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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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BROWN, GEORGE (1829-1908)

BROWN, GEORGE, building contractor; mayor of Newcastle, 1904-05; b. Chatham Head, 1 Oct 1829 (bap. 17 Jan 1830), s/o William Brown and h/w Barbara, wid/o William Orr; m. 1st, 1856, Mary Crocker, d/o David R. Crocker and Mary Newcomb, and 2nd, 1882, Sarah Nicholson, d/o Robert Nicholson Sr and Mary Ann Osburn; d. Newcastle, 13 Sep 1908.

In the course of a lengthy career in the construction business, George Brown took contracts to erect many private homes and public structures and worked as a supervisor on larger construction jobs. In 1876 he built a lighthouse keeper's residence and outbuildings on Fox Island at the mouth of Miramichi Bay. In 1878 he erected a spacious home near Newcastle for the family of John Robinson Sr. In 1884 he won a contract to build a new 'engine house' in Newcastle. In 1886-87 he supervised the construction of the highway bridge across the Southwest Miramichi between Nelson and Wilson's Point. In 1893-94 he oversaw the construction of a spoolwood mill in Newcastle for Clark, Skillings & Co.

Brown was not much involved in partisan politics, but he became the central figure in an unpleasant incident at the poll at the courthouse in Newcastle on the day of the federal election of 1878. The contest was between Peter Mitchell and Jabez B. Snowball, and in his zeal for Mitchell, Matthew Russell took it upon himself to block the few Snowball supporters to be found in Newcastle from entering the courthouse. This outraged George Brown and caused him to act on his belief that "resistance to power usurped is a duty." The Miramichi Advance stated that he was arrested for making a noise, but after he was locked up in jail for several hours he was charged with assault. His trial lasted a number of days, but as usually happened at that time, the charges were then dismissed.

Brown was active in non-political affairs, being an early officer of the Mechanics' Institute in Newcastle, a trustee and committee member of St James Presbyterian Church, and mayor of Newcastle in 1904-05. In his later years he spent time salmon fishing on the Northwest, and he and his second wife travelled extensively in North America and abroad. A visit to the Paris Exposition was included in a 'round the world tour which they took in 1900.

Brown and his first wife, Mary Crocker, raised a large family, several of the members of which were successful in mining and related industries in Colorado. Notable among them was their son David R. C. Brown, who made a fortune in the silver mines at Aspen and was said to have been the wealthiest man in the state. In 1901 he supplied the basin for the fountain in the Town Square in Newcastle, and his father supervised the installation.

George Brown's second wife, Sarah Nicholson, was an early member of the Salvation Army in Newcastle. The only child of this marriage to live to adulthood was Osborne N. Brown, who was trained as a teacher and taught for a time at Harkins Academy before enrolling in McGill University to study mining engineering. He practiced his profession in different parts of Canada, as well as in Mexico, and was later appointed to the engineering faculty of his alma mater in Montreal.

Sources

[b] census [m] Gleaner 1 Mar 1856; 15 Feb 1882 [d] Advocate 16 Sep 1908 / Advance 24 Oct 1878, 7 Nov 1878, 16 Jun 1892, 9 Nov 1893; Advocate 26 Mar 1868, 8 Mar 1876, 20 Jul 1887, 18 Apr 1900, 26 Jun 1901, 31 Jul 1901, 6 Jul 1904; Leader 18 Jan 1907, 29 Dec 1944, 26 Jun 1974; World 29 Nov 1884


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