BIO: Joshua BROWN, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 158-159.
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  JOSHUA BROWN, Selea, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born March 25, 1825, 
in Springfield township, Huntingdon county. He is a son of Caleb and 
Sarah (Wagner) Brown. His grandfather, also known as Joshua Brown, was 
a native of Lancaster county, Pa.; he removed before his marriage to 
Huntingdon county, and resided where the town of Maddensville now 
stands. He married Charlotte Morrison; they remained on the homestead 
during their entire lives. Their children were: Hannah, married Richard 
Hyte, and they resided in Springfield township, until they went to 
Ohio, resided there for some time, then removed farther west, and both 
died there; Caleb; John, married Annie Wagner, and both died in 
Springfield township; Rebecca, married William Corbin, and resided in 
Clay township, Mr. Corbin dying in Huntingdon, and Mrs. Corbin in 
Fulton county; Richard, married Sarah Troxler, resided in Springfield 
township, where both died; Joshua, went to Ohio, where he married, and 
removed still further west, after which, leaving his family, he went to 
California, and remained there prospecting for gold for nearly twenty-
five years, then returned to his family, and died; Charlotte, married 
Abraham Wagner, resided in Clay township until his death, and she 
afterwards died with her children in Orbisonia; Sarah, married to 
George Link, went west, made frequent visits to Pennsylvania, finally 
removed to Iowa, where they died; Washington, married in southern Iowa, 
where he resides; and Jeremiah, married Nancy Madden, went to Iowa, 
where both died. The elder Joshua Brown died about 1834.
  His eldest son, Caleb Brown, was born in Springfield township, March 
24, 1793. He obtained his education in subscription schools, learned 
farming practically in his boyhood, and when he was a young man, was 
employed in carrying brick for the bricklayers. He carried the first 
brick for the first building in Huntingdon. Before and after his 
marriage, he rented a farm. In 1829, he bought 100 acres of land, to 
which he subsequently added two hundred more. Part of this land is now 
owned by his son Joshua. Caleb Brown was married, June 28, 1817, to 
Sarah Wagner, born in Clay township September 23, 1798. Theirs was a 
thrifty household. There was a large family of girls and boys, who were 
taught industry both by example and by precept. The father was a hard 
working man, and his children knew that he expected them to be early 
risers and diligent workers, like himself, the boys on the farm and the 
girls at the spinning-wheel. They spun and made up all the clothing and 
the bed-linen used in the household. Mr. Brown had the first house 
built of round logs in his neighborhood; the doorway was so low that a 
full grown person could not enter it without stooping. Mr. Brown 
adhered to the Republican party. He was a militia captain; he was 
preparing to fight the "whiskey boys," when he received word that his 
company was not needed. The children of this family are: William, 
married Catherine Greenland, resided in Cass township, Huntingdon 
county, where both died; Morris, died young; Amelia, married William 
Hyde, of York county, Pa., they reside in the town of York; Delilah, 
married Jeremiah Nead, a native of Fulton county, Pa., who served two 
years and eleven months in the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, during 
the war of the Rebellion, and resided in Springfield township until his 
death, had seven children, with one of whom a daughter, in Saltillo, 
Pa., Mrs. Nead now has her home; Joshua; Cyrus, married Mrs. Mary 
Bucher, resides in Orbisonia, Pa.; Miles, married Susan Ramsey, resides 
in Saltillo; Rebecca, married John W. Heeter, who died, and she is now 
Mrs. George Godard, of Mapleton, Pa.; Caleb, married Missouri 
Greenland, resides at Everett, Pa.; Melissa, married Austin Ramsey, 
resides at Saltillo, Pa.; George, an adopted child, is now living in 
Clay township. Caleb Brown was a Baptist, of the old school. His wife 
died in 1878; he survived her until 1881.
  Joshua Brown, the younger, enjoyed in addition to the old-fashioned 
subscription school, the advantages of a public school education. He 
was, however, set at work upon the farm early in life, and remained at 
home, employed in tilling the soil, until he was twenty-two, at which 
time he began driving a team between Fort Littleton and Chambersburg, 
Pa., hauling grain and lumber. For seven years he continued this 
business, and then bought his present place, containing 166 acres, and 
turned his attention to farming. He has been a successful man, and his 
many excellent qualities have won the confidence and esteem of his 
fellow citizens. Mr. Brown is a Republican. He has served his township 
as school director, supervisor and inspector of elections.
  In Springfield township, November 20, 1852, Joshua Brown was married 
to Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and Rebecca (Wilson) Spicer. Their 
children are: Louisa Ellen (Mrs. Henry Rorer), of Springfield township; 
Edward Randolph, a school teacher, married Nettie Johns, and resides in 
Orbisonia, Pa.; Scott Marion, M.D., married Elizabeth Neal, and resides 
at Concord, Franklin county, Pa.; and Idenza V., (Mrs. David Hess), 
who, with her husband, resides with Mr. Brown.