San Joaquin County
Biographies
BENJAMIN HOWARD BROWN
BENJAMIN HOWARD BROWN, a
grain and produce merchant of Stockton, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, April
15, 1824, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Howard) Brown. His father, born in
Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, lived to the age of sixty-five, dying
about 1835, and his mother, a native of Salem, was seventy-seven years old at
her death, about eighteen years later. Their daughter, Mary Ann, born in 1805,
by marriage Mrs. Holden, is living in Salem. Another daughter, Mrs. Frances
Henderson of the same city, is seventy-eight years old. Another daughter,
Hattie L., is the wife of Captain William B. Bates, of Salem. A son, William
H., of the Oak Hall clothing house, Boston, died in 1887, aged about
seventy-three years. Thomas and Elizabeth Brown, of Salem, were the parents of
thirteen children, all of whom arrived at maturity, and of whom three daughters
and the subject of this sketch are living in 1889.
Grandfather John Howard was a well known
sail-maker of Salem, and carried on an extensive business for the period in
which he lived. He was a type of the old-time American in his style of
dressing, as well as in high-toned, personal and mercantile habits of life. His
grandfather, Abraham Howard, of the historic English family of that name, had
been a Captain in the English navy, and had served in the Mediterranean against
Algiers. Returning from the service he left London for America about the middle
of the century. His son, Joseph, a physician, who had emigrated from London to
Barbadoes some years before, on learning that his father had settled in
America, came here also. He was a man of considerable wealth and a great
linguist, and was the father of John Howard, of Salem, Massachusetts.
The subject of this sketch learned the
trade of tailor, and was married in Salem in 1846, to Miss Sarah Frances
Felton, born in that city March 12, 1825, a daughter of James and Sally Gray
(Walls) Felton. Her father, by trade a sail-maker, died in October, 1836, aged
sixty-three; her mother lived to be a little older.
B. H. Brown left Boston for California on
the ship Richmond, of the Baxter and Howe line, in October, 1849, coming around
Cape Horn and arriving in San Francisco early in April, 1850. He went with the
vessel to Benicia, where she unloaded, and where he and his comrade, a
carpenter by trade, sold for $300 a frame house, 15 x 20 feet, which they had
imported. He then came to Stockton, and with three comrades struck out afoot
for Sonora. He remained at Wood’s diggings and Sullivan creek for about a
month. He gave up mining in May, 1850, and returned to Stockton. His first job
was the digging of a well for Buffeen & Cook, forwarding merchants. He then
went to Benicia for his baggage, and returning to Stockton started a tailor
shop between the Corinthian Theatre and Weber office, on Commodore levee, on
the north side of the channel. He dug a well, afterward known as the Blue Wing,
and supplied water to consumers, in some instances receiving $30 a month. In
his tailoring business he usually employed two journeymen, and sold suits for
$100. He went into the manufacture of blue-jean overalls, paying $1 for the
sewing of each pair, and selling them at $36 a dozen to traders. Mr. Brown was
not only the first merchant tailor but also the first manufacturer.
Being rejoined in 1852 by his wife and
their two children, born in Salem, Mr. Brown bought the building formerly
occupied as the alcalde office, and also a small adjacent building owned by Captain
Weber, and changed his business late in 1852, opening an oyster-house
restaurant or club-house, frequented chiefly by lawyers, politicians and old
settlers generally. He served the first oyster-stew in Stockton, and was the
first to make ice-cream, paying as high as 25 cents a pound for ice and $3 a
dozen for eggs. In 1859 he again changed his business, and was the first to
open a feed-store in this city. Across the channel from his old quarters he
rented twenty-five feet of frontage on the wharf from the city at $25 a month,
and there established his store. He had been engaged some time before in buying
grain, and did something in that line for about four years.
In 1860 he purchased a whole block on Knob
Hill, about one mile north of Main, on El Dorado street, where he has since
resided. There was a house on the little knoll, built some eight or nine years
before, and the price paid was $1,300. In 1864 the wharf was cleared of tenants
by ordinance of the city council, and Mr. Brown built, on the levee, an iron
store, 18 x 65 feet, to which he removed his business. The building was
afterward destroyed by fire, but was soon rebuilt with brick, and with five
other new buildings constituted what was known as the Produce block. By the
purchase of the stock in an adjoining store he united the produce business to
his grain and feed business, and for a time had associated with him his son and
son-in-law, besides his daughter, who kept the books, and a hired salesman. Of
late years the trade has been dwarfed by Chinese and Italian peddlers, but Mr.
Brown still continues the business at 178 Levee street, under the style of
Brown & Co.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Brown are:
Matilda A., born in Salem in 1847, now Mrs. George R. Martin, of Sacramento,
has seven children - Howard, Amy, William, Elsie, Ethel, Georgie and Verna.
Thomas Howard Brown, born in Salem in 1849, married Miss Carrie Williams, of
Santa Rosa, and has two boys - Chester and James. He resides with his family in
his own home, near his father’s. Fannie E. Brown, born in Stockton, is still
associated with her father in business, and resides in the old home on Knob
Hill; Alice M. Brown, also born in Stockton, now the widow of John P. Kafitz,
born in Pennsylvania, of German parents, but brought up in California from the
age of six years. Mr. Kafitz died in 1878 of heart disease, leaving a
posthumous child, born May 31, 1879. Mrs. Kafitz and daughters are also
sheltered under the roof-tree on Knob Hill.
Mr. Brown has been a member of the City
Council for two years (when Mr. Doak was mayor); is also a charter member of
San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 434-435. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
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