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Braddish Brown |
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Born: Dec 18, 1792 Loc: VT/MA Died: Nov 03, 1876 Loc: Rockdale Twp. Crawford County, PA Bur: Chapinville Cemetery, Rockdale Twp. Crawford County, PA Gravestone Photo |
Father: William Brown |
| Spouse: Eliza Liscomb | |
| Military: War 1812 | |
| Children: Joel /Eliza /Jirah Swift /Braddish /Martha /Phanna "Fanny" /Chauncey Addison | |
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It is not known for sure where Braddish Brown was born but most information shows MA. He was known to have lived near Camels Hump mountain in the Green mountains of VT, then lived in Waterbury, Washington Co. VT. Moved to Burlington VT in about the year 1828, Black Creek NY in 1836 and to Rockdale Twp. Crawford County, PA in 1838 |
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Deed: Braddish Brown to Lydia Poland I, Braddish Brown of Waterbury, in Washington County and state of Vermont, for the consideration of $225 paid by Lydia Poland of Waterbury. A certain piece of land in Waterbury…. The whole of the 3rd division lot of land in said Waterbury, drawn to the original right of David Lacy, excepting 35 acres from off the South side of said lot, now owned by Jessie Thompson, it being the same farm deeded to me by Benjamin Fuller on the 21st day of January 1931. Dated April 11, 1831 Braddish Brown Witnesses: Francis Knapp, Dan Carpenter |
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The first Browns (Braddish Sr.) who came to this part of the
country came when there were no roads. He drawed logs from the woods
with oxen and built a log cabin back about ¾ of a mile near the
woods. Then when a regular road was made he built another house by
the road and moved into it. They came from Vermont and stayed for
about a year at Cuba, Allegheny Co. N. Y. before coming on down to
Pa. Jira was about 12 years old at the time. When they arrived
in Pa. (this section) there were no schools. As soon as schools were
started Braddish started teaching again. As there weren’t any
grocery stores they were practically self-sufficient. They used
maple syrup for sweetening and if they got a little sugar it was
saved for company. Braddish Brown had no horses or oxen so he
carried corn on his back to Waterford to have it made into meal at
the mill. As no one used money, the mill took a toll of so much corn
meal and cheated sometimes too. Mr. Sturgis from Sturgis Corners was
the first person in the vicinity to get horses, then Braddish Brown
walked to his house and rode to the mill with Mr. Sturgis.
After the Brown’s came here they made shingles by hand with a
shaver, a knife blade with handles at both ends. A block of pine (it
was plentiful in their woods) was cut to length and the shingles
shaved from the block, thicker at the top of each one. These brought
good prices in Pittsburgh. The shingles and other products for sale,
were taken to Pittsburgh by the Crawford County boys, on rafts which
were hand made. These rafts were floated down French Creek and on
down to Pittsburgh. The banks of the river were settled here and
there along the way. The settlers began to look forward to the
arrival of these rafts which came regularly and had to stop along
the way overnight. These settlers would plan husking bees, spelling
bees and other entertainment for them. Sometimes the whole
load would be sold, raft and all. When this occurred the boys had to
walk home from Pittsburgh. The walking home developed into walking
contests to see who could walk home in the shortest time. During the
trips the boys became acquainted with families all along the route,
especially near Cambridge Springs. They visited in each others
homes. After Jirah Brown became superintendent of schools he often
hired as his teachers, girls from this section, one family was
Kelly. After the teachers started their jobs they boarded out among
the pupils families. They sometimes stayed in some pretty rough
places. There was almost always a request from the teacher to board
at Jirah’s as these girls parents knew the Brown family. The teachers did not receive much pay. Source: As told to Martha (Chapin) Carter by Aunt Alta (Brown) Leonard on Dec. 30, 1956. (Alta was the daughter of Jirah Brown and granddaughter of Braddish Brown Sr.) |
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Census: 1820 Waterbury, Washington Co. VT 1830 Waterbury, Washington Co. VT 1840 Rockdale Twp. Crawford Co. PA 1850 Rockdale Twp. Crawford Co. PA 1860 Rockdale Twp. Crawford Co. PA 1870 Rockdale Twp. Crawford Co. PA |
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Death Notice: Braddish Brown Died Nov 3, 1876 Age 85 years Evening Republican Dec 1, 1876 Braddish Brown took Freeman’s Oath – Sept. 1813 at age 21 |
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Will: I Braddish Brown of Rockdale Township Crawford County State of Pennsylvania, being of sound mind and memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament. I give and bequeath to my wife Eiza Brown the use of all my property during the full term of her natural life. I give and bequeath to my youngest son Chauncy Addison Brown all my real estate that I may die seized or possession of with the condition that my wife shall have the use of the same as specified above, and that he shall pay the just and full sum of Two Hundred Dollars to the five following married persons (all of whom are my children) or to their heirs to wit. Joel Brown, Jirah Brown, Eliza Sabin, Fanny Buntz and Polly Babcock. In witness where I Braddish Brown the Testator have to this very will written on one sheet of paper set my hand and seal this twelfth day of July AD 1873 Braddish Brown In the Matter of the Estate of Braddish Brown of Rockdale in the
County of Crawford, deceased, Crawford County, SS: |
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