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Well Known Pioneer of This Section, Yesterday Celebrated
His 85th Birthday  (from Shelby, Ohio, paper 1914)

Yesterday May Seventh 1914 being Mr. Danforth Brown's
eight-fifth birthday the family arranged to surprise him by
celebrating on a quiet way the event coming as it did after
the long serious illness from which he is now recovering.

Owing to the good judgment of his physician, the excellent
care he has received and his temperate life, Mr. Brown is
improving rapidly and it is hoped he will soon be able to
be out again.

He was the recipient of gifts, letters, postcards, and
flowers from family and friends.  Beautiful lilies from the
First National Bank.

There were present:
  Mr. and Mrs. George Sheely
  Mr. and Mrs. Burt Hollenbaugh
  Mr. and Mrs. Charles Champion
  Mr. and Mrs. Romer Hartz
  Mr. and Mrs. W.I. Close
  Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Brown
  Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Dickie
  Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith
  Miss Julia M. Severence
  Miss Gladys Sheely
  Miss Faye Sheely
  Master Charles Hartz
  and Master John Hollenbaugh who furnished some fine music
on his Victrola while delicious refreshments were being
served.

After a delightful evening was spent, the guests separated
with best wishes for many happy returns of the day.

During the year 1836, James Brown (Danforth's father),
formerly of Wellsburg, W.VA., was keeping a general store
in the little village of Shelby, Ohio.  One of the New York
papers brought the report of high prices being paid
throughout the country for timothy seed.  Their wide range
of merchandise at this little store included timothy seed.
There being about forty bushels in stock at this time, it
was decided after due deliberation to send Danforth, the
oldest son, about fifteen years of age, to Wheeling, W.VA.,
to dispose of it, as that seemed, for various reasons, the
most desirable point to find a market, as there was a
matter of business at Wellsburg, not far from Wheeling
which required attention.

The boy was greatly elated over the adventure and
possibilities of a small fortune.  The strong wagon was
loaded with the seed, the reliable horses attached thereto,
and the small boy, with courageous soul, perched high upon
the source of great expectations and no doubt, some
misgivings, started out along the road of self-reliance
over which he has traveled all these years.

When near the Ohio River, as he was passing a farm house, a
man standing at the gate called to him "My son what are you
taking to market?  Timothy seeds?"  "Yes, sir."  "I thought
it must be as you appear to be a stranger in this
neighborhood; I thought the high prices would bring some
along this way.  I want two bushel. Do you know what they
are paying over in Wheeling?"  "No, sir."  "Well, this
morning they were offering fourteen dollars per bushel and
I couldn't find a pint in town.  I'll pay you that price
and it it has gone up any, I'll pay you the difference when
you come back, on your way home."

Danforth answered "All right, sir. Can you direct me to a
good place to stay the night?"  "Haven't you any friends
over there?"  "No, sir."  "Well, I guess you had better
just stay right here, and in the morning I'll see that you
get started across the river all right."

So the tired boy slept, the sleep that only a boy can know,
and in the morning with twenty-eight dollars safely hidden,
and with instructions as to the location of the commission
house kept by Mr. James McCluney (a distant relative) he
drove into the city with his treasure, which he found no
difficulty in disposing of, procuring the list of drugs
which his father had instructed him to purchase, drugs most
commonly used in this locality at that time.

He then drove to Wellsburg, attended to the business there
and returned to his home with the feeling of one who has
accomplished a hazardous undertaking.  The "general store"
had a new line of merchandise and little old Shelby had its
first stock of drugs.  (The general store stood in the site
now occupied by the Baptist Church.)

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