Part of the Indiana Biographies Project
Martin V. Brown
This well known and prominent merchant of Milton, Indiana, who is a worthy representative of one of the honored pioneer families of Wayne county, was born in that city December 1, 1838, and was educated in its public and subscription schools. His parents, John and Ara Anna (White) Brown, were born, reared and married in Pennsylvania. The father was born August 11, 1812, and was a son of John Brown. Sr., who belonged to a family of Scotch origin which was founded in America during colonial days. The latter served through the Revolutionary war as a soldier of the Continental army and made his home in Pennsylvania. He was of long-lived stock, and he and his wife lived to the ages of eighty-five and eighty-six years, respectively. In religious faith they were Lutherans, he having been baptized by a Lutheran minister when only a few days old. Their children were John, Adam, George, Philip, Henry, Samuel, Regena, Eliza and Catherine.
John Brown, Jr., the father of our subject, left the home farm before he attained his majority and learned the tanner's trade. After working for a time as a journeyman in his native state he purchased a tannery in the western part of Center county, Pennsylvania, which he conducted for a number of years. In company with another gentleman he then came west on a prospecting tour, going as far as Iowa and Missouri, but, deciding to locate in Indiana, he took up his residence in Wayne county in 1835. The first year was spent in Centerville, but at the end of that time he removed to Milton, where he purchased an interest in a tannery, which the firm remodeled and enlarged and conducted the same for ten or twelve years. He then sold his share in the business and purchased a tract of land. In 1849 he went to California, by way of the isthmus, and remained for a time on the Pacific slope prospecting and mining with reasonable success. He opened many camps and gave the name to several rivers and towns, but he met with no hairbreadth escapes. Returning east by the same route he rejoined his family in Milton, and devoted his attention to farming and stock-raising throughout the remainder of his life. He cleared and improved a fine farm, erecting thereon commodious and substantial buildings. In politics he was a pronounced Democrat and was once the candidate of his party for the state legislature, but was defeated by General Solomon Meredith, a very strong opponent, who beat him by only a small majority, however. He filled some important township offices and was a man of prominence in his community. He died October 1, 1898, aged eighty-six years, and his estimable wife passed away June 29, 1890, aged seventy-nine years. She was born December 20, 1810, and had two brothers, Jackson and Daniel, both residents of Pennsylvania. The White family were connected with the Methodist Episcopal church. Our subject is the oldest in a family of four children, the others being Jackson, who spent ten years in Montana, but died in Milton, Indiana; Martha J., now Mrs. T. Williamson, of Sherman county, Kansas; and Albert, who died leaving a wife but no children.
Martin V. Brown remained on the home farm until twenty-two years of age, then worked in a mill two years and engaged in clerking in a dry-goods store for the same length of time at Lewisville. On the 1st of March, 1868, he purchased a building and stock of groceries and hardware and embarked in business at Milton, where he has since successfully carried on operations. He also owns and conducts the old homestead farm, and in business affairs has met with well merited success.
On the 1st of November, 1866, Mr. Brown wedded Miss Mary J. Mack, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, September 20, 1844, a daughter of Alexander and Catherine (Hoover) Mack, natives of Pennsylvania, who went with their respective families to Ohio and were married in the latter state. They were farming people, who in 1848 removed to Carthage, Illinois, where they bought a farm. After their deaths, about eleven years later, the family was scattered and Mrs. Brown returned to Ohio, where she lived with an aunt for two years and later with her grandfather. In 1864 she came to Lewisville, Henry county, Indiana, where she made her home with an uncle until her marriage. She is the second in order of birth in a family of five children, the others being Mrs. Emerite Slater, now of Chicago, Illinois; Maria L., who first married a Mr. McClure, and afterward R. T. Rogers, of Denver, Colorado; Charles, a resident of Elmo, Missouri; and Catherine, wife of C. White. The parents of these children were faithful members of the Presbyterian church. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born five children: Cora M., at home; Frank W., who died at the age of seventeen years; William, who is a clerk in his father's store and the master of the Masonic lodge; John A., who married Nora St. Clair, the daughter of a prominent physician of Milton, and Mary J., at home.
Mr. Brown is one of the prominent and influential representatives of the Democratic party in his community, and he takes an active interest in political affairs. He has held about all the town offices, and was once the candidate of his party for county treasurer. He is one of the leading members of the Masonic lodge of Milton and has served as its treasurer for nearly thirty years.
Source:
Biographical and Genealogical History of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin Counties, Indiana, Volume 1, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1899