Barry-Ingham-Gratiot County MI Archives Biographies.....Brown, George W. 1829 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 5, 2007, 7:34 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

GEORGE W. BROWN, of North Irving, Mich, was born in the town of Carmel, Putnam
County, N. Y., April 19, 1829. The meager advantages of the district school were
his and yet at the age of fourteen he was the successful competitor at an
examination at the county seat conducted by the school commissioners, and was
declared to be the best scholar in the county. After one term at the village
academy he commenced teaching in the spring of 1849, his first engagement being
in a school where six teachers had been turned out by the scholars. This young
man agreed to remain the full term and subject the school to good discipline or
leave without any compensation and he stayed four terms, after which his
services were earnestly solicited at a much advanced rate of payment.

  Mr. Brown then removed to Westchester County, N. Y., where he found
remumerative employment in the best schools, and taught at Tarrytown, Dobbs
Ferry, and Hastings upon-the-Hudson. At the earnest solicitation of a New York
City gentleman who resided there, he opened a private school which in time
became the Hasting's Institute which is still a popular co-educational school.

  On Christmas Day 1852 our subject was united in marriage with Sarah J.,
daughter of Elihu Leach, a lady of fine literary attainments, with whom he lived
most happily until September 13, 1858, when she departed this life leaving one
little boy two and one half years old. In October, 1860, Mr. Brown left New York
for Michigan reaching Williamston, where he soon began teaching in the village
school, and in this "hard school" he was eminently successful both in teaching
and government.

  On the 22nd of December, 1860, Mr. Brown married Avis B., daughter of Abel C.
Bunker, a young lady of amiable disposition and rare good sense and in April of
the next year he removed to Leslie, where he was soon engaged in the Union
School of that place, and in the following year taught at St. John's, where he
would have long continued had not ill health removed him from the teacher's desk.

  In the winter of 1866-67 he again undertook teaching and the following spring
was elected the first County Superintendent of Schools of Ingham County, to
which office he was re-elected in 1869, and failing health alone compelled his
declination of the nomination for the third term.

  In May 1871 Mr. Brown opened a hardware Store in Williamston, but in the fall
of the following year he removed to Hastings in order to take charge of the
interests of the Agricultural and Watertown Insurance Companies in that part of
the State. For eight years he remained in that position and was regarded as the
best solicitor for those companies in the State. In the spring of 1873 he and
his six children were bereft of a beloved wife and a faithful mother, and in
November 1875, he was again married to Mrs. Mary Ackley with whom on a beautiful
farm in the township of Irving, Barry County he intends to spend the remainder
of his days in quiet retirement. In 1887 he came from Irving to Alma to assist a
son in the management of the Alma Record but since the sale of a half interest
of that paper to O. M. Everden he has retired from active life to his farm home.

  The six living children of Mr. Brown are Eli L., Charles F., Fred L., George
R., Edwin E. and Lou B. George R. and Edwin E. are now managing the Flushing
Observer and the former is married to Pet Foreman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
George W. Foreman of Grand Ledge, Eaton County, Mich., while the latter is
united in marriage with Abbie M. daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. J. B. White, who
were among the earliest pioneers of this township. These young and enterprising
brothers are attached to the Republican party. They are making a success of
their newspaper enterprise.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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