Untitled Document
Our Stone, Ogden
and Related Families
Additional Information
Levi W. Brown:
Notes:
See Esther (Stone) Brown Obituary.
Birth date from article in "Wauseon Republican Newspaper" 19 August 1954
LEVI BROWN, PIONEER, DIPLOMAT
(published in same edition as above article)
Pioneer, judge, consul to Scotland, all of these was Levi Walter Brown (father of Mrs. Reas Campbell).
Levi Walter Brown, born 1841, was the youngest child of Benjamin and Ruth (Reynolds) Brown who came to Franklin Township from Vermont in 1837. Levi as a youngster grew up in a log cabin, went to school, and finally became a teacher. He ran a general store in Burlington, then in 1880 moved to Wauseon.
It was about this time that his political career began, for in 1879 he had been elected Probate Judge of Fulton County. He was quite active in local, state, and National politics being instrumental in the election of Governor Foraker to the Ohio Governship and himself being nominated in the primaries for governor of Ohio although he later withdrew his name.
In 1889 Brown received an appointment from President Harrison as consul for Glasgow, Scotland. He remained in this position several years, his daughter, Mrs. Reas Campbell [Ruth Armstrong Brown Campbell] being born there.
Brown's wife and her sister achieved prominence too for they were among the first women telegraphers. Mrs. Brown worked in the Office of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad here in Wauseon. Mrs. Brown's sister Esther Stone was a telegrapher in Chicago at the time of the great fire and was none of those who remained at her post until all that could be done was accomplished. Miss Stone, who was written up in Time magazine, died on the 68th anniversary of the fire.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohfulton/BROWN4.html Maggie Moerdyke translated, I have copies of the originals.
Esther Converse Stone:
Buried: UNKNOWN, Wauseon Cemetery, Wauseon, Ohio
1
Notes:
Translated by Maggie Moerdyke, I also have copies of the originals
Esther Stone Brown
Mrs. L. W. Brown Expired Friday
(published in local newspaper, scrapbook does not indicate which paper)
Funeral Services Were Conducted in Home Sunday
Mrs. Esther Stone Brown, 86 years of age, passed away at her home on East Oak Street last Friday morning after a short illness. She was born in Nappanok, NY and came to Wauseon to live in 1875 and in same year went to work for the New York Central railroad here as a telegraph operator and agent [see corresponding article submitted 11/30/98].
In 1883 she married Mr. L. W. Brown, who was appointed United States consul to Glasgow, Scotland by President Harrison in 1889 and served in that capacity until 1893. For three terms Mr. Brown was probate judge in this county and was one of the organizers of the Toledo & Indiana railroad. In 1900 he was permanent chairman of the Democratic national convention at Kansas City which nominated William Jennings Bryan was president. Mr. Brown passed away a number of years ago.
Mrs. Brown is survived by a daughter, Miss Ruth Brown [later known as Mrs. Reas Campbell], local school teacher, with whom she made her home; a son Walter of Piqua, OH; a sister Miss Eliza Stone, 91, of Oswego, NY and a brother Mr. Hoxie Stone, 77 of Clarksville, OH and three stepsons Albert Brown of NY; Maynard Brown of Clyde, OH; and George Brown of Wauseon.
Mrs. Brown was a very brilliant lady. She was quiet and unassuming and was very well liked by everyone who knew her.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon in the home of Rev. Roy C. Vandegriff and interment was in the Wauseon cemetery.
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BIOGRAPHICAL ARTICLE:
Esther Converse Stone Brown,
Fulton Co., OH 1954
Published in the "Wauseon Republican" 19 August 1954
Wauseon Had Top Flight Telegrapher There is an interesting story to come out of the past of Esther Stone Brown and her sister Eliza Stone.
Esther Brown came to Wauseon in the early Seventies as a Telegrapher for the "Old Lake Shore." She had served as a telegrapher at Wakeman, Ohio and one other place before coming to Wauseon. She and he sister Eliza, were two of the first women operators in the United States.
Mrs. Brown's sister was rated on of the best in the country and was in Chicago at the time of the "great fire" of 1871. She stayed at her post until the flames drove her away. She left in a wagon with many others. She and her two roommates buried their trunks before leaving the city. When Miss Stone went back for hers, it was gone. Eliza came to Wauseon and lived with her sister Esther for a while before going to Oswego, NY where she lived to be 97. Esther Stone was the telegrapher in Wauseon until she married Judge Brown in1883.
She was the mother of Mrs. Reas Campbell
[Ruth Armstrong (Brown) Campbell].
Footnotes
- Obituary, Elon Stone, III [37].
"interment was made in Wauseon Cemetery."
- The State of Ohio, Board of School Examiners, Teaching Certificate, Ruth Brown [44].
Middle name listed in full here.
Untitled Document
If you find any additions or corrections that need to be
made, please email me.
Spotmom
Revised: 2009-11-10
Copyright © 2009 C. Herrin. All rights reserved.
