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George's parents were:
William Perry Brown (1852 - 1889)
Charity Elizabeth Crim Brown (1854 - 1940)
On June 5, 1880,
George, age 11 months, lived in Rushville, Rush Co, IN with his parents, William P. & Charity Brown, ages 29 & 26. William was a carpenter.
Household Members - all born in IN
William P. Brown 29
Charity Brown 26
George Brown 11 months
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George was born in Rushville, IN. This was also the birth place of his sister, Cora May. The family moved west and lived in Fairmont, Nebraska, where another sister, Lola Belle,...
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George's parents were:
William Perry Brown (1852 - 1889)
Charity Elizabeth Crim Brown (1854 - 1940)
On June 5, 1880,
George, age 11 months, lived in Rushville, Rush Co, IN with his parents, William P. & Charity Brown, ages 29 & 26. William was a carpenter.
Household Members - all born in IN
William P. Brown 29
Charity Brown 26
George Brown 11 months
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George was born in Rushville, IN. This was also the birth place of his sister, Cora May. The family moved west and lived in Fairmont, Nebraska, where another sister, Lola Belle, was born on May 5, 1888. Around the last part of 1889 they moved to Centralia, Washington. His father died from a respiratory infection on Jan. 11, 1889, shortly after they arrived.
His mother's second marriage (September 24, 1890) was to George Washington, the founder of Centralia, who was famous in his own right. His mother gave birth to his half-brother, George Cleveland Washington, on December 15, 1891.
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In the spring of 1894 George's step-father, George Washington, deeded to George W. Brown 9½ acres lying adjacent to and just west of Centralia on the Chehalis River on which was a fine mill or manufacturing site, a boarding house with 38 rooms which cost $1500, 2 small dwelling houses and all improvements. The land was valued at $50 to $100 per acre.
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Newspaper articles & Federal Census records have helped provide a glimpse into George's life.
On June 8, 1900,
Geo W. age 20, lived with his divorced mother, Charity E., age 45, in Centralia, Lewis Co, WA. He was a Packer in a Shingle Mill.
Household Members
Charity E Washington 45 (born Dec. 1854 in IN - Laborer in Laundry)
Geo Washington 8 (Charity's son - born Dec. 1891 in WA - at school)
Geo W Brown 20 (born June 1879 in IN - Packer at Shingle Mill)
Lola B Brown 12 (Charity's daughter - born May 1888 in NB - at school)
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Polk Directory in Centralia, WA
1906 - George W. Brown lives with mother at her boarding house at 201 S. Iron
1908 - Charity E. Washington furnished rooms at 201 S. Iron, home same address
George W. Brown-machinist at J.P. Symons
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George married Edna Lee Smith, a pretty sophisticated young woman, in Goldendale on July 1, 1906. They had a double wedding with Edna's sister, Grace, who married Guy Cooper. Edna & Grace were from a well know & prominent Goldendale family.
News about their marriage was published in the Centralia News Examiner on Monday, July 9, 1906:
"BROWN-SMITH
Mr. Geo. Brown, of this city, and Miss Edna Smith of Goldendale, Wash., were married at Goldendale, Sunday, July 1. Mr. Brown has many friends in Centralia, who will wish him and his bride all happiness."
News about their marriage was also published in the Chehalis Bee Nugget on Monday, July 9, 1906.
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Monday, November 9, 1908
"Messers G.W. Brown, of this city and G.H. Cooper, formerly of Falls City, Or. have purchased the interest of Bower & Carter in the repair shops and automobile garage at the corner of Main street.
These enterprising young men announce that they will immediately remodel the inside of the building and install larger and more up-to-date machinery in order to handle the large and ever increasing business of the firm, and later they intend to extend the building used as a garage flush with Tower avenue thus giving ample room for the storing of a considerable number of machinist.
They are now negotiating with a Seattle firm for the necessary machinery and on getting possession next Monday they will be prepared to handle their customers with promptness and dispatch as both are skilled workmen in their respective lines."
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On April 16 & 18, 1910,
George W. & Edna L. Brown, ages 29 & 21, were renting a home in Centralia on West Main Street. They had been married 3 years; Edna had given birth to one child - Loren W., age 2. George was a Mechanic in a Machine Shop. Another member of their family included a lodger, Fred Stockbridge.
