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CHAPTER XXVIII.
BROWN TOWNSHIP
pg. 310
THIS township was laid out March 9, 1825, and
"attached to Jefferson until it shall be ascertained
that there is inhabitants enough in Brown to have it
organized." March 6, 1826, "ordered by the
Commissioners that Brown be hereafter considered a
separate and distinct township, and the election be
held at the house of Josias Ewing, for
township officers, on the first Monday of April, and
Jefferson be henceforth attached to Union."
The name was given to perpetuate the memory of
Major General Jacob Brown, the hero of Chippewa
and Fort Erie, who had but recently become commander
in-chief of the U. S. Army.
The first post-office, called Phifer's X Roads,
was where Brownsville now is, and of late has borne
the name of Jelloway, after the stream of this
locality.
The present merchants are, Wm. Patton, Sam'l Beeman,
Pinckley & Watz; doctors, E. Booth, L. D.
Whitford; wagonmakers, Thomas Thompson,
Emanuel Storer; blacksmiths, Smith &
Hagerman, D. Thompson; tailor, F. Schuch;
shoemakers, E. Waddle, W. Stull and Knee;
tavern, Mrs. Phifer; tanner, Henry
Franzier; gunsmith, Henry Raisin; grocer,
J. H. Burriss. The Methodists have a
meeting-house, wherein Rev. Mr. Ball
preaches.
In 1840 the inhabitants of Brown numbered 1,204; in
1850, 1535; and in 1860, 1,440.
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311]
The most numerous families in this township are the
McKees, Waddles, Halls and Blairs,
descendants of early settlers, who cleared the way
for the present.
Charles McKee emigrated from Ireland, with
fourteen children, about 1808. Alexander
McKee settled in this county in 1809; he resides
on his old place on Big Jelloway, where was once an
Indian camp; and when he first settled there,
sixty-five Indians called at his hut, drank
metheglin with him, and they had a jovial time all
round.
The Halls, Sovernses, Pinkertons, Waddles, and
Stewards have also been plenty in Brown.
John Carghman (pronounced Carnahan)
was a wild Irishman of much note about 1826; he was
a warm-hearted, impulsive creature; and "faith, an'
he was a knowledgeable mon." Many anecdotes
are quoted of him, which we have not room to
produce.
Jacob Phifer from Strasburg, Germany, located in
this township in 1818, when all was wild and new.
He died Oct. 9, 1816, aged 89. He had served
ten years a soldier in Europe, three years in the
Revolutionary War, and three months in the war of
1812. The old soldier was the father of
Freeman, John, James and Michael.
James Blair, our old friend, "God bless you," was
one of the early stock. In 1816 he tended the
old Shrimplin mill; moved to Brown in 1820,
and has been one of its most prominent men, having
served as justice long enough to entitle him to
vote, and his decisions have been generally approved
of by his fellow citizens. He has been engaged
in
[Pg.
312]
milling, farming, raising children, writing "poetry"
and making himself generally useful. His
memory will endure in Brown forever.
Zephaniah Wade, who commanded a company of Riflemen
from London co., Va., in 1777, moved to this county
in October, 1816, with his son, Thomas.
Zephaniah and his wife, Irene Longley,
are both dead. J. J. Skillings has been
one of the most active business men.
There have been a few small mills on Big Jelloway from
its early settlement, but the want of water, during
the year, has caused some of them to suspend.
Emor Barret's grist mill was built about
1833, and is yet in operation. It is run by an
overshot wheel 16 feet high. Thomas
Wade has a saw mill 2½ miles above it run by an
overshot wheel 30 feet high. A set of carding
machines have also been run at this stand. The
mills of James Blair, Ab. Whitney, and
Joseph Hall have gone into dilapidation and
decay.
Jacob Roof and his wife, Polly, Jacob Darrow
and Wm. Prior, Jacob Baugh, Daniel Worley and
Richard Deakins, were old settlers.
SUCCESSIVE JUSTICES
OF THE PECE.
Samuel Barkhurst was the first, and Josias
Ewing succeeded him in 1826.
1830. James McMillen; re-elected in 1833
1831. James Blair; re-elected in 1834,
'37, '40, '43, '46, '49
1837. Thomas Wade; re-elected in 1840 and
1844.
1845. John W. Gurberson
1846. Wm. Soverns; re-elected in 1850
1850. Joseph Pinkley; re-elected in 1853
and 1857
1852. Solomon C. Workman
1854. John
Hicks
1856. J. W.
Leonard; re-elected in 1859 and 1862
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