EDWIN ROYS BROWN
Edwin Roys Brown, merchant, legislator, author,
but, now living retired in Cheshire, was born on the 24th of July, 1837,
in the city where he still resides. His ancestry is traced back to Francis
Brown, who came to America from England at a very early day and was one
of the company who spent the winter of 1637-8 in a hut which they erected
at the corner of College and George streets. His son, Samuel Brown, was
one of the first settlers of Wallingford and took up his abode on what
is now known as the Moses Y. Beach place. Another son of Francis Brown
was Eleazer Brown, from whom is descended the Cheshire branch of the family,
the line being traced down from Francis through Eleazer, Gershom, Nathaniel,
Captain Robert, Captain William and William Andrew Brown to Edwin Roys
Brown of this review.
Captain Robert Brown, son of Nathaniel and
Olive Brown, married Miss Mary Law of Milford. He served in the Revolutionary
war and thus gained the title whereby he was com-monly known. Another Robert
Brown of this family was the treasurer of the New Haven Savings Bank. William
Andrew Brown, father of Edwin Roys Brown and a native of New Haven, came
to Cheshire when a youth of twelve years in 1813. His father, William Brown,
had just been lost at sea. He spent his life at Cheshire on the farm of
his grandfather, Andrew Hull, Esq., upon whose death he inherited a part
of the old homestead, the other inheritor being his sister, Mrs. Doolittle.
His remaining days were devoted to general agricultural pursuits. He wedded
Martha Louisa Roys, a daughter of Reuben Welcome Roys, the latter a son
of Colonel Reuben Roys, who in turn was the son of Samuel Roys, the first
representative of the family in Cheshire, where he took up his abode in
1710. He was a son of Deacon Samuel Roys, of Meriden, Connecticut. Mrs.
Martha Louisa (Roys) Brown passed away in the year 1900, at the very advanced
age of ninety years, having long survived her husband, who died August
22, 1871, at the age of sixty-five years. William Andrew Brown had been
previously married, his first union being with Cornelia Ives, a daughter
of the Rev. Reuben Ives, by whom he had two children: Mary Cornelia, who
became the wife of George B. Finch and died February 4, 1898; and William
Edward, who married Eliza Hotchkiss and died November 15, 1873, at the
age of forty-three years. By his second marriage William Andrew Brown had
two sons: Alfred A., who wedded Mary E. Stone and died in August, 1907,
at the age of seventy-two years; and Edwin R., whose name introduces this
review.
The younger son spent his boyhood days upon
the home farm until he reached the age of seventeen years and during that
period acquired a public school education in Cheshire, and in the Episcopal
Academy he was also a student for a time. When about eighteen years of
age he entered the employ of F. Spencer & Company of Naugatuck, who
were proprietors of a general store. He spent two years with them, thoroughly
learning the business, and afterward clerked for A. S. Baldwin of Cheshire
for a year. In 1859 he removed to Southington, where he accepted the position
of bookkeeper with William J. Clark & Company. In 1862 he returned
to Cheshire, where he engaged in merchandising on his own account in connection
with William J. Baldwin, with whom he continued for two years. He also
bought out John A. Hitchcock, proprietor of a general store, and conducted
the business for forty-seven years, retiring only three years ago. He thus
ranked for almost a half century as a leading merchant of Cheshire and
one who contributed in marked measure to its commercial development.
On the 30th of October, 1860, at Cheshire,
Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Laura Ann Hickox, a daughter of
Samuel and Mary Hickox, of Cheshire. She passed away November 20, 1916.
A daughter, Lillian C., who was born June 9, 1872, died on the 16th of
September of the same year. The daughter, Mary Louisa, born August 14,
1866, is the wife of Edward J. Stoddard, of Cheshire, whom she married
on the 6th of September, 1888.
Mr. Brown resides on Maple avenue in Cheshire.
He is deeply interested in public affairs and has taken a very active and
helpful part in promoting public progress along many lines. He served as
postmaster for twenty years and as town treasurer for about a quarter of
a century. He was also a trustee of the Cheshire cemetery for forty years.
His political allegiance has ever been given to the republican party and
in 1887-8 he represented his district in the state legislature and was
made chairman of the temperance committee. He holds membership in the Congregational
church, of which he was clerk between forty-five and forty-six years. He
was also clerk of the First Ecclesiastical Society for a half century but
resigned both positions two years ago. He served in the church as deacon
for nine years and his father was deacon of the church for forty-one years,
while his maternal grandfather was deacon and the first Sunday school superintendent.
Mr. Brown is well known through his authorship.
He wrote the Early Schools in Cheshire; Historic Homes of Cheshire; History
of the Early Families of Cheshire in the History of New Haven, published
in 1892; the History of Cheshire published in the Meriden Centennial Work
of 1906; and the History of Cheshire in the volume entitled Cheshire of
the Present, published in 1880. There is perhaps no one who has better
knowledge of Cheshire and its history from pioneer times down to the present
than Mr. Brown. Interested in all matters of historic worth, he has kept
in close touch with the trend of thought and progress from the earliest
days and his broad studies enable him to speak with experience upon any
matters pertaining to the history of Cheshire and its development.
Modern History of New Haven
and
Eastern New Haven County
Illustrated
Volume II
New York – Chicago
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1918
pgs 534 - 535
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