BIO: Hartford Perry BROWN, Beaver County, PA
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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.
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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.