BIO: Hartford Perry BROWN, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 61-63. _________________________________________________________________ HON. HARTFORD PERRY BROWN, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, is one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of the town of Rochester, and takes an unusual amount of interest in the growth and prosperity of his adopted town. He is interested in many local enterprises, being president and general manager of the People's Electric Street Railway, secretary and general manager of the Beaver Valley Traction Company, and secretary and treasurer of the Rochester Heat & Light Company; he is also identified with several other important undertakings. He was born on a farm in Raccoon township, Beaver county, Pa., August 7, 1851, and is a son of Oliver Hazard Perry Brown, and a grandson of Amasa Brown. The original emigrant of the Brown family was Peter Brown, who was of English origin, and who came to America on the Mayflower in 1620. His grandson, George Brown, was born in 1696, and was a farmer by occupation; he died in Colchester, Conn., February 5, 1765. He married Elizabeth Wells, April 12, 1730, and they reared the following children: Elizabeth, born in 1731; Darius, born in 1733; Charles, born in 1734; Lydia, born in 1736; Hannah, born in 1738; two who died in their infancy; Ezra, born in 1744; Jesse, born in 1746; Oliver, born in 1748; and Amasa, born in 1750. The next in line was Jesse Brown, who was born in Colchester, Conn., February 2, 1746, but in early life went to Utica, N. Y., where he owned and operated a saw-mill; he was also a builder of boats. In 1770 he was first married to Abigail Parke, a native of Norwich, Conn., and to them were born nine children, namely: Bernice, born in 1772; Levi, born in 1773 Nathaniel, born in 1775; Amasa, the grandfather of Hartford Perry; Jeremiah, born in 1780; one who died in infancy; Jesse, born in 1784; Parke, born in 1786, and George, born in 1792. His second union was with Mrs. Marion Drew, by whom he reared two children, Abigail, born in 1808, and John, born in 1812. Amasa Brown was also born in Colchester, Conn., the date of his birth being September 12, 1777. He worked with his father, learning the trade of a boat builder, in which he became a skilled mechanic. As an agent of Aaron Burr, he went to Beaver county, and, in 1806, was made master builder at Bridgewater. Large flatboats were built, which were used t0 convey produce down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Amasa Brown was killed, in 1829, while launching one of these boats. He wedded Eleanor Vankirk, and to them were born six children: Milton; John; Hannah; Oliver H. P.; Mary; and Jesse. Oliver Hazard Perry Brown was born in Phillipsburg, Pa., now called Monaca, June 62 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES 10, 1820. He learned the boat building trade, which he followed for many years, and after accumulating wealth, he moved to Raccoon township, Beaver county, where he began the life of a farmer. This latter occupation he continued for eighteen months, and then returned to boat building, settling at Freedom, Pennsylvania. He built three large boats; the first was named Commodore Perry, which was at that time the best boat on the river; the second was Parthenia; and the third was known as Hardtimes, which, singularly, earned more money than any boat which plied the river at that time. The latter vessel was used in conveying cotton from the valley of the Chattahoochee River to Apalachicola Bay. In 1865, he gave up boating, and, in 1866, he bought the property of J. Ranson, on the corner of Vermont and West Adams streets, Rochester, Pa. There he resided, until his death, on November 18, 1892. His wife was Mary McCombs, who was born July 9, 1820, and whose death occurred June 20, 1889. The following children were born to this happy union: Hartson Philmore, born in 1840, and died in 1841; Amanda Eleanor, born in 1842, and married to Samuel R. Campbell, of Beaver Falls; Mary, born in 1844, and died in 1846; Amasa, born in 1848, and died in 1849; Hartford Perry; and Parthenia, born in 1856, and died in 1863. Captain O. H. Perry Brown was one of the founders of the banking house of John Conway & Co., in 1871; he was a charter member of the Rochester Heat & Light Company, and one of its directors until his death. The subject of this memoir was born in Freedom, Pa., and received his early mental training in the schools of that town, and at Rochester Academy, and Beaver Seminary. He prepared himself for Yale College under the private instruction of Drs. C. C. Riggs and J. W. Scott-the latter having been president of Jefferson College, Washington, Pennsylvania. In 1872, Mr. Brown accepted a position as bookkeeper in the Second National Bank at Pittsburg, and was subsequently promoted to be teller; resigning his position in the bank, however, he entered West Point Military Academy as a cadet from that district. He afterward became a partner in the general mercantile business of Hon. Samuel J. Cross - the firm name being known as S. J. Cross & Co. In 1878, Mr. Brown sold his interest therein to John Davis. Then, in company with James Rees and Simpson Homer, he built the steam boat called Carrier, but in 1884, sold his interest in this boat, and embarked in mercantile pursuits alone. In 1886, he was elected to the legislature from this district, and consequently relinquished his store. In 1888, he was re-elected to the legislature; in 1888, and while a member of the House, he introduced the Ship Canal bill, secured its passage and an appropriation of $10,0o0, with a commission, which made a survey of the Lake Erie and Ohio River Ship Canal, in 1889. In May, 1887, he assisted in the organization of the Rochester Heat & Light Company, of which he was made secretary, and, later, treasurer. The BEAVER COUNTY 63 gas of this company is nearly all produced in Beaver county, and during the winter of 1898, a million cubic feet per day was used. Mr. Brown was one of the promoters of the People's Electric Railway, which was opened to the public in August, 1892; the line is four miles in length, extending from the Rochester junction of the Traction Company to Freedom and St. Clair, and running four cars daily. He was elected president of this enterprise, and, July 1, 1897, he was made manager. He is a stockholder in the Beaver Valley Traction Company Railway, and in 1892, was made secretary and general manager, a position which he resigned in 1895, but was re-elected in 1899. He is also a stockholder in the Sharon Bridge Company, the People's Insurance Company of Pittsburg, and was formerly a stockholder in the J. Conway banking house. Mr. Brown was joined in marriage to Miss Sue T. Cross, a daughter of Samuel J. and Frances E. (Wells) Cross. Hon. S. J. Cross was born in Washington township, Rhode Island, January 6, 1828, and came to Beaver county in 1855. For twenty years he was the leading merchant of Rochester. He passed from this life September 27, 1875. His wife now resides with the subject of this sketch. Their children were named as follows: Sue Thurston, the wife of Hartford Perry Brown; Julia Frances; Samuel Joseph; Emma Wells; George Herbert; Thomas Wells; and May, who died in her infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of six children: Hartford Perry, Jr., who was born February 5, 1875, and died in 1889; Frances Mary, born October 19, 1876; Emily Edna, born November 1878; Sue Thurston, born October 27, 1880, and died in 1893; Julia Parthenia, born March 27, 1887; and Stanley Quay, born February 17, 1889. Mr. Brown and family are members of the Baptist church. In 1880, Mr. Brown erected a handsome brick residence on West Adams street, which he makes his home.