Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/550

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

until the completion of the road in 1882, s c n ing not only as engineer but atso as one of the directors. Meantime he did sim ilar w ork for other railroad companies, and he is considered one of the most competent civil engineers in this section of the State. In that capacity he has liccn associated with the construction o f several railroads, including the surveying of the nioomsburg & Sullivan railroad and the Pittston lla w lc y railroad. Me lias served Bloomsburg as municijial engineer for many years, and has frequently rendered serv­ ice in that line tn neighboring borouglis. H e has often been called into court to give expert professional testimony in damage suits. H e has lu d other business and public interests in Bloomsburg besides those connected with hts profession. On A u g. I, 1875, he purchased from K. M. W ardin the plant of the Columbia County Republican, a four-page, eight-column weekly, having a good local circulation and also considerable patronage in surrounding counties. l i e w as editor and proprietor o f this paper fo r a quarter o f a century, and in that connection exercised considerable influence in the n u n y changes which took place in the town and countv, casting the weight o f his opinion on the side of the right and doing his utmost for the best interests o f his fellow citizens, without fear or favor. T he paper tu s alw ays been Republican, and M r. Brow n has also been a devoted worker in the party, in whose activities he has had a leading part in this section. In 1884 he had the honor o f licing a delegtite to the National convention held at Chicago, and again in 1900 at Phila­ delphia. H e has frequently been a d c lq p tc to State conventions, and a speaker during the State campaigns, making a tour of the State as a m e m ^ r o f General H astings’ staff when I iastings w as candidate fo r governor. I le has filled A number o f local offices o f importance, having been a member of the school board continuously from 1878 to the present time, and for part o f that period its president. In 1902 he became postmaster at Bloomsbui^, in which (losition he gave thorough satisfaction, serving until September. 19 14 . H is adminis­ tration w as marked by clean, business-like methods and steady improvement in all de­ partments, for he is by nature progressive, and discharges every duty with characteristic efficiency. H e is a member of the board o f trustees of the State normal school, and for several years has been vice president of the lioard. Me w as form erly treasurer of the Columbia County .Agricultural Society, in which capacity he served for thirty-two years.

L ik e his ancestors M r. Brow n is a MelliOdist ill religious connection and a prominent member of the church, in whose w ork he has liccn very active, serving a number o f years as member and secretary of the board o f trus­ tees, o f which body he is now president. At the present time he is secrctar>' and treasurer of the Bloomsburg H ospital, and lu s been one of the board o f managers since its b^inning. JO H N JO R D A N B R O W N, M .D ., of Bloomsburg, is a member of the oid-csublished Brow n fam ily o f Miffiin township. Col­ umbia countv, where he w as bom M arch 3 1. 1848, son of* Elisha B. Brow n. T he Browns have had intimate and honorable connection with the history o f this region for one hundred and twenty years, and have been in America since the day o f lames Brow n, the E)octor’s greal-grcat-grandfather. Jam es Brown w as liom N ov. 12, 17 16 . in England, and coming to this country when a young n u n lived first on Long Island. On a fly-leaf o f an old Bible belonging to the Brown fam ily he w rote: "E n glan d is my native bn d and Long Island my home.’’ It is dated 1736. He moved to V'arren county, N . J ., near Hainesburg, where he owned a Large tract of land, extending three miles along the Paw liiis K ill from Columbia to Hainesburg. H e died Aug. 9. 1784. On Ju ly 25, 1745. he married Sarah Allison. Iwrn Ju ly 18, 17 2 1, and they are buried in Hainesburg cemetery, in W ar­ ren county, N . J . T heir six children were iKim as follow s: John. Ju n e 25. 1746 (died S ^ t . 24. 1 8 1 9 ) : Jam es. M ay 5, 17 5 0; M artha. N ov. 15, 17 5 3; Sarah, .April to, 1 7 5 5; Daniel. M ay 3, 17 0 2 : Q u rity . .April 15, 1765. .All but John lived and died in N ew Jersev. John Brow n, son o f Tames, born Ju n e 25. 1746. w as a blacksmith by trade, and as such served in the .American arm y, in the R e v o ­ lutionary war, shoeing horses and repairing guns in camp besides doing the regular duties o f a soldier. H e married M ary S f. B n igler. wIh died Oct. 3. 1793, and w as buried at > Hainesburg. in W arren county, N. J ., and his second m arriage, on Oct. 2 1, 1794. w as to M rs. M argaret Haynes, widow o f H en ry Haynes. Sfr. Brow n owned a farm in N ew Jcrsc v, and built a two-story stone house with the rfate. 1789, .aliovc the door. Tltis is still standing ( 1 9 1 4 I and in u se: it w as owned by a M r. Brugler, one o f his descendants. D is­ posing o f his property in N ew Jersey. Air. Brown came lo Pennsylvania with his fam ily in 1795. first purchasing a large tract four miles east of the town o f .Mifflinville. in C o l­