Household Members
George W Brown 29 (born in IN)
Edna L Brown 21 (born in WA)
Loren W Brown 2 (born in WA)
Fred W Stockbridge 28 (single - born in IL - freight depot clerk)
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George's half-brother, George Cleveland Washington, died on January 3, 1911, from respiratory complications after heroically helping battle a crippling fire at Vashon College on November 19,1910 where he was a student.
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Saturday, November 9, 1912
"TO OPEN MACHINE SHOP
George W. Brown will open a general machine shop at the corner of the N.P. main line and Cherry street about November 12, and will be prepared to do general machine work; gear cutting and auto repairing. Mr. Brown is a practical machinist and has had several years experience in the automobile line."
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Examiner Sunday, August 9, 1914
BROWN'S MACHINE SHOP FOR HIGH CLASS WORK
Notwithstanding the fact that it is anything but centrally located, being in fact far removed from the business district, and some distance from a main traveled street, Brown's machine Shop, at Railroad and Cherry street, is one of the busiest establishments of the kind in Centralia. When patronage thus goes out of its way, there is some powerful attraction, and in this case, it is a combination of high grade work and reasonable prices.
Mr. George W. Brown, the proprietor, built his shop two years ago, equipping it for all kinds of machine work and automobile repairing, including gear cutting. He is a machinist and automobile man of the first rank, and has all the work he can handle.
In addition to his shop business, Mr. Brown is the local agent for the famous Cartercar, one of the best first class medium priced automobiles manufactured in the United States. The machine sells on its own merits, and Mr. Brown has placed many of them in this territory. His clients are his best advertisers, and the Cartercar is daily becoming more popular here.
Owning his own shop and the ground it stands on, Mr. Brown's overhead expenses are very small, compared to those borne by other and similar establishments, and as he is his own foreman and head machinist, he is enabled to make his charges most reasonable and still show a satisfactory profit for his work. His Business has grown steadily as his work has become better known. He is largely patronized by automobile owners who require first class work and competent service, but who object to paying exorbitant prices.
The equipment of Brown's machine Shop is modern and up-to-date in every way, and every order receives the immediate and careful personal attention of the proprietor.
Mr. Brown is a native of Indiana, but has been in Washington for 23 years, most of that time a resident of this city. He has been engaged in his present work for thirteen years, and his experience has been wide and comprehensive.
He erected part of the building now occupied by the City Garage and was established there for a time. Mr. Brown is a consistent booster for Centralia; he owns considerable property in this city and believes in its future.
Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Modern Woodman."
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Thursday, July 9, 1931
15 YEARS AGO
From the Centralia Daily Chronicle
July 20, 1915
"A business deal of considerable importance was announced today, whereby George W. Brown disposes of his machine shop to H.I. Matthews, former electrical inspector for the Santa Fe Railway, with headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M. Mr. Mathews came here for a visit two years ago, and he was so favorably impressed with the Northwest, that he decided to locate in this state. He cast his lot in Centralia after visiting all of the large cities between Los Angeles and Seattle."
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George, age 38, & Edna were living at 720 Chehalis Avenue in Centralia, Lewis Co, WA when he registered for the WWI draft on September 12, 1918. He was self-employed as a merchant at 501 W. Main in Centralia. The date of his birth was shown as June 4, 1879. He was described as medium height & build, having gray eyes & black hair. He signed his name as George W. Brown.
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Monday, May 9, 1932
15 YEARS AGO
From the Centralia Daily Chronicle
May 25, 1917
"What is supposed to be the most miles ever gotten out of one gallon of gasoline in this section of the state by any automobile on record, was piled up Wednesday afternoon by two stock Maxwells on a gasoline consumption record run. The two cars, stock models, especially equipped with gas tanks holding but one gallon, started out from the corner of Tower Avenue and Main Street, each carrying four passengers. The first car was driven by George W. Brown, local Maxwell agent, and carried Mrs. Brown, Dan Salzer, Jack Sclutto and Ray W. Edinger. The car belonged to F.A. McRae and the speedometer registered 1,790 miles.
The second car, owned by Wm. Mitchell and driven by Ed Bar, started immediately afterwards, its speedometer registered 940 miles. This automobile carried besides its driver, Mr. Mitchell, Hugh Cox and Mr. McRae.
The tank on each car had been filled at Ed. Bower's garage, and two trips were made eight miles out toward Forest and return. On the third start the cars ran out of gas on the pavement between the fair grounds and the Coal creek creek mill. Speedometer readings showed that the first car had traveled 34.2 miles and the second 33.3. A speed of about 18 miles an hour was maintained. The day was very windy, otherwise, George W. Brown stated, the mileage would have been higher."
