Nathan Brown

1820 - 1905  (84 years)

• Name	Nathan Brown
  Birth	24 Apr 1820	, Clinton County, New York, USA   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	7BB552A17C0C47C9BA73FAC427B1754B3EA8
  Death	8 Feb 1905	New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village   [1]
  Burial	New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village, Dakota "Brown" Cemetery
  Person ID	I26	Larry and Jane's Family Tree
  Last Modified	16 Aug 2013

  
  

  Father	Charles Brown,   b. 10 Dec 1790, , , Rhode Island, USA d. 13 Jul 1870, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Sarah Newton,   b. 11 Sep 1789, , , Vermont, USA d. 2 Mar 1848, Altona, Clinton County, New York, USA (Age 58 years)
  Marriage	22 Dec 1814	, , Vermont, USA   [1]
  Family ID	F26	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Eliza A. Bartholomew,   b. 4 Jan 1835, New York City, New York County, New York, USA d. 21 Jul 1854, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village (Age 19 years)
  Marriage	3 Oct 1852	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA   [1]
  Children	1. Lillie S. Brown,   b. 21 Jul 1854, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village d. 16 Aug 1854, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village (Age 0 years)
  Family ID	F28	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jul 2019

  
  

  Family 2	Julia Edsall B. Bartholomew,   b. 11 Sep 1832, New York City, New York County, New York, USA d. 25 Feb 1911 (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	9 Apr 1856
  Children	1. Isaac C. Brown,   b. 16 Apr 1857   d. 23 Sep 1864 (Age 7 years)   2. Leslie Leonard Brown,   b. 5 Nov 1858, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village d. 8 Mar 1934, , Winona County, Minnesota, USA (Age 75 years)   3. Hoyt N. Brown,   b. 4 Jan 1861, , , Minnesota, USA d. 10 Sep 1945, , Clackamas County, Oregon, USA (Age 84 years)   4. Carlos Herbert Brown,   b. 16 Apr 1863, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA d. 12 May 1947, Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA (Age 84 years)   5. Giles H. Brown,   b. 23 Jan 1865, , , Minnesota, USA d. 20 Feb 1949, , Winona County, Minnesota, USA (Age 84 years)   6. Cora Brown,   b. 15 Dec 1867   d. 1946 (Age 78 years)   7. Grace B. Brown,   b. 16 Apr 1869, New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village d. 26 Nov 1921, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA (Age 52 years)   8. Dora B. Brown,   b. 16 Dec 1870   d. 1949 (Age 78 years)   9. Arthur J. Brown,   b. 11 Feb 1874, , , Minnesota, USA d. 1953 (Age 78 years)   10. Evelyn V. Brown,   b. 3 Feb 1876   d. 18 Jan 1889 (Age 12 years)
  Family ID	F29	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jul 2019

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 24 Apr 1820 - , Clinton County, New York, USA Marriage - 3 Oct 1852 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA Death - 8 Feb 1905 - New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village Burial - - New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village, Dakota "Brown" Cemetery  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents

  Article - Historical Unit Hears Talk on Dakota Founder Winona Daily News, p. 3

  
  

