Shep's Place Family Tree

West Virginia, County of Mason, to wit:......
Certificate to obtain a Marriage License.
Time of Marriage, May 19th 1868
Place of Marriage Hartford City West Va
Full Names of Parties Married, Marlin E Brown & Elizabeth Harper
Age of Husband, 25 Years
Age of Wife, 19 Years
Condition of Husband, Single
Condition of Wife, Single
Place of Husband's Birth, Virginia
Place of Wife's Birth, Pennsylvania
Place of Husband's Residence, Hartford City West Va
Place of Wife's Residence, Hartford City West Va
Names of Husband's Parents, Major & Salina Brown
Names of Wife's Parents, William W. & Amanda Harper
Occupation of Husband, Steamboating
Given under my hand this 13th day of May 1868

Ministers' Return of Marriage.
I certify that, on the 19th day of May 1868, at Hartford City I united in Marriage the above named and described parties, under authority of the annexed License.
Jacob Bird

BROWN, Marlon E. Capt. and owner The Shiverlear b‎[oar]‎ds. Days Cafe

The Brown family built and owned the following boats: B.F. Enos, Luella, Luella Brown, the Humming Bird, Dick Brown and Big Kanawha.

1880 Gallipolis, Gallia Co., Ohio: Marlin, 37, and Elizabeth, 29, had two children: Albert 10 and Luella 9. Both children attended school. Their third child, little Carl 2 years old, had died about six months before.

1900 Gallipolis, Gallia Co., Ohio: Marlin Brown was head of the household, a steamboat maker, and 55 at his last birthday. Living in his home were " Marvin" H. Gelvin, son-in-law, a minister, married for 2 yrs, and Luella B. Gelvin ‎(Marlon's daughter)‎ and their little daughter Elizabeth Gelvin, aged ten months. Marlon's wife had died 3-5 years previously. ‎[I think there was a mistake with Mr. Gelvin's name. Luella married Edward Hill Gelvin.]‎

CAPT. MARLIN E. BROWN

Pioneer Steamboatman Succumbs to the Inevitable and Joins the Silent Majority.

Capt. Marlin E. Brown whose condition has been the object of much solicitude, in this city, for the past two weeks, succumbed to a stroke of apoplexy, at 1:30 o'clock Sunday morning, July 19, 1908, while in a paroxysm of coughing. He would have been 66 years old, the 26th day of next December.

The funeral services will be at the River-View his late home Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Thomas Maguire, of the First Presbyterian church, the interment following at Mound Hill cemetery by Undertaker Wetherholt.
Capt. Brown is survived by one son, Capt. Dick Brown as he is familiarly know, and one daughter, Mrs. Gelvin, wife of Rev. E. H. Gelvin of Lancaster.
He was the son of Major and Selina Brown of Hartford City, and of three sisters only one, Mrs. C. W. Bird of this city, surviving. He was one of six brothers, Manley, Mel, Matthew of Hartford, and Capt Miles H. Brown of this city.
He was united in marriage 40 years ago with Miss Mary Elizabeth Harper of Hartford, a amiable handsome lady who died twelve years ago. He located in this city about 33 years ago and owned a nice residence here.

He followed steam boating all of his life, and before coming here ran on the Mattie Roberts, Emma Graham, Mary B., and Humming Bird. Of later years he owned and commanded the Luella, the Luella Brown, the Dick Brown, B.T. Enos, Enos Taylor, Chevalier, C.A. Hill, Big Kanawha and maybe others.
Capt. Brown was an affable pleasant gentleman and a first class commander of a vessel, never taking a risk of his boat and passengers, no matter how strong the inducement or allurement. This made him a safe man always.

He was engaged in many hard fought contests for trade with other packets and was nearly always victorious, for he was aggressive and persistent until he saw that the fates were against him when he would retire before he met with loss. He was well liked and his council and judgment were sought by many river men of just as wide experience as his. We don't believe he had an enemy, but with all of his amiability and affability he had the courage and grit of a Spartan. Over twenty-five years ago the Doctors all gave him up and said they could do nothing for him, and he was bedfast for three years.

But he had a faith in a Louisville physician, sent for him and kept him with him for several months, and to the amazement of every one emerged from sick bed good as new.

He was a devoted man to his family, no man could have been better to his wife nor his son and daughter. To sum him all up he was a splendid man and he is gone, and our whole community is sorry that it is so.