"A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of the City of
Seattle and County of King, Washington." New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1903.  p. 476.

AMOS BROWN

     Among the residents of Seattle once prominent in her public affairs who
have now passed to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler
returns," is numbered Amos Brown, one of the honored pioneers of the city, whose
labors were of material benefit in the improvement and upbuilding of this
beautiful metropolis.  A feeling of the deepest regret spread through the city
as the news of his demise was received by those who knew him, not so much
because of the part which he took in business life, not so much for the aid
which he gave to public enterprises, but because the sterling traits of his
character had endeared him to those with whom he was associated and because his
benevolent spirit and generosity were so often and yet so unostentatiously
manifested.
     Mr. Brown was born in Bristol, Grafton county, New Hampshire, on the 29th
of July, 1833, and died April 8, 1899. His parents were Joseph and Relief
(Orduray) Brown. The father was also a native of New Hampshire and was of Scotch
and English ancestry, the family, however, having been founded in America at a
very early day in the history of the old Granite state. Joseph Brown was a
prominent lumber manufacturer with extensive mills on the Merrimac river, where
he dealt in masts and spars and conducted a general milling business, which he
superintended until sixty years of age. He was then succeeded by his sons, who
carried on the business for many years, the enterprise proving a very profitable
one.
     Amos Brown was reared to habits of industry and as work was considered more
important than study in those days, his opportunity for acquiring an education
was extremely limited, although in the school of experience he gained much
valuable knowledge. At the early age of ten years he began work in the lumber
camp and later was employed at driving the logs on the river, becoming a hardy,
fearless and daring youth. He soon excelled in this occupation, became an expert
in this line of business and was thus enabled to command the highest price for
labor of that character. Subsequently he worked in the mills and rose from one
position to another until he was made superintendent and possessed a thorough
and practical knowledge of the business in all its departments, both in
principle and detail. Leaving home at the age of twenty-one years, he followed
lumbering up to 1858, when the Fraser mines gold excitement broke out, and
desirous of rapidly acquiring a fortune in the gold fields he left for the
northwest, after selling his interests in the east. Going to New York he secured
steerage passage; by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to Victoria, British
Columbia, paying two hundred and twenty-five dollars for a continuous passage.
The voyage was uneventful save for the discomfort of over-crowded vessels, but
suffering no accident and little delay, he eventually reached Victoria, there to
find that the gold bubble had exploded and that the hopes of thousands were
doomed to bitter disappointment. The town was crowded with suffering, starving
humanity. Disappointed but not disheartened, Mr. Brown began looking about for
work, and believing that he might utilize his knowledge of lumbering, he at once
sailed for Port Gamble, where he found ready employment at seventy-five dollars
per month and expenses. During the first year he had charge of a logging camp,
and then purchased an interest in logging teams and secured contracts with the
milling companies to furnish them with logs. This business he carried on
successfully for two years and then sold his interest and returned to the employ
of the company with which he had previously worked on salary. He occupied
various positions of trust until 1865, when he resigned in order to visit his
old home in New Hampshire.
     In 1859, without visiting Seattle, Mr. Brown had been induced to purchase
property on Spring street, between Second avenue and the water front, and in
1861 he made his first visit to the town. In 1863, in connection with M. R.
Maddocks and John Condon, he built the old Occidental Hotel, on the present site
of the Occidental block, and this hotel was conducted for two years by Messrs.
Maddocks, Brown & Company, at the end of which time he sold his interests to
John Collins. In September, 1867, following his visit to his old home in New
Hampshire, Mr. Brown returned to Seattle and entered into partnership with I. C.
Ellis, of Olympia. He conducted a lumber business in that city until 1882 and
was very successful in the conduct of the enterprise, a large business bringing
to him an excellent financial return. For ten years he was in partnership with
Mr. Ellis and after that was alone. In 1882 he sold out and from that time until
his death practically lived retired, merely giving his supervision to his
