Biographies of Prominent Families
Town of Darien
Fairfield County Connecticut

Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley

Try our genealogy search engine

Biographies of Prominent Families in the Town of Darien, Connecticut, extracted from, The History of Fairfield County Connecticut of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, by D. Hamilton Hurd, 1881.

Brown, Hon. Charles

Charles Brown, son of Dr. and Elizabeth (Leeds) Brown, was born on the same farm in Darien, Conn., where he now resides, Dec. 26, 1809. His fatlier died when Charles was about three years old, and he remained with his mother until he was sixteen years of age, diligently availing himself of the meagre opportunities a country lad enjoyed for acquiring an education, which were summed up in three months' attendance (or less) at the winter's term of district school during the year. When sixteen he went to New York, and was duly apprenticed, in the solemn manner of those days, to one Samuel Webster, a shipjoiner. Staying with him until he was of age, and thoroughly familiarizing himself with his trade, he shortly afterwards went into business on his own account and prospered. Continuing steadily at work, personally supervising and attending to his labor, Mr. Brown remained in New York until he was forty-five years old, when, tiring of the city, and having accumulated sufficient property to allow him to take some leisure, he retired from business, and, returning to Darien, purchased the old homestead of sixty-five acres, and has since resided there, building his present cheerful residence in 1851. He has added to the old home by purchase, and has now the satisfaction of owning a typical New England farm, where beauty, thrift, and neatness vie with each other for supremacy.

Mr. Brown is pleasant and social, and enjoys to a great extent the confidence of his fellow-townsmen. He has held various town offices, and has been selectman for ten or twelve years. He also represented Darien in the State Legislature in 1858, 1860, and 1877. Mr. Brown in his early life was what was known as a "Henry Clay" Whig, and since 1856 has acted with the Republican party, deeming liberty the inalienable right of every human being.

Mr. Brown married, Sept. 29, 1833, Miss Ann E. Conkling, of New York. She died Feb. 23, 1856. Their children were Ann A. (Mrs. Joseph E. Morehouse) and Helen A. (deceased). May 27, 1857, Mr. Brown married Miss Caroline Burt, of Orange Co., N. Y. She died Oct. 13, 1872. Their only child, Jane B., married Charles E. Vail, and now resides in Stamford. Mr. Brown was married, Oct. 16, 1868, to Ella A. Russell, of New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse reside with Mr. Brown, with their three children, — Charles W., Helen B., and Henry B.

Mr. Brown is a man of marked probity of character,- intelligent and high-minded, of good executive ability, and is justly esteemed one of Darien's most progressive citizens, ever active in everything tending to elevate, improve, or educate humanity.