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Surnames: Brown
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Ui.2ADI/3346
Message Board Post:
20th Century Souvenir Edition of the Ossian News. January 1st, 1900, page 76.
William H. Brown
It is always a pleasure to commend work done by a good workman. The subject of this
sketch is in the truest sense a good workman, the best of the kind ever in Ossian.
Mr. Brown was born in 1839, at Niagara Falls, N. Y., a son of parents of Irish descent.
He is a self-educated, self-made man and from earliest youth has followed his present
avocation. He began to work at his trade when 16 years of age, and at the same time
learned painting and trimming. His skill in making all parts of carriages and in
designing new styles of vehicles, his ability to build conveyances that were specially
made according to certain specifications, soon placed him at the head of the line wherever
he worked.
Mr. Brown's life has been an eventful one, and he has always been a busy man. He
began his labors at Kalamazoo, Mich., and remained there 12 years. Then he moved to
Chicago at which place he spent 4 years. Returning to Michigan he located at Niles, and
worked in the shops for 7 years. He has also spent a portion of his life at the following
places -- South Bend, St. Louis and Detroit.
In August, 1897, Mr. Brown opened up his present establishment in Ossian. From the very
first the work he turned out was such as to advertise his ability all over the country.
An industrious man, he can be found early and late in his carriage shop in the north end
of town busy with repair and other work -- in fact he is busy all the time.