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Brown, George W.

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Brown, George W.

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GEORGE W . B R OW N.
Georg e \V. Brown wa~ b orn in M onroc•vi llc, Ohio A ug ust 28 , 18 15.
Aug ust 2 2, 1843 , he 111:1rri ed A m:w da P rons a t An n Arh or, l\lich.
In yo un g manh oo<l lw entered th e Nor\\'alk A c:ul cmy wh ere he wns ~o o n
afte r conver te d :m rl uni ted with t he M et hod ist E piscopal C hurch a nd
becam e a minister of t he Gospel. ITo was a n ea rnest antl s ucces~ ful
Met hod ist p n•acher. H e joinell th e Mic higa n Con feren ce in 1838 and
was fo r a nu mber of years a mi ,.;siona ry among th o I llll ians in the
houn d s of his confe re nce. He e nte red th o Ce ntral Illinois Con fe rence
in 18 5 7.
D uring tho war o f the Rebellion h e was elected chaplain o f the
RGth Illinois Infan t ry an d di d servi ce in t he . U nion army until failing
h eal t h compell ed his reRig nation. H is health was ne ver fully restored
a nd a bout nin e years ago h e was aflli c ted by a st rok e of paralys is whi ch
rendered his left si1le helpless. llis brain a nd vo ice we re affected to
such an extent tha t at times he could not co nverso freely nor in tellig ently.
N early five years s iuce his w1fe d ied a nd he was left practi call y
alone. O n t he 2-lth of Jul y, 18 03, at his h ome in Ahingdon, Ill., his
weary spil·it was li be ra ted , retuming to God who ga \'e it an d we laid
his h otl y heside t hat of hi f> <lr.pa rted wi fe in th e r\hi n ~do n ce me tery.
His school mate and li fe long frie nd, D r. Ri chard H an ey, p reached
an a p propriate sermon •HI th e occasion a nd other ministe rial brethren
assiste<l in the serv ices.
At th e re·union o f his old reg iment, (SG th Illinois Infan t•·y,) Aug nt>t
30, 1S03, a t P eori a, I ll., resolu tions were arl oplctl <• xp ressing ~o rr o w on
acco un t of th e d eaLh of th e beloYed chap lain, R ev. Geo. \V . B rown.
The resolu tions ch •clarecl that hi s co mt·atlcs " fo un d in h im every whe re
and al ways th e true Christia n ge ntl eman, stand ing four-sq uare to every
wincl th at blew, d evoting hi mself to th e ca re a nd relief of t he sick and
wouud erl in th e Re1·vice of his country in th e war o f th e R eb ellion a nd
in p eace, beari ng himself tlig nified, genial and uusull ied as a ge ntlema n,
patri ot and Christia n."

