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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Portrait
Biographical Album
of
Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio
containing Full Page
Portraits
and Prominent and
Representative Citizens
of the County
Together with Portraits and Biographies of all the
Presidents of the United States.
Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1890.
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RETURN to 1890 TABLE OF CONTENTS >
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NIXON GRADY BROWN.
In collecting the pioneer history of Southern Ohio it is
found that the Brown family, from whom sprang
the subject of this notice, occupied a conspicuous place.
They were people of steady habits, substantial and reliable,
and uniformly stood well in the several communities where
they located. He with whose name we introduce this
sketch remains as one of their most honored representatives
and during the later years of a useful and eventful life, is
now living in quiet retirement at a pleasant home in
Jamestown, of which he has been a resident since 1885.
From 1835 until 1885 Mr. Brown was a
resident of Cedarville Township, Greene County, being
located on Caesar’s Creek engaged in farming and
stock-raising and also operated a sawmill. He improved a
large tract of land, transforming it into a valuable and
productive farm. The first advent of his father’s
family here was in 1834. Prior to this, however, in
1832, Jacob Brown, leaving his native State of
Virginia, visited Ohio, and after spending some time in
looking the country over returned to the Old Dominion, and
in the spring of 1834, not being able to abandon his idea of
settling in the Buckeye State, came back and purchased two
thousand acres of land, mostly unimproved and included in
what is now Cedarville Township. He paid for this
$8,000 in cash, which he had received for one hundred and
sixty eight acres of improved land a few miles from the city
of Leesburg, Loudoun County, Va. This purchase was
formerly the property of the well-known Col. William
Elsey.
In making the journey hither Jacob Brown
traveled in true pioneer style, overland with teams, a
four-horse wagon, a two-horse wagon and a carriage.
The father rode on horseback and was accompanied by his four
sons and four daughters, of whom Nixon G., our
subject, was the youngest and is the only surviving son.
The little band of emigrants made their way slowly over a
thinly settled country, being sheltered at night usually
under the roof of a primitive tavern, but frequently passing
the night in their wagons and by their camp-fire.
After a tedious journey of nearly four weeks, frequently
over almost impassable roads, including Darby Plains, which
was always dreaded by the travelers of those days, they
arrived at their destination.
The father of our subject was a man weighing nearly two
hundred and fifty pounds, and his ride on horseback proved
particularly trying to him. Their location comprised a
part of what is known as the Military Tract, and on the land
thus taken up, only a few acres of which had been cleared,
the father and sons at once set about the erection of a
double log house in about the center of their possessions.
This accomplished, they began to clear the land and till the
soil. After years of arduous labor they found themselves the
possessors of a comfortable home, with a large estate which
was each year growing more valuable. Jacob Brown
lived to see this large extent of land mostly under
cultivation and embellished with good buildings. His
children attained to mature years and some were married and
settled in comfortable homes. The father departed this
life Jan. 22, 1860, when over eighty-four years old, having
been born Dec. 17, 1775.
Jacob Brown was born of Quaker parents
and in the peaceable doctrines of this sect was reared and
held to them during his entire life. He was married,
Dec, 14, 1800, in his native county, to Miss
Judith Walters, who was born there Aug. 8, 1781.
She likewise was the daughter of Quaker parents and of
English extraction. She proved in all respects the
suitable partner of her husband, enduring patiently and
cheerfully the hardships of pioneer life, was a devoted
mother and reared her children in the way they should go.
She passed away a few years prior to the decease of her
husband, her death taking place May 27, 1856.
Of the eleven children born to the parents of our
subject only two are living, Nixon G. and his sister,
Mrs. Sarah J. Wilson, who lives in Springboro, Warren
County, this State, and who is now seventy years old.
Mr. Brown was born Feb. 2, 1827, and was a lad of
eight years when his parents came from the place where he
was born, in Loudoun County, Va., to this State. He
cannot remember the time when he spent his days in idleness,
for all the children were required to make themselves useful
as soon as large enough. He put his shoulder to the
wheel in the clearing and cultivation of the large extent of
land which his father purchased, and after reaching his
majority became owner of three hundred and sixty-five acres.
