BROWN. The death of Samuel E. Brown, which took place December 6, 1904, at Mount Carmel Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, removed from this section a man who was widely known for his many excellent traits of character and was esteemed by a large circle of friends. His home was in Muhlenberg township, where he owned a farm of 202 acres. Mr. Brown was born December 18, 1841, and was a son of John and Amanda (Root) Brown.

The parents of Mr. Brown were natives of Germany and Ross County. Ohio, respectively. The father, who came to Pickaway County in young manhood, served two years in the Civil War, in which he was so seriously wounded that he was discharged on account of disability. His children were: Kate, deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Atherton; Samuel E.; Sarah Ellen, deceased, who was the wife of David Sheers; Mary, wife of Isaiah Tatman, of Circleville; John; Nelson, deceased; and Martha, of Athens, Ohio.

With the exception of 12 years spent on a rented farm in Madison County, Ohio, Samuel E. Brown spent his whole life in Pickaway County. He remained on the home farm in Scioto township during his boyhood and young manhood and as his father was away from home serving as a soldier in the army, he continued to reside on his native place for two years after his marriage. Upon the return of his father, Mr. Brown rented a 100-acre farm in Madison County and resided there for 12 years. This farm he operated without assistance. He became the owner of 40 acres in Madison County but never resided on that farm and subsequently sold it. In 1873 he came to the farm on which the rest of his life was spent, his first purchase being one of 40 acres. To this he added until the home farm contained 202 acres and he also owned, at the time of his death, 68 acres in Jackson township, on which his eldest son is settled. Almost all of this land Mr. Brown cleared himself. He always took the deepest interest in improving his property, and as long as health permitted he continued to add to its value. His love for his home and family was his great interest in life and he left his dear ones well provided for, his estate aggregating some $20,000 in property and $10,000 in cash.

On June 14, 1863, Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Elizabeth Morris, who was torn in Guernsey County, Ohio, June 16, 1844, and is a daughter of Isaac and Aberillah (Botts) Morris, natives of Guernsey County, who moved from that county to Hocking County and later to Pickaway County. Mr and Mrs. Brown had four children, namely: William, of Jackson township; Sarah Ellen, wife of Henry Hill; Emma Alice, wife of Frank Hubbard, of Columbus; and George M., who lives at home.

Although Mr. Brown had few educational advantages and was obliged to make his own way in the world without any outside assistance, he was a very successful man. His industry was remarkable and his judgment seldom at fault. In his political views he was a Democrat but he was never active in politics.

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

THOMAS WHITE BROWN, a well-known business man of Wayne township and Circleville, who has been identified with many interests in Pickaway County for some years, was born in Deerfield township, Ross County. Ohio,

J in 1869, and is a son of Ambrose White; Brown.

The father of Mr. Brown was also born in 1 Deerfield township, Ross County, Ohio, where ! his parents had settled at an early date. In 1876 he removed to Pickaway County, where he died in the following year.

Thomas W. Brown was reared in Ross County, attended the Chillicothe High School and in 1887 entered Wooster University, where he remained until 1891. He then returned to his farm in Ross county, but on May 1, 1900. he came to Pickaway County, where he bought the flour mill, elevator and farm of I William Foresnran. He operated this property until his mill was totally destroyed by fire on July 26, 1905. Mr. Brown has not rebuilt but has given his attention to other interests. With other capitalists he is contemplating the erection in the near future of an ice plant for the manufacture of artificial ice. He is a man of business enterprise and has met with success in his previous business ventures.

Mr. Brown was united in marriage in 1903 with Annie E. Wright, who was born at South Bloomfield, Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a sister of Dr. T. B. Wright, of Circleville.

Mr. Brown retains his membership with the various societies with which he became identified at Wooster University and he belongs also to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

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

RICHARD AMBROSE BROWN, M. D., a physician of modern and progressive character and of increasing practice, a resident of Commercial Point in Scioto township, and largely interested in agricultural property, both as owner and manager, was born in Chillicothe,; Ohio, on the 3rd of December, 1873. He is a son of Ambrose White and Flora (Cunningham) Brown, and is of Scotch ancestry on the paternal side and of Scotch-Irish, on the material. The family history of the Cunninghams has been traced to the ancient annals of Scotland, the Doctor having in his possession their distinctive coat-of-arms. They were identified with colonial times in America, and one of the immediate ancestors of Dr. Brown is known to have fought in the Revolutionarv War.

Thomas White Brown,. the paternal grandfather, was a native of Maryland, but came to Ohio in his early married life, where Ambrose White Brown, his son and the father of our subject, was. born. Both parents of Dr. Brown were natives of Ross County, this State, and were of the unpretentious, respected, farming class. Ills father, the owner of considerable land, has been dead for 27 years, while his mother resides in Circleville. Dr. Brown is not only building up a fine practice in and around Commercial Point, but owns a valuable farm of 320 acres and manager his mother's estate in Scioto township.

The other members of the family born to Mr., and Mrs. Ambrose White Brown were: Thomas White Brown, who resides west of Circleville and is a dealer in grain; Ethel, wife of J. G. Hollenbeck, who is district passenger agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at Atlanta, Georgia; and Ada, who married Stuart R. Bolin, a lawyer of Circleville. The family are traditionally Presbyterians and Democrats, and several members of it have been active and somewhat prominent in politics.

Richard A. Brown, the subject of these lines, received his early education in the graded schools at Chillicothe, entered Wooster College in the fall of 1888. and after spending four years there was a student at Princeton for another two years. In the fall of 1893 he matriculated at Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, and graduated therefrom with his degree, in March, 1896. He spent the fall and spring of 1897 and 1898 in pursuing a post-graduate course at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and in the summer of the latter year located at Parkersburg. West Virginia. While a resident of that place he was associated with Dr. C. G. Blubaugh, and did considerable surgical work for the railroads. He was assistant surgeon of the Ohio River Railroad and attended to the local work of the Southwestern Division of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Since February, 1905, Dr. Brown has been a resident of Commercial Point, and both as physician, surgeon and citizen has an assured standing, lie is a Royal

Arch Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner, and is also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America.

Dr. Brown's wife was formerly Minnie Abernethy. daughter of Judge I. N. Abernethy, of Circleville, of which place she is a native.

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