OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List December 1, 1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 98 : Issue 5 Today's Topics: #1 OBIT: Brown, Esther Converse (Ston [DitsyMM@aol.com] #2 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Brown, Levi W [DitsyMM@aol.com] #6 Fw: Census: ICENOGLE, 1880, Washin [Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman <73777.25] ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Tue, 1 Dec 1998 09:14:24 EST From: DitsyMM@aol.com Subject: OBIT: Brown, Esther Converse (Stone) 1934 Fulton Co., OH Mrs. L. W. Brown Expired Friday (published in local newspaper, scrapbook does not indicate which paper) Funeral Services Were Conducted in Home Sunday Mrs. Esther Stone Brown, 86 years of age, passed away at her home on East Oak Street last Friday morning after a short illness. She was born in Nappanok, NY and came to Wauseon to live in 1875 and in same year went to work for the New York Central railroad here as a telegraph operator and agent [see corresponding article submitted 11/30/98]. In 1883 she married Mr. L. W. Brown, who was appointed United States consul to Glasgow, Scotland by President Harrison in 1889 and served in that capacity until 1893. For three terms Mr. Brown was probate judge in this county and was one of the organizers of the Toledo & Indiana railroad. In 1900 he was permanent chairman of the Democratic national convention at Kansas City which nominated William Jennings Bryan was president. Mr. Brown passed away a number of years ago. Mrs. Brown is survived by a daughter, Miss Ruth Brown [later known as Mrs. Reas Campbell], local school teacher, with whom she made her home; a son Walter of Piqua, OH; a sister Miss Eliza Stone, 91, of Oswego, NY and a brother Mr. Hoxie Stone, 77 of Clarksville, OH and three stepsons Albert Brown of NY; Maynard Brown of Clyde, OH; and George Brown of Wauseon. Mrs. Brown was a very brilliant lady. She was quiet and unassuming and was very well liked by everyone who knew her. Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon in the home of Rev. Roy C. Vandegriff and interment was in the Wauseon cemetery. ======================================================== Mrs. Esther Brown One of Prominent Pioneers Passes On A fine, beautiful life passed on in the death of Mrs. Esther Brown at her home on East Oak Street early Friday morning of last week. She had nearly reached the four score and seven years of age at the time of her passing. She was the widow of the late Probate Judge L. W. Brown of this county. During the administration of President Benj. Harrison, he was appointed consul to Glasgow, Scotland where he and his family resided there for several years. Mrs. Brown was a very likable talented lady and in her younger years took an active part in those circles where a lady's influence and work is helpful. She was a great reader and a most delightful person with whom to associate. She was a devoted Christian woman. She had been in ill health for some time and was a most patient sufferer. She knew the end was not far distant and quietly passed away in her sleep. She is survived by her daughter, Ruth with whom she lived and who gave her every care and attention; a son Walter of Piqua, and by three stepsons - George Brown living on a farm southeast of Wauseon; Albert Brown of New York City; and Maynard Brown of Clyde and a large circle of friends. The funeral services were held from the home at five o'clock Sunday afternoon conducted by Rev. Roy C. Vandegriff pastor of the First Methodist Congregational church and interment was made in Wauseon cemetery. Very lovingly submitted by your great-granddaughter: Maggie Brown Moerdyke ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Tue, 1 Dec 1998 10:04:12 EST From: DitsyMM@aol.com Subject: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Brown, Levi W. Fulton Co., OH Biographical Sketch for Levi Walter Brown, Probate Judge for three terms Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH 1879 - This sketch was published in Glasgow, Scotland as an introduction and greeting to the Brown family when L. W. Brown was stationed there by then President Benjamin Harrison who appointed him as U. S. Consul. There were beautiful artists portraits of each family member Levi W. Brown, his third wife Esther Stone Brown, children Ruth Brown, Wilma Brown, Walter Brown, Maynard, Albert, George and Charles [submitters grandfather] also in the article. AN AMERICAN CONSUL - How the United States is Represented in Glasgow Consul Levi W. Brown of Ohio and His Interesting Family - Uncle Sam Provides Good Quarters at Glasgow - A Consul's Varied Duties (Special Correspondence) Glasgow, August 29 - One of the first United States consuls to be appointed during the present administration was Levi W. Brown, of Wauseon, O, who now represents Uncle Sam at Glasgow. This is said to be one of the most lucrative offices in the gift of the government. It is, however, is a slight mistake or the others must be poor indeed. With a salary of $3,000, the very best that could be done with the perquisites does not bring $7,000 a year. There is one thing that may be truly said of this United States consulate and that is the offices are the finest in appearance and most convenient of any in Europe. As a rule these offices are shabby, dingy and most poverty stricken. Why should Uncle Sam select a man capable of representing the country in a creditable manner and then give him an office which takes away the dignity of his position by its very ordinary appearance? Many a man has been appointed to a consulate who would in the proper sort of surroundings have commanded all the respect and recognition due to an important and great country. But with a very meager salary with which to do any entertaining and such a poor showing in the way of a consulate, the representatives of the United States cannot keep up with the pompous dignitaries of other countries. The consulate of Glasgow, however, is a very nice neighborhood removed from the din and noise of the main thoroughfares and in a part of the city where rents are low. Nothing could be nicer than the situation of the building which is on the corner of Washington and West Regent streets both wide clean quiet streets. The building itself is a five story graystone affair, very much like all the other buildings in Glasgow. Our consul has a suite of three rooms on the ground floor, all light, pleasant and comfortably furnished. Judge Brown has added furnishings which help greatly in make the reception room appear homelike and comfortable. The government does not provide a residence for the consul, and if the rents in Glasgow were very high our consul on his meager