Cumberland County, Maine - Thomas J. Brown
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Biography
Thomas J. Brown
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 539-540


Thomas J. Brown, of Raymond, the prosperous owner of Lake View Farm, where he
has resided since his marriage, was born in Raymond, April 6, 1840, son of
Jordan and Catherine (Staples) Brown.

Jordan Brown was a native of North Raymond. As both his parents died when he was
a small child, he came in early boyhood to Raymond to live in the family of John
Small, who acted as a foster-father to the orphan boy. He assisted in the farm
work, and as the yearswent by became more and more the dependence of Mr. Small,
for whom he tenderly cared during his last years. At that gentleman's decease
Jordan Brown assumed entire control of the farm, the place on which his son now
resides, and was thereafter successfully engaged in mixed husbandry until his
death, which occurred February 3, 1894. His wife, Catherine, was a native of
Portland, from which place she came to Raymond with her parents while she was
young. She also found a home with John Small and his wife, and it was there that
the acquaintance was formed that led to her marriage. They were the parents of
four children, namely: John Small Brown, born June 18, 1838, who married Sarah
Shaw, and now resides in Dry Mills, Gray, Me.; Thomas Jackson Brown, the subject
of this sketch; Sarah E. A. Brown, born July 30, 1842, who died April 28, 1843;
and Joseph W., born December 5, 1847, who married Annie J. Harris, of New
Gloucester, Me., and lives in Portland, where he holds a position with the firm
of Twitchell & Co. Their mother died August 31, 1883.

Thomas J. Brown received the advantages of a common-school education. After his
school days were ended, he assisted his father on the farm until his marriage,
with the exception of one year, during which he was employed in Welchville, Me.
He then took charge of the old homestead, and has continued to reside here since
that time. In the home place there are about seventy-five acres of land, and he
owns forty-five acres in another part of the town. Since he became the owner of
the farm, he has made various improvements. He does a successful business in
stock raising, making a specialty of Jersey and Holstein stock. The cream from
his dairy is marketed at the Gray creamery. Besides raising an excellent variety
of fruit, he devotes considerable attention to the production of the staple
products of this section; and the close of the harvest season finds his barns
and granary well filled with hay and grain. During the summer season the Lake
View farm-house is opened for the reception of summer boarders, having
accommodation for about a dozen guests.

Mr. Brown was first married on July 2, 1862, to Miss Althea P. Messer, who was
born in Waterville, Me., July 20, 1844. She died on November 11, 1867, leaving
one daughter, Lizzie A., born April 11, 1866, now'the wife of Frank W. Edwards,
of Freeport, Me., and the mother of one child, Flossie Ida. On November 10,
1877, Mr. Brown formed a second union, taking for his wife Miss Nellie A. Brown,
who was born in Raymond on January 20, 1848, daughter of Andrew Brown, a
prosperous farmer, now deceased. No children have been born of this second
marriage; but they have taken Frank L. Means, of Freeport, to bring up and
educate.

Like his father, Mr. Brown has always been a supporter of the Democratic party.
Though he has never been an aspirant for official position, he has served as
Selectman of Raymond and in other offices. In fraternal affiliation Mr. Brown is
a member of Siloam Lodge, No. 45, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Gray,
Me., and also of the Cumberland Grange Society. He and his family are attendants
of the Union church at East Raymond.