Jacob Brown

Jacob Brown was born in Hancock County, Aug. 28, 1849, to Henry and Catherine (Keltner) Brown. There were seven sons and five daughters born to this couple. In 1865, his parents moved to Bryan where Jacob spent his childhood and received a common schooling. When he became a little older, he came to Henry County and made his first purchase of 25 acres in Liberty Township. He lived in a log cabin and several years later came to Marion Township.

Jacob was the only one of his brothers and sisters to settle in Henry County. He married Eliza Jaqua of Hancock Co. on April 16, 1872. They built a log cabin and their five children were born there. Ella married Henry Eisman. Alvin Brown married Nellie Watkins and they had one son, Orlo. Robert married Addie Needles and they were the parents of Ruth who married Carl Hashbarger, Marie who married Ernest Lazenby (deceased), Maxine who married Wilbur Spencer, and Kathleen who married Homer McMaster. Lottie married Cloyd Hayman. Alice died at the age of 21.

Jacob Brown's farm was once known as Woodville, a logging camp. He gradually cleared off woods until he attained 200 acres.

The children all attended Porcupine School District I. They had to follow a path through the woods, being careful not to fall from the path into a swamp. The family attended the Methodist Church.

Brown lost his wife on March 9, 1888. Several years later he married Martha Brown of Marietta and to this union, five children were born. Three of the children were born in the log house and in 1900 he built a brick home where two children were born.

Their children were Ralph, Julian, Roy, Ada, and Myrtle. Ralph married Eva Hawkins and they had a son, Robert. Julian married Nona George and they were the parents of Bernice who married Paul Mardlow, Norma who married John Vogel; and Margene who married Jack Sheidler. Roy Brown was first married to Margaret Cottrell and was later married to Mildred Dunn. His children were James, Raymond, Margaret who married Curtis Moore, Martha who married Edward Sulik, and an adopted son, David Brown. Ada Brown married Everett Rowland and Myrtle Brown married John Mahoney.

The children had very good educations. Ralph was a school teacher. Roy attended Defiance College and received a degree in engineering at Ohio State University. He worked for Westinghouse for 25 years until his retirement in 1961. Ada taught school, receiving her education at Bowling Green College. Myrtle graduated from Defiance College and taught in Farmer, Antwerp, Hamler, and Panama City, Panama.

Jacob Brown was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also the Masons. In 1920, Mr. and Mrs. Brown retired and moved to Hamler. Their son, Julian, took over the farming and they resided in Hamler until their deaths.

Submitted by Mrs. Ruth Hashbarger