The Brown Families of Wyandot County, Ohio

WILLIAM BROWN was born in this county December 22, 1842. He is a son of Abram and Frances (Coon) Brown, who came to this county in an early day, purchased land, and reared a family of eleven children, eight living: Henry, John, William, Jacob, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hester A. and Catharine. The mother died in August, 1870; the father in January, 1880. William, the subject of this sketch, was engaged at home till his twenty-first year. He became a member of the Ohio National Guard, and enlisted February 8, 1864, in Company K, Fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and entered the regular service. He participated in the battles of Resaca, Kenosaw Mountain, Big Shanty, Peach Tree Creek, Fort McAllister, Jonesboro, and all the battles of the Atlanta campaign, also with Sherman on his march to the sea, receiving his discharge at the close of the war at Little Rock, Ark. On returning home, Mr. Brown worked at the carpenter's trade two years, and then farmer; rented land until 1878, when he purchased his present farm of eighty acres to which he has since added sixty acres more, the whole valued at $75 per acre. He was married, March 3, 1870, to Harriet Paulin, who was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, September 22, 1850; her parents, John and Sarah (Candle) Paulin, came to this county in 1854, and still reside here. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have four children — Alvin E., born July 24, 1871; Bertha L., February 22, 1873; Alice, March 25, 1876; and Sarah M., June 4. 1880. In politics, Mr. Brown is a Republican; he is a member of the K. of H, G. A. R., and is well respected as a citizen in his community.

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

JOHN N. BROWN, son of Abraham and Francis (Coon) Brown, is a native of this county, born May 8, 183(3. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively, and of mixed and German nationality. His paternal grandfather was captured by the Indians in the war of 1812, and never returned. His maternal grandfather was in the same war. Mr. Brown's father came to Ohio in 1826, stopping in Marion County two years, then moving to this county, entering eighty acres of land — owning at one time 160. The children of the family were Henry, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Esther A., William, Jacob, Catharine, Letitia, Mary F. and Susan — three latter deceased. The mother died in 1870. aged sixty-five; the father January 26, 1880, aged seventy-six; he was for several years a member of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Brown was reared on a farm and engaged in the work of the same until he grew to manhood. October 22, 1857, he married Miss Lydia Beery, daughter of Jonathan and Magdaline (Coefman) Beery, early settlers in this county, the latter still a resident at McCutchen ville. Three children resulted from this marriage — Austin M., Laura E. and Eliza A. After his marriage, Mi". Brown rented land several years and then purchased a farm of 100 acres in Mifflin Township, where he resided ten years. He then disposed of his first purchase and bought his present farm of 120 acres, paying $6,00(\ His farm is in good repair, valued at $65 per acre. Mr. Brown has been a hard laborer all his life. January 1, 1850, he claims to have split 774 oak rails. He is a Republican and member of the United Brethren Church. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Evangelical Church.

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

ABRAHAM BROWN was born March 3, 1822. He is a native of Wayne County, Ohio, and is a son of Henry and Margaret (Nitz) Brown, natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born February 22, 1798, was married in Pennsylvania, and removed to Wayne County, Ohio, about 1818. In 1826, he brought his family to this county, and located near Wyandot Village. In 1828, his first wife died, and in 1830 he was married to Elizabeth Nitz, of Fairfield County, Ohio; he subsequently moved to Belle Vernon, residing in this county till his death in August, 1881. By his first marriage there were five children, three living — David I., Lucretia and Abraham, the former a prominent lawyer in Ottawa, Ohio; Lucretia, now Mrs., Johnson, resides in Minnesota. Abraham Brown, the subject of this sketch, resided with his parents till eighteen years of age. He then paid his father $95 for the remainder of his minor years, and began business for himself, working four years by the month for S. Bretz. He continued in this work till twenty-four; then rented land one year, purchasing fifty-three acres in 1845. on which farm he lived twenty-five years. By subsequent purchases, INEr. Brown has increased his possessions till he now owns 685 acres, valued at $60 to $75 per acre. He has done an extensive farming and stock business; his operations having all been confined to this county; he has done considerable in the sheep business, and usually keeps good grades. Mr. Brown was married March 20, 1845, to Mary J. Ekleberry, a native of Muskingum County, born May 4, 1826. Her parents were Ezekiel and Mary (Towbridge) Eckleberry, and were married in Muskingum County, subsequently moving to this county, and locating near Belle Vernon about 1830; her father and mother are both dead. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have had eleven children, seven living, namely: Ezekiel, born January 24, 1850; Mary A, April 12, 1854; Ella, April 3, 1856; Kate. December 29, 1857; Effie C, January 12, 1860; Abraham L., March 5, 1862; Charles F., March 3, 1863. Mr. Brown has been a resident of this county fifty-eight years, and has done considerable for its development; he was one of the first settlers, having worked one year on the old Mission farm, and is quite familiar with the Indian language and customs. He is ranked among the foremost farmers of the county, and one of its most worthy citizens.

