My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hot Spring County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Joseph Brown first saw the light of day in Cecil County, Md., December 11, 1837, and is the son of Isaac and Ann (Wesley) Brown, the former of whom was born in Utica, N. Y., in 1803, where he was reared and educated. During the late war he acted in the capacity of provost-marshal in the Federal army. From Utica he moved to Maryland, engaged in the lumber business, and followed this until his death, which occurred at Conowingo, Cecil County, Md., in 1888. His wife, Ann (Wesley) Brown, was born in 1804, grew up in Cecil County, and died near Baltimore, Md., in 1862. Joseph Brown spent his boyhood days in that city, where he was educated. In 1856, at the age of eighteen years, he went to Virginia and engaged in the lumber business. Leaving that State, he came to Little Rock, Ark., in December, 1859, and the next year erected the first circular saw-mill ever built in that city. In 1862, soon after the war broke out, he enlisted in Woodruff’s battery, light artillery, and participated in the battles of Prairie Grove, Pea Ridge, and the capture of Little Rock, surrendering at Little Rock, June 5, 1865. In company with his brother, in 1865, he engaged in the lumber business near Little Rock, where he continued in trade till October, 1875, when he came to Gifford, Hot Spring County. Here he established a large lumber-manufacturing business, which still continues. He employs twenty-five hands and turns out 25,000 or 30,000 feet of lumber daily. In addition to his mill he owns about 15,000 acres of timber land. He was married August 31, 1865, to Margaret E. Dickson, daughter of John and Catharine Dickson. By this marriage he became the father of ten children (three deceased): George A. (living at home), Lillian (living at home), Robert E. L., Ida V., Maggie (died 1882), Charles (died 1880), Joseph, Jr., and Mandolin. Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic order, and one of Hot Spring’s most enterprising citizens.

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This family biography is one of 52 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hot Spring County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Hot Spring County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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