Amador
County
Biographies
ARMSTEAD C. BROWN
The history of the pioneer
settlement of northern California would be incomplete without the record of this
gentleman, who from the early development of the state has been an important
factor in its substantial growth and improvement. When California was cut off from the
advantages and comforts of the east by long, hot stretches of sand and barren
clay and the high mountains, he made his way across the plains, braving all the
trials and hardships of pioneer life in order to make a home on the Pacific
coast, rich in its resources, yet unreclaimed from the dominion of the red
men. The year of his arrival was 1849,
and to this state he brought his family in 1851, so that his residence here has
been continuous for half a century.
Judge Brown was born in St Charles
County, Missouri, on the 10th of January, 1816. His father, Thomas Brown, was born in
Richmond, Virginia, and was an early settler of the state of Missouri. He was a cabinetmaker by trade and also
followed the occupation of farming. He
wedded Mary Elizabeth Ribolt, a native of Missouri
and a lady of German lineage. They had
two daughters and four sons. In 1820,
when our subject was only four years of age, they removed to Illinois, where
the father died in his thirty-fifth year.
The mother afterward married again, and died in 1830, at the age of
thirty-two years. Judge Brown became
familiar with the experiences of pioneer life when a boy in Illinois, for the
prairie state was then on the border of civilization. He pursued his education in a little log
schoolhouse such as was common at that period; but reading, observation,
experience and study in later years added greatly to his knowledge and made him
a well informed man. In 1832 he removed
to Wisconsin, and later he served in the Black Hawk War as a member of the
militia. He followed lead-mining in the
Badger state, and on the 26th of February, 1837, he was married
there to Miss Phillippia Williams. In 1849 he bade adieu to his little family
and crossed the plains to California in search of gold, for the previous year
the precious metal had been discovered on the Pacific slope, and to that
section of the country emigrants from the various eastern states were flocking. After his arrival Judge Brown engaged in
placer mining in Shasta County, and to him is due the honor of naming the town
of Shasta. He met with fair success and,
resolving to make California his permanent home, he returned for his family,
making the journey by way of the water route by way of the Isthmus to New
Orleans and thence up the Mississippi River.
Severing all business connections in Wisconsin in 1851, he once more crossed
the plains, accompanied by his wife and six children, all of whom are now
deceased, with the exception of two: a
daughter who is the widow of A. Askey, and Mrs.
Margaret Folger.
Judge Brown took up in residence in
Jackson in 1851, and is now one of the oldest living settlers of the town. His son, George W. Brown, who was born in
Jackson, is now a progressive businessman here and a worthy representative of
the native residents of the state. The
wife and mother, however, has been called to her final
rest, having passed away in April, 1896.
During the early years of his residence in
Jackson Judge Brown was engaged in merchandising, bringing his goods by team
over the mountains. In August, 1863, Jackson was visited by a great
conflagration and the whole town was burned to the ground, destroying about
thirty tenement houses for Judge Brown.
He was then at a loss to know what to do, for all he had left was his
beautiful two-story brick house which he now occupies. It was not long; however, till he decided to
rebuild and soon the burned structures were replaced with new ones. At this time Judge Brown, for the first time
in his life, found it necessary to borrow money to carry out his intentions,
and of a friend he borrowed one thousand dollars, which was soon paid back from
his rents. Since that time he has met
with other losses by fire, but smaller, and has them all replaced by finer
structures. Judge Brown had read law in
early life and had been admitted to practice in Wisconsin, and had served as a
member of the state legislature there.
After his arrival in California he resumed the prosecution of his
profession and in 1876 he was elected the probate judge of Amador County, which
position he acceptably filled for five years, when he resumed the private
practice of law, which he continued until 1897.
In 1887 he was admitted into the supreme court of the state of
California. He received a good
patronage, and his skill and ability was manifest in the many favorable
verdicts which he secured for his clients.
As the years have passed he has made judicious investments in real
estate, and is now the owner of a number of excellent houses and lots in the
city, together with other property. Now,
at the ripe old age of eighty-five years, twice a day he makes his way to his office
to supervise his property interests. The
habits of industry are strong within him.
His life has been one of energy, perseverance and resolution, and these
qualities have brought to him a well merited competence. He gave his political support in early
manhood to the Whig party, and on its dissolution became a Democrat, since
which time he has been identified with that political organization. In 1863 he was his party’s choice to
represent them in the state legislature, and so honorably did he discharge his
duties that in 1865 he was re-elected.
In 1869 he was again honored to represent his party in the state
legislature, and at the expiration of this term declined further honors
tendered him by his party and resumed his law practice in Jackson. He is now well advanced in years, yet with
him old age is not synonymous with inactivity or helplessness. On the other hand it is often a source of
inspiration and encouragement, as it gives of its rich store of learning and
experience to others whose journey of life is but begun. Judge Brown receives the respect and
veneration of all who know him, and well does he deserve honorable mention upon
the pages of his adopted state.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 111-113. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Amador County Biographies