To this he gave his best efforts for years thereafter,
cultivating the soil, putting up a fine set of buildings and
effecting the improvements which have made it one of the
most desirable estates in this part of the country. He
still retains possession of this farm, which is now operated
by his son-in-law and which affords him a handsome income.
The subject of this notice was married in Loudoun
County, Va., May 12, 1853, to Miss Hannah P.
Wilson. Mrs. Brown was born Nov. 22, 1824,
near Leesburg, Va., to William and Elizabeth (Nicholas)
Wilson, who were residents the greater part of their
lives in Loudoun County to which they had removed from
Maryland. Mr. Wilson was a farmer by
occupation and after his removal to Virginia located upon
land from which he built up a good farm and there spent the
remainder of his days, dying Dec. 19, 1871,when
seventy-seven years old. His wife, Elizabeth,
passed away some years later, in May, 1874, at the age of
seventy-six years. They were the parents of twelve
children, four sons and eight daughters, most of whom lived
to mature years, and five are yet surviving.
Mrs. Brown received careful training from
pious parents, remaining with them until her marriage.
Both she and her husband adhere loyally to the Quaker faith
of their ancestors, although attending the churches of other
denominations within their reach. Mr. Brown,
politically, is a sound Republican. He was the first
Vice President of the People’s Bank at Jamestown, of which
he is now a Director and a large stockholder.
Personally, he is a man of commanding presence with
well-developed muscles, made so by healthy labor during
youth and middle life, of which fact he has never been
ashamed. He was never addicted to the use of
intoxicating liquors or tobacco in any degree.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of two
children only, both daughters. Mary E. became
the wife of Otis T. Wolford, and they reside on the
old farm in Cedarville Township; Hattie married
Dr. W. P. Madden, of Xenia. Mr. Brown
retains in his possession his father’s old family Bible,
which could scarcely be purchased at any price. He has
also an illustrated handkerchief upon which is imprinted
scenes in the life of Gen. Washington, which
was given him by his aunt in Virginia, and which is many
years older than himself.
Source:
Portrait
Biographical Album
of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio,
Published
Chicago: Chapman Bros. - 1890 - Page 122 |
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FRANKLIN PIERCE BRYAN
is the leading business man of Fairfield, Greene County, and
a man of prominence and influence throughout the township,
well liked by his acquaintances and respected for his
business enterprise and zeal, his good citizenship and his
upright Christian character. He deals in groceries,
hardware and general merchandise, and does a large business.
He is of Irish extraction in the paternal line, and a
descendant of a worthy family, at least two generations of
whom were natives of Frederick County, Md.
The grandfather of our subject was Peter
Bryan of the above named State and the owner and
operator of a large tract of land. He came to Ohio,
locating on Government land at Baltimore, Stark County,
where he improved a farm and became a large landowner and
prominent and influential citizen. His son Henry,
accompanying him to Ohio when a boy, was educated in Stark
County, remaining on the farm until he was grown to manhood.
He then went to Dayton where he married and soon afterward
located in Fairfield, this county, where he learned
wagon-making and put up a shop of his own. He worked
at the business from 1844 until the spring of 1871, when he
sold out and retired until fall. After that rest he
embarked in the grocery business as a member of the firm of
Louck & Bryan, the connection continuing until
1876, when the senior partner was bought out by our subject,
and the firm became Bryan & Son. The business
was carried on under this style until September, 1889, when
the father sold his interest to our subject and retired from
business.
Henry Bryan was a man of prominence and
influence, and had an extensive acquaintance throughout the
county in which he had made a successful career. He
was Treasurer of Bath Township thirty-three year’s, or from
1856, until his death, Dec. 5, 1889. When called from time
to eternity he had reached his three-score years and ten.
In politics he was a Democrat and in religion a believer in
the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he
was a Trustee and Steward. During the raid of Gen.
John Morgan he took the field against the
raiders.
The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of
Lydia Petry. She was born in Lancaster,
Pa., and is a daughter of Henry Petry, a baker
who came to Ohio in an early day, locating at Dayton.
He ran the first coffee house in that city.
Subsequently he removed to Fairfield, this county, where he
built a bakery, which he carried on until he retired from
active life. He died in 1870 at the age of eighty-six
years. His daughter, Mrs. Bryan, is yet
living, her home being in Fairfield, and her age seventy-one
years. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. She is the mother of three children - Laura
I., wife of L. C. Mitman of Bath Township; W.
H., a blacksmith at Osborn, and our subject.
The gentleman with whose name we introduce this sketch
is still a comparatively young man, having been born June 6,
1852. Fairfield is his birthplace and here he was
reared and educated, receiving excellent instruction in the
Fairfield High Schools. He learned carriage painting,
following it from the time he was seventeen years old until
1871, when he went to Dayton and found employment in the
carriage shop of Decamp, and later in the
agricultural works of Dodge & Stoddard, where
he remained about five years. He then returned to
Fairfield, bought out John Louck and became
his father’s partner in business, enlarging the stock and
remodeling the store, which is now 20x57 feet. In
addition to the grocery stock they deal in hardware and
queensware, having a good trade in those lines and doing the
largest grocery business in town.
In 1879, Mr. Bryan started in the undertaking
business with Robert Miller under the style of
Miller & Bryan. The business is in charge
of the senior partner, the firm doing all in that line in
the vicinity, having their own building and the goods,
hearse, carriages and horses needed. When in
September, 1889, our subject bought out his father’s
interest in the business which they were carrying on, the
style was changed to F. P. Bryan, under which it has
since been run. Success has attended his efforts in
life, and beside his business investments he owns a good
residence and four lots.
The estimable lady who presides over Mr.
Bryan’s cozy home and whose companionship is his chief
delight, is a native of Bath Township, where she was reared
and educated. She bore the maiden name of Nettie
Wilson and became the wife of our subject, Sept. 21.
1876. Their happy union has been childless.
William Wilson, the grandfather of Mrs.
Bryan, was a native of Kentucky who came to this county
about 1800 while still a young man. He entered land in
Bath Township, upon which he made improvements until the War
of 1812, when he enlisted, while in the army contracting a
disease from which he died in July, 1812. He had
married Miss Catherine Heffley, a
native of Maryland who came to this section about 1805.
After her husband’s death Mrs. Wilson left the
farm and made her home with her father, Michael Hefliey,
where she died in the spring of 1813.
William Wilson, Jr., who was born
in Bath Township, Oct. 14, 1812, was thus left an orphan at
the age of six months, and was reared by his grandparents
until seventeen years of age. He was then apprenticed
at the blacksmith’s trade under Jacob Griner,
at Byron, where he spent three years as an apprentice and
one year as a journeyman. He then bought the shop and
tools and carried on the business for himself eighteen
years. At the expiration of that period he sold out
and bought a small farm in the neighborhood which he
operated until 1855, when he traded for a larger estate
north of Byron, upon which he resided until 1872. He
then retired to Fairfield, where he died Dec. 4, 1881.
He was Justice of the Peace two terms, and belonged to the
Reformed Church forty-four years. In May, 1834, he was
united in marriage with Elizabeth Watts, who died
Mar. 13, 1877.
Mr. Bryan of whom we write is the present
Treasurer of Bath Township, having taken his father’s place
in that office. He has been Treasurer of Fairfield for
six years, and has also been a member of the Common Council
four years. Few men of his years have taken a more
prominent stand than he in public affairs or have served
with greater credit in official capacities. His vote
and influence are given to the Democratic party. He is
active in the Methodist Episcopal Church and Sunday-school,
holding various offices.
Source:
Portrait
Biographical Album
of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio,
Published
Chicago: Chapman Bros. - 1890 - Page 253 |
NOTES:
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