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Below is a family biography included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.   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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JAMES J. BROWN, manufacturer, post office Mansfield Valley, was born in 1843 in the old frame homestead, which stands where the borough of Mansfield, Allegheny county, was afterward laid out. He was the second son of Mansfield Banton Brown, receiving his education in the public and private schools. When seventeen years of age he left school to enter the wholesale grocery-store in which his father was a partner, in Pittsburgh, remaining there three years. Afterward he was engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements for a number of years, and was then in the iron and steel business for some time. At present he is engaged in the paper-manufacturing business, being secretary and treasurer of the Union Paper-mill company. He was married in 1874 to Gertrude Schoonmaker, eldest daughter of James Schoonmaker, and granddaughter of Rev. Joseph Stockton, and they have three daughters living: Alice, Jean and Freda. When the first call was made for 75,000 men, in April, 1861, Mr. Brown enlisted in Co. K, 12th P. Regt. He is one of the most enterprising and public-spirited citizens, taking an active part in everything that benefits the town, having been a school director for nine years, and is at present one of the town council. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and the G. A. R.; in religion he is a Presbyterian, and in politics a republican. His grandfather, James Brown, came from County Cavan, Ireland, when quite a young man, coming to the then village of Pittsburgh in about 1793, where he engaged in the bakery business, and afterward in the grocery, general merchandise, brewing, and iron and steel business. He was very fortunate in all his business enterprises, and was closely identified with almost all the business interests of Pittsburgh. He married Mary Banton early in life, the result of this marriage being seven sons and two daughters. He died in 1873, aged ninety-five years.

Mansfield Banton Brown, the father of James J., was born in 1816, and in 1840 married Jane Hays, only daughter of William and Lydia (Semple) Hays, the former a prominent citizen of Pittsburgh, and formerly from Lancaster county, Pa. On account of ill health, his father, in 1842, purchased from Col. Ross 240 acres of land on Chartiers creek, five miles west of Pittsburgh. It was mainly through his efforts that the Temperanceville and Noblestown plank-road was laid out and built, he being president and spending a large amount of money on it. In 1851 he laid out the present borough of Mansfield, calling it after himself. He was always closely identified with all its interests until his death, which occurred in 1883, when he was in his sixty-seventh year. Six children were born to them, five of whom are still living. The eldest, Capt. William H., enlisted in September, 1861, when twenty-one years old, in Co. K, 63d P. V., and died in Harrisburg in May, 1862.

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This family biography is one of 2,156 biographies included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.

View additional Allegheny County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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