Orleans

BROWN, Benjamin Franklin & Joseph Clement

Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches 
of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. 
Dodge. Burlington: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, pp 127-129

Benjamin Franklin BROWN - pp 127-128 (brother of Joseph Clement BROWN)

Benjamin Franklin BROWN, manufacturer, Fitchburg [Worcester County], 
Massachusetts, was born 08 December 1849 at Lowell [Orleans County, Vermont], 
son of Joseph and Katharine (SCOTT) BROWN. Educated at Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts, High School, graduated 1871, and Amherst College, class of 
1874. Taught school in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1874-1881; Athol [Worcester 
County], Massachusetts, High School 1881-1883; Washington County Grammar 
School, Montpelier, 1883-1885; Gibson School, Boston [Suffolk County], 
Massachusetts, 1885-1890.

In 1880 he [Benjamin Franklin BROWN] married [Miss?] Zephirine NORMANDIN of 
Blackstone [Worcester County], Massachusetts. Since 1890 he has been engaged 
in the manufacture of "the brown bag filling machine;" business incorporated 
in 1892, with Mr. [Benjamin Franklin] BROWN as president and manager; 
machines known throughout the world for putting up seeds and other materials 
in flat paper packets; first rendering possible the great volume of the 
Congressional free seed distribution by the United States Department of 
Agriculture. Member of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, past officer of 
lodge and encampment; past officer in Knights of Pythias; member of Fay Club; 
holds college record in six-oared shell since 1872.



Joseph Clement BROWN - p 129 (brother of Benjamin Franklin BROWN)

Joseph Clement BROWN, manufacturer, Fitchburg [Worcester County], 
Massachusetts, was born 04 January 1845 in South Troy [Orleans County, 
Vermont], son of Joseph and Katherine (SCOTT) BROWN. Educated in the public 
schools and Newbury Seminary. The death of his mother in 1856 resulted in 
the breaking up of the family, and the subject of this sketch went to South 
Woodbury [Washington County, Vermont] to live with an uncle, Hon. Asaph TOWN; 
in 1860 was apprenticed as a carriage manufacturer, following this business 
for twenty years; in 1880 moved to Burlington [Chittenden County, Vermont], 
taking position as traveling salesman.

In 1884 he began the study of an automatic machine for putting seeds and 
powders in flat packets, receiving his first patents thereon a year later; 
moved to Boston [Suffolk County], Massachusetts, 1886, taking positions as 
traveling salesman with C. H. Codman & Company; in 1887, his brother, 
Benjamin Franklin BROWN, was taken as a partner in the automatic machine 
business, improvements and perfections were made, new and important patents 
were secured, with the result that his invention stands today unrivalled in 
the history of automatic machinery of its kind, it having been adopted by the 
United States Department of Agriculture, and the leading seedmen of the U. 
S., England, Germany, Australia, and the Dominion of Canada.

In 1895 he [Joseph Clement BROWN] suffered the loss of his right arm; and in 
1896 broke his left arm; in 1905 was in a railroad wreck on the Maine Central 
Railroad, from the effects of which he was confined at home for six months. 
In 1908 he resigned his position as traveling salesman, going to Washington 
to assist in a contract with the U. S. Department of Agriculture; in 1909 he 
moved to Fitchburg [Worcester County, Massachusetts], the home office and 
factory of the Brown Bag Filling Machine Company, taking a position as 
assistant superintendent.

In 1871 he [Joseph Clement BROWN] married Percy P., daughter of Jason W. and 
Laura A. (PUTNAM) TOWN, of South Woodbury [Washington County, Vermont]; they 
have one son, Joseph Robert, an employee of the Brown Bag Filling Machine 
Company, taking charge for the past five years of contracts with the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, in which the company has been the contracting 
parties. Mr. [Joseph Clement] BROWN is a member of the First Universalist 
Church of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; member of Green Mountain Lodge No. 68, 
Free & Accepted Masons, of Cabot; and a member of St. Paul's Royal Arch 
Chapter and Boston Commandery.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly