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C.W. Brown, deceased, one of the best known men and merchants of Stephenson County, was born in Providence, R.I. and is the last of a family of six brothers and one sister. He was born in 1818, and at the time of his death was in the69th year of his age. He attended the common schools at Providence, until he was 15 years of age, when his father sent him to an academy at Plainfield, Mass. After finishing his education there, he went to New York and entered into partnership with his elder brother, the firm being John A. Brown & Co. and they did a dry goods commission business for about two years. In 1841 he and his brother went to Buffalo, N.Y. and bought a dry goods store there.
In 1842 Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Miss Sarah S. Niles. They left Buffalo in 1847 for the Great west, to try their fortunes in a new country. They settled in Oneco, Stephenson County, and bought a mill on Richland Creek, above Cedarville. Mr. Brown opeerated this mill for about two years, and many of the pioneers of this county hauled their logs to his mill to have them sawed. From there he moved to Silver Creek Twp. and bought a sawmill on the banks of the Pecatonica. This he operated for a number o fyears and in 1857 built a flourmill in Silver creek Twp. which is known as "Brown's Mill," and is operated by his sons Edward and Alfred. He lived in Silver Creek until 1865, when he moved his family to Freeport. In this city he opened a flour and feed store, and soon erected the handsome, three story brick on Galena avenue, where his business has been carried on. He had resided in various parts of the city. When Dr. Prentice died, Mr. Brown bought his handsome house on Stephenson street, where he resided at the time of his death.
Mr. Brown was for many years a member of Embury CHurch, and was for some time Superintendent of their SUnday-School, but when he moved his family to their home on Stephenson street, he joined the First Methodist Church, because it was so much nearer. No man was more regular in his attendance at church than he. He could always be found in this place Sunday morning and evening. In every sense of the word he was a Christian gentleman, kind to his family and to all about him. He possessed the confidence and respect of his fellow business men, and his word was as good as his bond in any of the business houses. He was a hard worker, and learned the lesson of industry and activity from his old, moss-covered water-mill. He fully realized that "The mill will never grind again, With the water that has passed," and so he attended strictly to business, and left his family in comfortable circumstances. being quite wealthy, Mr. Brown gave liberally of his means to all worthy objects. Of little children he was especially fond, and they miss the kind, genial gentleman with the snow-white hair and beard, who always had a cheering word and a sunny smile for them. His death, which took place Aug. 2, 1887, is deeply felt by the citizens of Freeport, and on every hand there have been heard expressions of sorrow and regret.
Mr. Brown leaves an aged widow, four sons and several grandchildren, and other relatives to mourn his death. Supervisor Edward Brown is his oldest son; George and Charlie take care of the store. Edward and George were born in Buffalo; Charlie was born in Oneco an dAlfred in Silver Creek Township. He had a brother murdered in New Orleans in a hotel for his money, at the breaking out of the war. Another brother was studying art in Paris, and was taken sick and came home to Providence where he died. The Browns were an old family in Rhode Island, and did much to build up the city of Providence, and have a long and honorable history. Their career in Stephenson County is one which reflects credit upon them, both the father and the sons, and the business begun by the father and built up by him, has been transmitted to the safe-keeping of his sons, in whose hands it will be conducted in the future with the same energy and enterprise that characterized the father in his business affairs.
Contributed by Christine Walters
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