BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 572-573.

WILLIAM H. BROWN, the efficient and popular mayor of Bellaire, Ohio, was
born near Smithfield, Jefferson county, Ohio, in the year 1844. His
parents were Garrett and Susan (Long) Brown, both natives of Ohio. The
father was a son of Stephen Brown, a pioneer of eastern Ohio, who came
to Jefferson county in its early days. He was a farmer in that county
until his death, which occurred about 1835. Garrett Brown was born in
1800, in Jefferson county, he attended the schools of that county, after-
ward learning the trade of a millwright, and also that of a carpenter,
following them until his demise in 1846. He was a nephew of the
celebrated Rev. George Brown, a founder of the Methodist Protestant
church, being very widely known. He was a brother of Arthur Brown,
one of the early pioneer preachers of Ohio. Garrett Brown married
Susan Long, daughter of David Long, an early settler of Jefferson
county, Ohio. Eight children came to this marriage, five of them
still living. Four of the sons rendered most loyal service in the
Union army during the late war, three of them enlisting in Iowa
regiments. The eldest son, David, was killed in the battle of Shiloh,
in the first day's fight, the others came out of the war with their
lives and with distinction. The family was scattered, when the children
were yet young, by the death of the parents, both of them dying within
a few days of each other of typhoid fever; this happened in 1846, and
the children were raised by relatives William was educated in Harrison
county, having been given to Samuel Snedeker, a farmer of that county.
He assisted him on the farm until he was seventeen years old, the
South seceding at this time, he enlisted in the latter part of 1861,
under Capt. J. Ferguson, of Bloomfield, in Company G, Forty-third
Ohio regiment, serving three years and six months. He did his duty in
the battles of Island No. 10, the siege of Corinth, and the battle of
Corinth, October 4, 1862, where his hat was shot through. The regiment
was under the command of Col. Gurby Smith, and the regiment was in the
famous Ohio brigade. He was in all of the battles of Sherman's march
to the sea. After the close of the war Mr. Brown returned to Harrison
county, and spent some years in finishing his education, attending
Hopedale college. Leaving college he was engaged as a traveling
salesman until 1882, when he was made assistant postmaster of Bellaire,
under George M. Wise, and in 1886 he was elected to the mayoralty of
Bellaire, a position which he still holds, this being his second term.
In 1876 he was united in marriage to Ione Buffington, who was a resident
of Moundsville, W. Va., sister of Col. Buffington, now commander of the
arsenal at Springfield, Mass., and an inventor of note. One child has
been born into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Adelbert R. Mr. Brown
is a member of the G. A. R., and also of the K. of P. In politics he
is a republican:. Wil.liam H. Brown started life without money or
influential friends,yet, it is not too much to say, that there has
never been a mayor who has done such noble service for the improvement
and advancement of the city of Bellaire. The money for public
improvements has been raised in other ways than by burdensome
taxation during the administration of Mr. Brown, and he is, to-day,
one of the most popular, and deservedly so, of the citizens of Bellaire.