GEORGE WASHINGTON BROl-IN
From Let ter fr om Pat sy Patter son,
Mi l ford Church, Oct . 8, 1986
Lette r s coied f r o m orig ina l s. Bent l ey Libra ry.
Au • 21, 1885· Br o1-m stat es t hat he vr?.s suff 0ri nP, in his left ha nd t;. a r m everyday
a nd he ~ d for a y r . ~ufferi ng ~,·as intense during thP da." , but subsided a t night
enough s o he coul d sl e e p . Hi~ left hi p & back HE're l a me, but he cut k i ndling "tvood
as exerci Ae i s go od, but ha '· vertigo v ery ba ly . " I t is difficult to t alk & I C'1 n 1 t
go to Church much anymor e ."
Tomorro•·J Ni ll be our 4 Sh ived iin.g-Annive r sary. !ve a r e a l one . Our d a u g hter i R abse nt & the 29th, if I 1 ive , I sha 1 l be 7 0 yrs old . I a s bor n in ~o n ro ev ill e, Ohi o,
Au g . 29 , 1815.
T
lv'1S r ·cei ved on trial into the North Ohi o & '1 ich Conf & sent to : raterville
1.fi s s i on above Y..t aumee City i n 1838 ·· ith Babcock . \'ln" ordaine rl a ~etl.c on in Mich Co'l f
by Bis ho ~ iiaug h in 1839 and transferr e n ne<> r Adri Pn . In t h e f all N s appo i nted to
Livinge ton Ci r c uit. Tn f a l l 1 840 vrs o r dained. as .l!:!fler & ~ent ,.Jith ro . Br ocbray
t o Saute ~ t . Marie .
~ o I have c onti nu e d unti l t hi s u r 0. ent, witnes sing both to smal l & grate among
the Hhit e s in t he a r my , in b Rttl " anone the I n r) i ans & r. ~> gros. A thousan d h 2.v f al len
on my s ide & t e n t hou sand a t my Ti gh hand , bu~ it d i d not com~ ni gh .
vy coati t 11 tion as shattered in tr.at t e rrible a r, hOi•Tever , my bo dy is no'.'l
~-1e ak .ll: vithout a ny pensio n .
I hav e been t hi nking over hro y r F> to obt::~.in one & yet I
a m ~ t ill v o r kin for i t . !tly i'life he <~ l th i s r.rFl.:4 ual l y giving ·.·a y, r ut I am pr aying
co ns tantly tha t he r li fe wi l l b e spar ed . ~he h aR beeh suc h a faithful , nobl e L
good···ife . Hoi-r c 8.n I s pare he r no1·1
They a re ho l din:: camu m e etin ~s a l l a round u s . 0 hm·J I lon.o; to be OlJ.t \vi th t hem in
the bqtt le . How p l ea e ~ I s hould he at the Det C o ~ f o~ce mo r e & li sten to yo ur
discour~ e. ...
"'•! ri tteo rt,.,v . Pi t zell fro "' Abingdon, I l l. )
Hi s fa t her Has a Dane , a Puritan -':· some of t he f a:nily c : > me O'lter on t he ~..-ayflO\'ie r.
Mo thers s i dP w1.s -'nglish ~ settled i nConn . be :'or e e v o l · tion '!.ry ' ar. His mat ~ rnal
a;.,..andfa the r w., s 3 y r s i n the Co n t inr.mt a l Ar:ny ,\!:. 2 yr s on a s loop on the oc ean i n t h e
·.;ar . ±.hen t hey moved to fr'ich. fe rritor & sett l ed o n da i sin Rive r.
'l'he vrho l e f:=tmi l y 1:TR.S tc>.ken pri s one r by t.he ":")r i. tisr . & Indians ··rhen Hul l Aurrendere d his Army at Det r oit . Th ey made their e scape in canoes across th~ he ed o f
Lake ~r i e into Oh i o .
?arent s were not religi ous--s i ste ~ Sarah Ann wt1.s re l igi nu s li eh~ of f a:nily • • •

THE COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
DETROIT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Archives, Adrian College Library
Adrian, Michigan 49221
Telephone: 517/265-5161
First Log Church
on the River Rouge

Clinton, oldest UMC
edifice in Conference
1837

President

Rev. Bruce Brown
13199 Colvin
River~_iew, Mi. 48192
A rchivist

Rev. Ronald Brunger
Adrian College Library
Adrian, Mi. 49221
Vice-President

Rev. William Cooper
5005 Chicago Rd.
Warren, Mi. 48092
Secretary

James Dodd
Adrian College Library
Adrian, Mi. 49221

George l(. Brm-m

.
8

1 838--Adm. o n Tria l .
From Detroit St a tion .
iatervil~e Missi onJ Maumee
. ·
t
.
.
1s~r kc~a
r. Pr eacner
1839-- L1v1ngs on C1rcui4.-- Jr. Preacher \H th see voo a. e • S.d.O T' f
0
100
1 840- -G. \'1 . ~rolm--Soo - - Bro ckway , ..vroNn , Marks man Got lils ~SICC>~
1841--Soo--Jr. prea·~ her Ni t h Hm H. Br och~y
1842--Kewa'loienon--Sr . pre a che r, vTith Peter Mark s ma n Jr .
1843-- Sa me
1844--Soo -- wit h Joseph Bushay, ~r. Sault de St . Ma rie
1845- Richmon d
Re cei,:ed $100 of $ 216 cla im.
1846-- II
II
1 84 7--Flint I ndian Miss ion-- Ge orge Br adl ey , G. 1v. Brol-m , John KatJ:bee je
11
1 848-- "
"
- - Love ll Har ri s , Brmm , Kahbeeje
1849--Ja l esv ill e I n d i a n Mi s sion--G. w. ~rown
1 850--Shia wa ssee--Brovm , one to b e appt .
1851-- " II II
G. vl. Brm·m
$101. 94 of $2 21
1 852- -Fentonvill e
Bro\m
$118 of 224
1 8 53--F entonvil l e
.r
$ 217 of 2 24 .
1 854- - Trans f erre d to N. O h~o Co nference.
( See Macmill an : The Mrt~o d ist Chur ch in Michiga n: The Nineteenth
~i~tualn pon lh6-6Ri for a oeeR at h~s f amily d i f f i c ult i e s , in
eu
g "t e "fag I nd1Cm (.;ampmee ~ 1ng )
1854-1855
Monroeville
18 56 -- Located.