• Notes

  Here is a biographical sketch on Nathan Brown that was published in the Portrait and Biographical Record of Winona County, Minnesota, in 1895: Nathan Brown, who follows farming on section 1, New Hartford Township, was born on the 24th of April, 1820, in Clinton County, N.Y., and is a son of Charles and Sarah (Newton) Brown. The father was a native of Rhode Island, and a farmer by occupation. In the family were eight children: Renolds, now of Dakota, this county; Mrs. Mary Guynarup, now deceased; Nathan, Mrs. Elizabeth Baker and Mrs. Mercy Boyington, both deceased; Leonard, who is living on the old homestead in Washington, N.Y., which belonged to his grandfather; Jared, now of Dakota, Winona County; and Sarah, wife of James Wilson. The father of this family was a successful man of business. He had no educational privileges in his youth of any importance, but was a great Bible student, and was a member of the "Iron-Jacket" Baptists. He served in the War of 1812, and his father was one of the heroes of the Revolution (Jonathan). The latter lived to the advanced age of ninety-two years, and Charles Brown passed way in 1870, at the age of seventy-nine. He had a strong constitution and death came very suddenly. He several times visited his children in Winona County, and while at the home of his daughter, Mary, he passed away. His wife, who was a native of Vermont, died at the age of about fifty-eight years. Nathan Brown enjoyed no special advantages in his youth, and from early life has been inured to hard labor. His school privileges were indeed limited. After attaining to man's estate, however, he began to realize the need of an education, and through his own efforts has obtained a practical business knowledge. He has also read quite extensively, and is now well informed on the leading questions of the day. He was still a young man when he determined to come West. He had left home on attaining his majority, and began work for himself, scorning no labor which would yield him an honest living. He was industrious and enterprising, and by economy and perseverance, he had secured a capital of about $8,000 at the time of his removal to the West. It was in 1849 that Mr. Brown started for Minnesota, and on the 29th of September arrived in Winona County. He had obtained a permit to engage in business as an Indian trader. Land had been entered by a company for a town site, and Mr. Brown was entitled to a homestead. He also secured one hundred and sixty acres of land on the same section, and afterward bought another one hundred and sixty acres of a company, paying $1,900 for the entire amount. He has here since made his home, and is now the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land, situated on sections 1, 7, and 12 of New Hartford Township. He was the second white settler in the county, and during all the years which have passed since his arrival he has lived upon the old homestead, where he yet resides. In his business he has prospered. He made judicious investments in land, which he sold when a favorable opportunity presented itself, and when he thirty-six years of age, had he sold out, he could have realized $20,000 in cash. In 1852 Mr. Brown started for Milwaukee. He went by boat to Galena, and thence by stage to within thirty miles of Chicago, where he took a train upon the first railroad which ever ran out of Chicago. The road was built upon the old flat-bar system, and now forms a part of the Illinois Central. After going about ten miles the train was ditched, plunging down a bank about fifteen feet. Mr. Brown thought the railroad very treacherous, but at length safely reached Chicago, where he boarded a boat for Milwaukee. The object of the journey was made known when he returned with a bride. On the 3rd of October, 1852, he married Eliza A. Bartholomew, daughter of Isaac and Tirza (Houghton) Bartholomew, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of New Hampshire. In their family were twelve children, six of whom are yet living. The father was a farmer, and both he and his wife died in New York. Mr. Brown would not risk his bride upon a railroad train, but took a stage across the country from Milwaukee to Galena, and thence proceeded by boat to his home in Dakota. On the 21st of July, 1854, Mrs. Brown was called to the home beyond, and on the 9th of April, 1856, Mr. Brown married Julia E. Bartholomew, a sister of his first wife. They became the parents of ten children, eight of whom are now living. Isaac C., born April 16, 1857, died September 23, 1864. Leslie L., born November 5, 1858, is one of the leading lawyers of Winona. Hoyt N., born January 4, 1861, is now engaged in railroading in Arkansas. Carlos H., born April 16, 1863, carries on farming at home. Gile H., born January 23, 1865, is a farmer. Cora, born December 15, 1867, is at home. Mrs Gracie Cass was born April 19, 1869. Dora, born December 16, 1870, is attending school in Milwaukee. Arthur J., born February 11, 1874, is at home. Evelyn, born February 3, 1876, died January 18, 1889. When Mr. Brown was first married, he returned with his wife to Dakota; here he had a two-story house and a store, where he sold goods to the few pioneer settlers of the neighborhood, and to the Indians, who were his principal customers. When Mr. Brown arrived here, Winona had not yet sprung into existence. It was laid out in the fall of 1850, and the first house was built by a Mr. Johnson, and furnished by Capt. Orin Smith, an old steamboat captain. Mr. Brown has therefore witnessed the entire growth and development of the county, and is one of its most honored pioneers. The land which was in possession of the Government at the time of his arrival, and which was the home of Indians, has been transformed into highly cultivated farms; towns and villages have sprung up, and the work of progress and civilization has been carried forward, until not Winona County occupies a leading place in the state. Mr. Brown has ever borne his part in the work of improvement, and none are more familiar with pioneer history in this community than he. In his business he has prospered, and is now in very comfortable circumstances. In his social relations Mr. Brown is a Mason, and in his political affiliations is a Democrat. He was one of the first County Commissioners. At the first election there were three chosen for the office. The one who received the most number of votes was to serve for five years, the second for three years, and the third for two years, and when the ballots were counted it was found that Mr. Brown had the largest number. He served from 1853 until 1859, and in 1874 was again elected County Commissioner. He has never sought office, but his fitness for his position was recognized by his fellow townsmen, and he therefore received the election. The following is an unsolicited tribute from a gentleman who is fully competent to judge of Mr Brown's many qualities: "Mr. Brown has been from the first a most rugged and conspicuous figure in our history, distinguished for his manly courage, his fidelity to friends, as well as to truth and principle. He does not seek contention, yet, when thrust upon him, he does not retire from the ordeal. He can be depended upon to stand by the right as he understands it, without counting the cost. He has met and unflinchingly faced many dangers incident to frontier life, and if his environment should ever be such as to require the qualities of real greatness, he would not be found wanting in the hour of trial."

  
  

• Sources

  [S10] Patrick Wilson Family Treemaker File (received 9/28/99).