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

HENRY P. BROWN was born in Crawford Township, this county, September 10, 1884, and is the son of William and Eliza (Kooken) Brown, natives of Franklin County, Ohio, where they were united in marriage. His parents came to this county in 1824, and entered land in this township. They had fifteen children, nine of whom are still living — William S., Henry P., James K., Frank, Ansilla, Ellen, Ann, Mary and Augusta. The mother died in June, 1872, the father in 1862. Henry P. Brown, our subject, was married, February 26, 1869, to Miss Verlinda McLeod, of Ridge Township, born March 25, 1837, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Colo) McLeod, natives of Pennsylvania and of Fairfield County, Ohio, respectively. Her parents were married in Fairfield County and in an early day settled in Ridge Township. Ten of their twelve children still survive — Joseph R., William O., Verlinda, Isabel, Abraham, John M., Eliza, Clementine, Lorilia, Lenora and Emma. The parents now reside in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are parents of seven children — Florence A., Frank H., Charles A., Abraham Mc, Ernest E., Eliza J. and Willie; the two latter deceased. In 1858, Mr. Brown became the owner of 160 acres in this township, and to this tract he has added by subsequent purchases till he now owns 300 acres valued at $80 per acre. He devotes his time to general agriculture, in which he is quite successful. Mr. Brown has served the township in various offices, and is a Republican in politics. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Lutheran Church.

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

JOSEPH A. BROWN was born in Ashland County, Ohio, July 16, 1844. He is a son of James S. and Rebecca (Zimmerman) Brown, the former a native of Ross County, Ohio, the latter of Huntingdon County, Penn. He was reared to manhood in his native county and educated in the district schools, enlisting May 1, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under command of Gen. Rosecraus. His regiment at length halted on the banks of the Monongahela, West Virginia, from whence Mr. Brown made his first trip as scout, engaging in an action near Fort Pickens with a party of " bushwhackers," and on his return to camp at Camp Scott, his father, who was a teamster in the same company, was fatally seized with typhoid fever. He was afterward moved to Camp Lookout, where he died October 1, 1861, at the home of a colored family. In this situation, Mr. Brown had the trying experience of making his own father's coffin, of boards torn from an old corn crib, and burying him with his own hands in an old graveyard near by. He then joined his regiment, and in the winter of 1862, with a scouting party of twenty, captured twenty prisoners, and fired but three shots, after which he was ordered East in August of that year. He subsequently participated in the battles of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, aod other's. Being wounded at the latter place, he was kept at the hospital several weeks, joining his regiment at Charleston, where he x'e-enlisted December 18, 18G3. He was afterward engaged as scout under Capt. Blazer for Gens. Crooks and Sheridan, and passed through some thrilling experiences. On the morning of October 4, 1864, he was captured by four of Mosby's rebels, disguised as Union soldiers, while on his way to Cedar Creek, and escaped only by shooting three of the guards, this being done by the assistance of a fellow-prisoner. The history of this capture and escape is replete with incident and interest, but the limits of this sketch will not admit its thrilling details. Besides the battles enumerated above, Mr. Brown was engaged at Opequon, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Snicker's Gap, Fisher's Hill, Cloyd's Mountain, Lynchburg, Petersburg and Fredericksburg. He was honorably discharged August 5, 1865, and returned to Wellington, Lorain County, where he engaged in the tinner's trade one year. He then removed to Ashland, where he engaged in the same business till 1867, when he came to Nevada, and went into the employ of David and William Balliet, with whom he remained live years. Mr. Brown was married, August 4, 1867, to Miss Mary J. Smith, whose letters addressed to him in " care of Capt. Blazer, commanding scouts," had so nearly betrayed his position to his captors. She is the daughter of Wilson and Eliza (Simmons) Smith, early settlers of Crawford County. This marriage has been followed by four children, viz., iona (born July 27, 1870), Adella (November 15, 1872), James W. (September 10, 1874), Daisy (November 10, 1878). Mrs. B. was born in Crawford County December 3, 1846. Mr. Brown has been chief of the fire department in Nevada since its organization in 1870; was Marshal one term, and now a member of the Council. He is a member of the K. of H., L O. O.