invested interests, which, owing to increased values and extensive operations in
real estate, had grown to considerable proportions. Up to the time of his death
he retained large interests in Seattle property, in addition to having extensive
tracts of timber land in several counties adjoining the sound.
     In his political views Mr. Brown was an enthusiastic Republican and in his
early life was an active participant in political work, doing everything
possible to promote the success of his party and secure the adoption of its
principles, but in later years he left the party work to younger men. He was
very public-spirited and co-operated in many movements and measures for the
general good and for the improvement of Seattle. He served the community in
various positions of responsibility and no trust reposed in him was ever
betrayed to the slightest degree. He served as a member of the city council and
for two years was a state official, acting as a director of the Steilacoom
Insane Asylum. He was most generous and benevolent, his generosity amounting
almost to a fault. Any tale of distress awakened his ready sympathy and was
immediately followed by an impulse to assist in any way which he could.
     In the fall of 1867 Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Annie M.
Peebles, a native of New York, and the same fall they erected their cottage on
the comer of Front and Spring streets, which district was then almost an
unbroken wilderness. In the family were five children: Alson L., of the firm of
Kinnear & Brown, real estate agents of Seattle; Brownie, the wife of R. M.
Kinnear, her brother's partner; Ora, Anna and Helen, all at home. The children
were provided with liberal educations and the success of the father enabled him
to leave his family in independent financial circumstances.  Mrs. Brown has
erected a magnificent residence in one of the best districts of the city and
this handsome abode is celebrated for its attractive social gatherings.
     When death claimed Mr. Brown, one Who knew him wrote of him, "In the
passing away of Amos Brown the sound country, loses one of its best pioneer
citizens. For over forty years a citizen and actively identified as he was with
the growth of the country, his death cannot be considered in any other light
than as a loss to the community. He was public-spirited and interested in any
movement for the promotion or advancement of measures for the general good and
he was scrupulously honest and upright in his dealings with his fellow men. The
punctual liquidation of a debt or obligation was one of the cardinal principles
of his character. Liberal and benevolent, he was well known for his generosity,
yet his giving was always without ostentation or display.  When but a boy he
exhibited this same generous spirit and kindly solicitude for others, and often
when wet, cold and hungry himself, he would carry wood and food to a poor widow,
who lived neighbor to his parents, before providing for his own comfort. He
always took a lively interest in young men and aided many in securing positions
where they could advance their own interests through diligence and ability. In
the early days of his residence in the northwest he was known as the friend of
the Indians and as he never took advantage of them or betrayed their confidence
he was loved and trusted by them. He always had a kindly feeling for the
unfortunate and erring and often when men were arrested for vagrancy or trifling
offences he secured their release, pledging himself to furnish them employment
and become responsible for them. It is pleasing to know that his kindness was
appreciated and seldom abused. Fraternally Mr. Brown was connected with the
Ancient Order of United Workmen, but he had few ties of that character. He found
ample opportunity to do good through other channels, and many have reason to
remember him with gratitude and love. He belonged to that band of strong,
self-reliant, energetic and courageous men who laid the foundation for the
wonderful development of the northwest, and Mr. Brown also lived to take an
active part in building the superstructure of the great commonwealth through the
advancement of one of the leading cities west of the Rockies.
 
Transcriber's additional notes.
 
Census Indexing:
1870  BROWN  AMOS  35  M  W  NH  WA  KING  SEATTLE 
1880  BROWN  AMOS  47     W  NH  WA  THURSTON  OLYMPIA 
1880  BROWN  AMOS  48     W  NH  WA  THURSTON  TUMWATER; 2-DIVN 
 
"Early History of Thurston County, Washington; Together with Biographies and
Reminiscences of those Identified with Pioneer Days" Compiled and Edited by Mrs.
George E. (Georgiana) Blankenship Olympia, Washington; 1914
 
Marriage of Amos Brown to Annie M. Peebles in Thurston Co., Wa.; November 23,
1867.


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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in February 2008 by Diana
Smith.  Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family
mentioned above.