THE COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
DETROIT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
THE U NITED METHODIST CHURCH
Archives, Ad rian College Library
A drian, Michigan 49221
Telephone: 5171265-5161
First Log Church
on the River Rouge
President .
Rev. Bruce Brown .
13 199 Colvin
Riverview, Mi. 48 192
Archivist
Rev. Ronald Brunger
Adrian College Library
Adrian, Mi. 49221
Vice-President
Rev. William Cooper
5005 Chicago Rd.
Warren, Mi. 48092
Secretary
J ames Dodd
Adrian College Library
Adrian, Mi. 49221

Cli nton , oldest UMC
edifice in Conference
1837
::•

Gt.:ORGE "P.RO HN
:?ro+.her
!'-..ro\in Pt;ea· he.d hishf~r e Fell :de:r.roo n i n t !"le P . M.
·
t
'three y ear "
1 844 - - P 1. e ze 1 a rrl. ve!:i a 't Kewc:.·..,en n. .nr Oi·m a L:. 1 2.. bore
at th· t st ~tion cmd vras b e l ov ed by th Jnd i ans aE' a devot e d Christ i a n
an d f ?.i thful pator. Al l of ·ond'Jy a cl pa rt of Tue s de.y -v.•e we::--e bus i ly
employe d i n a s sist i ng n rother Br own in his pre parations to go to the
Saut. He , hi s wife , and a litt l e/ babe, abo~t thrGe mon t hs old, were
to t a ke·our canoe an d men for th is voyage. Ou t of t he s~all qua n t ity
of provisions we ha d b ro :1ght He •• Burn i s hed broth e r Br oHn vTi th provi s i or
fo r hi s trip . He to ok l eave of t he miss i o n October 1 4 t y , wa s s i xt een da~
on t he 1vay, enc o ~nt e re d severe storms , a nd hi s pr ovi si o ns fa il e d before r e ching t he Sa u t. Th i s may be a d de d to the nume"ous i nsta nces of
priv a t i on and s uffe r ing c on n e cted with the mi s siona ry work on Lake
Superior."
L i ghts and Shades of Mi ssionary Li f e , p p. 70-71.
Ad mitted on tr ial - - 1 838 . Re co mmend e d f r o m De troit Sta t i on.
Ad'Ti i t t e d int o Mi ch i s-an Conferenc e i n ful l Connection- -1 840
1 8 39-Jun ior Pre ·· cher , L iving s ton Ci r cui t.
1841- Sal.,llt e St . l'i.a rie--\•:illi a m :.J . Br o ck ay , George ~l . Bro1-m .
1842- Ke :-·a,.;e non--G . Vl . 'Rro'lm & Peter f,\, rks man
184 3Sa me
1 844-- S::1 u lte St . N:a ri c- - G. ~-1. _r o,-m , Jn seph Bushay
1 84 5
Rjchmond- -G. W. Bro ~.~
• 1 846
II
tl
II
II
II
1 847
Fl int I ndian l·'ii s sion- - Ce orge Br ad l e y, George W. Brown ,
John Krthbee je
11
11
1 ~48-n
n
n
LoHel l F. Ha rris , G. W. Brm-m , Kahbeeje
1 849-- J a nesvil l e Ind i a n Vi s si on- - Geo rge W. Erown .
18 50- - Sh i a v1a s se e -- Ge or e e H. Br own , On e to be supplied .
1 8 51 --xibrn::trDJ~DLitl!R.:G<~ Y..&x.xxxx:Y~lii Sh cia v:assee -- Ge orge \{ . Brovm .
1 8 52
Fent onvil l e -- G. W. Bro\-m
18 5 3
II
II
II
II
tt
II
1 854
Ge or e e W• ."Pro\-m , Tra n s f e rre d to t h e North Ohio Conferen ce .