One might call my Aunt Helen a character. She was part of the Brown family after all. Like many of her siblings, Aunt Helen and her husband Uncle June would often joke around and make others laugh. They seemed made for each other. Continue reading
Brown
Census Through the Years: Susanna Allen George
Susanna Allen, a paternal grand aunt, was the half-sister to my grandfather Charles Brown. When speaking to my aunts about Susanna, they referred to her as Aunt Anna. This was probably a nickname, rather than a middle name. The small number of documents I found listed her with either name, though more often with Susanna. These provided me with a glance into her life. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Minnie Idella Allen Phillips
My aunts referred to her as Aunt Della; she was an older half-sister of my grandfather, Charles Brown. As I searched census records and a few other documents to sort out details about her life, I found her birthday listed as March 17. Coincidentally, this was the same day listed on most of my grandfather Charles’ documents, which means the two likely shared a birthday. I say likely, as there were a few times one or the other’s birth month was listed on a document as April. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Harry Russell Brown
Harry Russell Brown was an older brother to my grandfather, Charles. Because Harry died when my aunts and uncles were young, their memories of him were vague, and they had few stories to tell. Turning to the census and other documents, tiny glimpses into Harry’s life were revealed. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Martha Jane Allen
When I began researching my paternal line, I asked my aunts and uncles about Jane and got the typically reply that they “did not know much about her.” Jane was mentioned as a sibling to my grandfather Charles Brown, though it was uncertain whether she was his full sibling. Jane lived in North Central PA and a few times an aunt or uncle paid her a short visit while passing through, such as the time my Aunt Mazie went up to Lock Haven to get married. They did not see Aunt Jane much, so aside from the names of her children, my aunts and uncles gave little detail about Jane. One vague comment I recall was one of her houses had a dirt floor in the kitchen, which suggested Jane lived a simple life with modest means. With little information to start, I turned to the census and other documents to solve some of the ambiguity surrounding Jane. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Mary Clara Allen Walter
When I first started exploring my paternal family history, my Aunt Silveretta told me what she knew about her aunts and uncles. Silveretta knew that her father’s parents, John and Margaret, had children from previous marriages, but she was uncertain who the parents were for each of her father’s siblings. She mentioned several names, such as Jane, Claire, George, Francis, Dell, but knew few details about these paternal aunts and uncles. Silveretta had met most of them only once or twice when she was young and had no memories of them. Continue reading
75th Anniversary of Ray and Kay
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the marriage of my parents, Ray and Kay. When I think about my parents and their marriage, many thoughts come to mind. The overwhelming one is the respect they gave each other. In all my years of growing up I never saw my parents fight. They might disagree, but they never raised their voice to one another. They were true companions, and over the years they stood by their vows through the good and the bad. Continue reading
Remembering Raymond
Not only was my father part of the greatest generation, in my eyes he was a great dad. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of my father Raymond S. Brown, who was a patient, kind, and loving person. He rarely raised his voice, and the few times he did, it was a clear sign to be quiet and not to aggravate him. He was a sportsman and enjoyed the outdoors. My father was many things, but most of all, he knew how to enjoy life. Continue reading
Brown Family Reunion
For some September invokes thoughts of colorful fall leaves, crisp autumn air, and the aroma of pumpkin spice. For me September makes me think of my family as this month has become when the descendants of Charles and Lucy Swank Brown gather for a family reunion. It has been held in Indiana County PA for over twenty years, usually on the second Sunday of the month, although some years it had been changed to a different Sunday due to scheduling conflicts. The reunion is a perfect time to reconnect with cousins I might not see throughout the year. This year, unfortunately, it has been cancelled due to Covid19. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: William H. Allen
My grandfather Charles Brown had several half siblings including William Henry Allen. William was the eldest son from the marriage of my great grandmother Margaret McGarvey and her first husband Valentine Allen. Family stories about my grand uncle William are not known, perhaps due to the age gap between the brothers or that they lived in different parts of the state. Nevertheless, I have had to speculate about his life from records like the census. Continue reading
Relatively Speaking Blog 