My Genealogy Hound

JOHN GEMMILL BROWN, D. D., Wilkinsburg, was born in Pittsburgh, January 14, 1824. His earliest paternal ancestor in this country came from Scotland in 1707. His grandfather, John Brown (who when a lad was with his father at the battle of Brandywine), passed most of his life on the Juniata, in Huntingdon county. He came to Plum township, this county, early in the present century. Allen, his son, operated a tannery for a time near East Liberty. He married Mrs. Catharine (Kellar) Whiteside, and in 1828 moved his tannery to the site now occupied by the Homeopathic hospital. Four years later he came to Wilkinsburg, and engaged in burning lime; afterward kept a store at East Liberty. For many years he kept one of the largest and most popular hotels in the city of Pittsburgh. He died in 1863.

John G. Brown graduated from the Western University in 1842, and then for four years attended the United Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Allegheny City. In 1845 he was licensed to preach, and the following year became pastor of the congregation now known as the Third United Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, with which he remained twenty-five years, the present church-edifice being erected during his pastorate. He was then elected corresponding secretary of the board of home missions of the United Presbyterian Church, being the real executive officer of that body for fourteen years. In 1864 the Western University conferred on him the degree of D. D., and in 1874 he was moderator of the general assembly at Monmouth, Ill. In 1869 he organized a day school for deaf-mutes in Pittsburgh, which afterward became, by his efforts, the Western Pennsylvania Institute for the Deaf and Dumb. By his individual efforts he obtained in subscriptions $76,000 for this object, and with the aid of others secured its organization in 1876, when he was made president of the board of trustees and chairman of the executive committee. On the resignation of the principal in 1885, Dr. Brown was unanimously elected by his colleagues to the head of this institution. Dr. Brown was married in 1847 to Caroline E. Fisk, a native of Lawrenceville, and daughter of Alba and Fanny (Knelan) Fisk, of New England stock. All of their children reside in Lawrenceville; Fanny F. (Murphy), Alba Fisk, general manager Keystone Bridgeworks, and Caroline F. (Graham). The fourth child, a daughter, died when two years old. Dr. Brown is a republican in politics.