WI BIO - Dane Co - BROWN, George F.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 321-322

George F. BROWN was born in Deefield, Rockingham County, NH, 20 Nov 1822, and 
his father, Benjamin BROWN, and his grandfather, Enoch BROWN, were born in 
the same State, the latter at Poplin, [Rockingham County], NH, 04 Nov 1753. 
The great grandfather of our subject was Enoch BROWN, and was born in the 
same town, 08 Aug 1725; his father, Benjamin BROWN, was born in Southampton, 
[South Hampton, now in Rockingham County], NH, in Dec 1685; his father, 
Thomas BROWN, in Seabrook [Rockingham County, NH] in 1661; his father, John 
BROWN, having moved to America from Norfolk County, England. He was one of 
the 51 first settlers of old Hampton, in 1638, and died there in 1686; his 
son, Thomas, died 29 Jan 1748; Benjamin died 09 Feb 1766; Enoch died 15 May 
1796; his son, Enoch, in 1838. This was the grandfather of our subject, and 
he removed to Deerfield [Rockingham County, NH], and bought a farm and 
resided there until his decease.

The maiden name of the wife of Enoch, the grandmother of our subject, was 
Abigail STUART, and she was born in the same State, of Scotch ancestry. She 
died on the home farm 16 May 1840. The father of our subject was reared and 
educated in his native town and has always followed farming, having inherited 
the old home farm, where he spent his whole life and died 25 Jul 1866. The 
maiden name of the mother of our subject was Nancy EVANS, born in Allentown, 
Merrimac County, NH, 15 Nov 1785, and died on the home farm 28 Jan 1854, 
having reared three children: Florinda, George F. and Benjamin S.

Our subject was reared and educated in his native town until he was read for 
academic honors and then was sent to Penbroke Academy. He resided with his 
parents until 1842, and then went to Boston, MA, and engaged in the grocery 
business. In Feb 1850 he formed a partnership with two others to go to CA 
and engage in business there. They purchased a stock of general merchandise, 
also lumber, had a store building framed and ready to put up, shipped all 
aboard a sailing vessel and went by way of Cape Horn, arriving in Sep 1850. 
They did not find a lot that would suit them and consequently sold their 
building, which had cost them about $400, for $2,600, and then rented another 
building. The building was built between two others and consisted of posts 
driven in the ground and boarded up in front and back, with sail cloth for a 
roof. They disposed of most of their stock at a private sale and in Dec 
auctioned off the balance, and at once started for home. At Panama two of 
them hired three horses, one each to ride, the other to carry their baggage, 
and they made their way on horseback to the Chagres River and there hired a 
man with a dugout to take them to Chagres, on the eastern coast, and from 
there they took steamship for NY. There our subject engaged in the produce 
business until 1855, and in 1856 came West, visiting Madison, Oshkosh, and 
Fond du Lac, WI; Dubuque, Cedar Falls, and Waterloo, IA, and thence to IL, 
and from there he returned to Boston. Our subject in 1857 traded property in 
Waltham [Middlesex County], MA, for the farm he now owns and [p 322] occupies 
and located here the same year. He has placed the land under cultivation, 
erected good buildings and otherwise improved the place.

In 1852 George F. BROWN was united in marriage with Miss Meribah Greene 
WEARE, who was born in Deerfield, Rockingham County, NH. Her father, Meshech 
WEARE, was born in Hampton Falls, [Rockingham County], NH, 21 Mar 1757. Her 
great grandfather, Hon. Meshech WEARE, was born 16 Jun 1713, and was the 
first Governor of NH. He died 14 Jan 1786. This gentleman was married 
twice, his second wife being Mehitable WAINWRIGHT, who was born 12 Jul 1719, 
and died 20 Nov 1781. The grandfather of Mrs. BROWN was a graduate of 
Harvard College, and for nearly 30 years a Clerk in the State Legislature, 
and about the same length of time was Town Clerk of Deerfield. He died in 
1827. The maiden name of his wife was Polly LOCKE, who spent her entire life 
in NH. The father of Mrs. BROWN was reared and educated in his native State, 
and for some years taught school. After the death of his wife he went to VT, 
bought a farm, lived there for several years, and died at the home of his 
son, Meshech Gardner WEARE. The maiden name of the mother of our subject's 
wife was Meribah GREENE, born in Deefield, Rockingham County, NH, and died 14 
Feb 1822.

Mrs. BROWN was an infant when her mother died, and she then lived with her 
paternal grandparents until their death, and then lived with an aunt until 
her marriage. George F. and Meribah Greene (WEARE) BROWN have two sons, 
George Edward and Preston Weare. Mrs. BROWN and her son, Preston, are 
members of the Congregational Church, which is one of the best churches in 
Madison. Mr. BROWN was formerly a Whig, but has been a Republican since the 
formation of that party [1854].

Submitted by Cathy Kubly