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On January 3 & 5, 1920,
George W. & Edna L., ages 40 & 31, were renting a home on Tower Avenue in Centralia, Lewis Co, WA. George was an Automobile Mechanic. They had two sons, Loren W. & Gerald L., ages 12 & 8.
Household Members
George W Brown 40 (born in IN)
Edna L Brown 31 (born in WA)
Loren W Brown 12 (born in WA)
Gerald L Brown 8 (born in WA)
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On April 30, 1930,
George W. & Edna L., 50 & 41, were renting a home valued at $15 on Pearl Street in Centralia, Lewis Co, WA. They had been married 27 years. George was a Garage Mechanic. They had two sons, Loren W. & Gerald L.
Household Members
George W Brown 50 (born in IN)
Edna L Brown 41 (born in WA)
Loren W Brown 22 (Service Station Attendant - born in WA)
Gerald L Brown 18 (Garage Clerk - born in WA)
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Tuesday, August 9, 1932
"Friends of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Brown, residents of Centralia, for many years will regret to hear they left today for Port Angeles, where they will make their future home. Mr. Brown will engage in the radio business there."
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George's sister, Cora, died on December 8, 1934, following a long illness.
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Wednesday, January 9, 1935
"Mr. and Mrs. George W. Brown have been called back to Centralia by business affairs, and are located at their old place, 608 S. Pearl street. Have been in Port Angeles for five months and while enjoying good business there, they say it seems mighty good to be back again to Centralia."
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George took out an advertisement for his business.
Centralia Daily Chronicle
Saturday, March 9, 1935
QUICK efficient radio service -
George W. Brown, 608 S. Pearl
Ph. 1281
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Centralia Daily Chronicle
Wednesday, October 9, 1935
"Guest of Chronicle, G.W. Brown, 608 S. Pearl, gets two tickets at Fox tonight."
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George & Edna's son, Gerald, died in an automobile accident on August 26, 1938. He was 27 years old.
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On April 11, 1940,
George W. & Edna L., ages 60 & 51, lived in Centralia on West Main Street (lived at the same place in 1935). George owned his own Radio Repair business.
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George's mother, Charity, died at her home in Centralia on August 4, 1940.
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In the early 1940's George & Edna bought 40 acres of land near Cinebar in Lewis Co, WA. They built a small home, a machine shop, & barn. It was in a pleasant setting with the Cinebar Creek running through their property alongside their house.
George tried his hand at farming on a small scale growing hay & raising livestock. My husband has many pleasant memories of time he spent with them there as a boy. He recalls the hot summer days when his grandmother helped shock the hay with a pitch fork. On occasions, she would even discard her blouse for the sake of her comfort, saying something to the effect that her bra was good enough for anyone. They had a large garden, which George watered daily. He did this by walking through each row of plants holding a bucket & long-handled dipper from which he watered each plant. George was proud of the large apple tree growing on the farm. He was pruning it one day when he fell from the tree & broke his arm, which resulted in a cast. In his spare time George did machinist work & repaired radios.
In 1952 they bought a home on Offut Lake in Olympia, WA. It was located across the lake from his sister, Lola, where she & her husband, Winthrop Bronson, owned a home & large boat house & resort. Win had opened Bronson's Resort on Offut Lake in 1915 and operated it until his death in 1967.
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George & Edna's son, Loren, died from heart related problems on May 8, 1960. George, age 81, died almost three months later on August 7, 1960.
Washington, Deaths, 1883-1960
Name - George Brown
Gender - Male
Birth Date - abt 1879
Death Date - 7 Aug 1960
Age at Death - 81
Death Location - Olympia, Thurston, Washington
Father - Perry Brown
Mother - Charity Grimm
Record Source - Washington State Death Records
George died on August 7, 1960.
"A Pioneer Centralian, George W. Brown, died Sunday in an Olympia Hospital at the age of 81. Brown was born June 4, 1879, in Rushville, Ind., and moved to the Lewis County area in 1888.
He had been a resident on Route 5, Olympia, for the past eight years. He was a member of the First Modern Woodmen of America.
Survivors include his widow Edna L. Brown, at the family home; one sister, Mrs. W.L. Bronson, Route 5, Olympia, and three grandchildren.
Funeral services will be on Wednesday at 11 a.m., at Sticklin Funeral Home in Centralia. The Rev. Allan Ellis of Puyallup will officiate. Interment will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park." |