salary would not be living in the fashionable part of the city. As it is, he has a nice three story house in the west end. This is about two miles from the office. Judge Brown is to return to America on a short business trip in a few days and it is with the pleasure of a schoolboy that he thinks of it. When asked the other day if he intended to take an active part in the coming campaign, he said that was an undecided question. Consul Brown was a member of the Republican state central committee of Ohio for several years. He was also a member of the state executive committee and chairman of its finance committee. He was probate judge in his country for three terms. He has also taken active part in church affairs, is a member of the M. E. Church and has been a lay delegate to every lay conference held since that provision has been incorporated into the church government. He was also a member of the general conference in 1880. The judge is the firm friend of his party and a warm personal friend of both Governor Foraker and Senator Sherman. His hand is always extended to Americans and as he himself says "His latchstring is always out to his countrymen." Socially he and his family have been well received and have made many warm friends among the Scotch people. The judge is a member of the new club, which is nonpolitical. Mrs. Brown, who was previous to her marriage a Miss Esther Stone, of New York State, enjoys the life in Scotland very much. The Climate, which is particularly trying to most Americans seems to agree with her perfectly. The whole family have enjoyed excellent health during their sojourn in Scotland and that is saying a great deal for there are a good many of them. There are seven children, including the eldest son Charles M. Brown [submitters grandfather] who is still in Wauseon. He has just graduated and will enter business. The next is Miss Wilma E. Brown a charming young woman who shines in Glasgow society quite as gracefully as she did in that of her native town. George Clayton Brown, who only arrived from Ohio last month is the next son. He is very much pleased with his father's post, but will return and enter business in partnership with his elder brother in the course of a few months. Maynard Dalton is the next son, he is his father's deputy. Albert M., a younger son, is attending the Kelvinside academy in Glasgow. This is an excellent school for boys, and his portrait will show that they have a good example of what bright American boys are like. Walter Converse, although still a very small boy, bids fair to fill some high political position someday for he is now a most perfect diplomat. Ruth Armstrong Brown, the baby, a "bonny wee Scotch lassie," came as a New Year's gift to the family on Jan. 1, 1890. She is a beautiful child and the pride of the family as well as of all who know her. The accompanying portrait of Levi W. Brown has been taken since he came to Glasgow. He has changed the cut of his beard. He formerly wore a longer beard without the mustache. When he first came to Glasgow, all the papers were writing about the arrival of the new consul and a number printed the his portrait made from photographs and sketches. A Dundee paper could get neither, so they published with their article a portrait of a typical Brother Jonathon with a long hooked nose, thin, angular features and the regulation chin whiskers. The judge took it as a good joke and has kept the sketch and when any one asks him for a photograph he hand that to them as a good likeness. It was once said of Bret Harte who was the predecessor of Francis H. Underwood, the predecessor of the present consul, "that the only man that did not know the location of the United States consulate was the United States consul," as he spent so much time in London. That never could be said of the present consul. The most interesting outing he has had was on the Fourth of July this year when, together with three other consuls, their family and about forty others, he went to the battlefield of Bannockburn for a Forth of July celebration. They had fireworks and a regular American day of it. Among the greatest trials of the Glasgow office is the trouble with the cattlemen and in many cases their wives. On the ships coming into Glasgow with live stock, to every twenty-five head of cattle shipped from America there is one man allowed or provided for until they get to Scotland. Then he must get back. And in most cases they spend, lose, or drink their money then fly to the consul to get them home. This, however, is not the most trying part, for they sometimes bring their wives with them and desert them, very often taking this means of ridding themselves of them. Of course they apply to Judge Brown and as this government makes no provisions for them, very often he pays their passage home not knowing whether he will ever be repaid or not. Sara Bliss. Where do I begin? While teaching in England, I made it a point to visit the home my great-aunt Ruth Armstrong Brown was born while her father Levi W. Brown (of whom this article pertains) was U. S. Consul in Glasgow, Scotland - the home over the years has been a private residence, an orphanage, and, in 1976, a school with the headmistress residing in private quarters on the third floor. I brought back photos to share with my family and indeed my great-aunt recalled the memories spoken so fondly upon their return to Ohio of the house, it's stained glass window in the bathroom (which was still intact and beautiful as shown in one of the pictures I had taken), the large kitchen, and parlor. Of course, by this time many of the rooms on the first two levels had been converted into classrooms yet the house was still very much in a wonderful neighborhood and very stately in appearance. Lovingly submitted and every grateful to be a member of such a wonderful family of Brown's and all those who married into the family - thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful family line of ancestors and descendants alike!! Maggie Brown Moerdyke ------------------------------ X-Message: #6 Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 02:16:17 -0500 From: icenoggle Subject: Census: ICENOGLE, 1880, Washington Decatur township, Page 26, Supervisor's District 7, Enumeration District 220 Icenogle, George White, Male, 52, Farmer, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio Nancy White, Female, 49, House Keeper, born in Ohio, her mother born in PA, Father's birth, unknown. wife to George, has a lame back Charles F White, Male , 18, born in Ohio, son to George Lucy A White, Female, 9, born in Ohio, daughter to George -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V98 Issue #5 *****************************************