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

JOSEPH BROWN, born March 12, 1834, is a native of Richland County, Ohio, and the eldest son of Martin and Cicilia (Simon) Brown, who were natives of France, and emigrated to America in 1882, settling in Richland County, where they both died in March, 1882. Their children were Mary A., Joseph, Ambrose, Ferdinand, Samuel, Cleopha and John. Joseph, our subject, was married September 25, 1860, to Miss Rimlinger, a resident of Crawford County, and a native of France, daughter of Martin and Barbara Rimlinger. This union was blessed by ten children: Mary C, John, Cleopha, Roseanna, Emeline, Francis S., Joseph F., Charlie M., Clara and Annie. Mary and John are deceased. Mr. Brown purchased sixty acres of land in this township in 1863, adding twenty acres more in 1872. Upon this he now resides, having it well improved and stocked. He is a prominent citizen in his township, a Democrat in politics, and with his family, is a member of the Catholic Church.

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

The gentleman whose name opens this sketch and who now has his home in Sycamore township, Wyandot county, Ohio, was born in Canada, about seventeen miles north of Brockville. September 23, 1812. His parents, however, were natives of the state of New York and as that part of the Union was at that time the scene of war, many residents of the section crossed the line on the north in order to escape the British marauders who were devastating the country, and this was in all probability the case with the parents of the subject. It cannot be determined in what county Oliver Brown, father of subject, was born, but it is known that Sallie (Wilsey) Brown, the mother, had her nativity in Dutchess county.

Benjamin Brown, father of Oliver, was an old man when he entered the British army at the time of the American Revolution, and still living when the war of 1812 took place, when he went with the family to Canada, where his death occurred.

Oliver Brown, who had been a farmer by calling, died in Albion. Orleans county, X. Y., and there also his wife passed away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which both were active workers. They had a family of nine children, namely: Benjamin and Hiram, deceased; Anthony, in Findlay. Ohio: Jephtha, the subject of this, sketch; Ezra, who was an attorney and died in Findlay; Alfred, who died in Wood county; Henry, also an attorney, died in Findlav: Sallie died young, and Franklin died in New York state.

Jephtha Brown, the subject, was reared a millwright, but had worked on the home place until twenty-one years old. and after havinglearned his trade still remained at; home until twenty-five years of age, when he started for Wyandot county, Ohio, coming partly by stage and partly on foot, and stopping on the way to act as miHman at Paw Paw, Mich., and in Seneca county, Ohio, and helping to build several mills. He had purchased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in section 8, Sycamore county, on his wav here to visit his brother, Benjamin, in Wood county, where he remained about five years, so that it was not until 1842 that he settled on his present place, some of which he had cleared in the intermediate time. There was a log cabin; on the place, but this has long since been supplanted by a handsome modern dwelling.

The marriage of Mr. Brown took place to Miss Sallie Holmes, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Ira and Hannah (Brown) Holmes, the former of whom was a native of New York and the latter of Canada, and were pioneers of Seneca county, Ohio. They came to Wyandot county and settled in the woods, with no neighbors within a radius of less than four miles. The father was also a tillman, and he and wife were highly respected wherever they resided, and both passed their latter years in Wyandot county.

To Mr. and Mrs. Jephtha Brown have been born six children, namely: Clarance, who died when seventeen years old: Adeline, who is married to Elias Jones, of Crawford county; Amelia, wife of Albert L. Flack, a merchant of Tiffin; Alfred J.. a farmer of Crawford county; Wirt, who; married Alice Van Gundy, and is farming, on the old homestead; and Loveta, who died young.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILBER BROWN was born in Elizabethtown, Leeds Co., Canada, June 13, 1832, son of Asa and Eliza (Lee) Brown. In 1853, he began farming in Crawford County, Ohio. In 1872, he embarked in the grocery trade in Lucas County, where he remained till 1875. He then sold out, and in 1876 moved to Sycamore, and began the dry goods business, closing out the same year. In 1877, he embarked in the drug business, which he still pursues. He owns property in Fostoria and also in Sycamore, where he is conducting a profitable and prosperous business. In May, 1864, he enlisted in the army, and was honorably discharged in May of the same year. Mr. Brown was married, July 3, 1853, to Clarissa Lindley, of Likens Township, Crawford County, daughter. of Eli and Irene (Triscot) Lindley, natives of York State, and of English parentage. Her parents reared a family of five sons and six daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had one child, born December 2, 1854, died October 6, 1875. [Mrs. Brown passed away August 8, 1872. July 15, 1873, Mr. Brown was married to Eliza A. Lucas, of Whitebouse, Lucas Co., Ohio, daughter of David and Catharine (Demuth) Lucas, natives of Pennsylvania. Three children have been born to this union: Eliza C, October 9, 1875; Catharine D., August 3. 1879; and Wilber L., November 28, 1881. In politics, Mr. Brown is a Republican; served as Township Clerk several years; is a member of Rubicon Lodge, No. 645, I. O. O. F., and both himself and wife are members of the Protestant Methodist Church. They were both school teachers in their younger days.

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