Shep's Place Family Tree

On the 12th December, at the residence of Jane Alexander, of Letart, by Rev. Carmi Alderman, Mr. Matthew D. Brown, of Mason Co., Va., and Miss Mirian Ann Alexander, of Letart, Meigs Co., OH.

Directly under the marriage announcement was the POMEROY RETAIL MARKETS.
Thursday, Dec. 19, 1861.
Wheat ‎(White)‎..80@90cents p bush.
Wheat ‎(Red)‎..75@85cents p bush.
Family Flour..$5.00 p bush.
Corn..30 cents p bush.
Potatoes..30 cents p bush.
Eggs..12 1/2 cents p dozen

Also on the same page was an ad for Dr. Cheeseman's Female Regulating Pills!

THE HEALTH AND LIFE OF WOMAN
Is continually in peril if she is mad enough to neglect or maltreat those sexual irregularities to which two-thirds of her sex are more or less subject.
Dr. Cheeseman's Pills., prepared from the same formula which the inventor, CORNELIUS L., CHEESEMAN, M.D. of New York, has for twenty years used succfessfully in an extended private practice--immediately relieve without pain, all disturbances of the periodical discharge, whether arising from relaxation or suppresion. They act lika a charm in removing the pains that accompany difficult or immoderate menstruation, and are the only safe and reliable remedy for Flushes, Sick Headache, pains in the Loins, Back and Sides, Palpitation of the Heart, Nervous Tremors, Hysterics, spasms, Broken Sleep, and other unpleasant and dangerous affects of an unnatural condition of the sexual functions. In the worse cases of Fluor Albus of Whites, they effect a speedy cure.....etc.

Mathew was a farmer and a riverboat pilot. A notice in the "State Gazette" of 1899 reported that "Captain Matt. D. Brown had his master and pilot license renewed by the local inspector at Gallipolis. Captain Mathew has not steam boated for about twenty years, yet his knowledge of the river is as perfect as any steam boatman. He is the oldest Brown of that family. No better set of men ever lived in the Ohio Valley."

1880: Mathew, 45, was farming, and Mide, 39, was keeping house. Major E. ‎(Eddie)‎, 16, was a farm hand, helping his dad on the farm. Martha, 14, Salina "Jenny", 12, and George, 9, were attending school. Alice, 4, and Harry, 2, were at home with their mother. Mathew's brother Martin, 29, a "steamboat man," was staying with them. He claimed to have been born in Virginia, not Ohio. Mathew said "Ohio." Perhaps Martin, the youngest of the children, was born in Virginia. The Mathew Browns were living next door to Mathew's father and sister, Major and Martha Brown.

1900: Mathew, 65, is now widowed. Living with him at the old family home in Hartford are his children, Jennie, 28, Alice, 24 and son Miles, 16. George Alexander, 54, Mathew's brother-in-law, is a "boarder."

1910: Mathew is now 74 years old and reaching the end of his life. His widowed daughter Alice Banks, 34, is staying with him. Also in the household is Iva Hayden, 22. Her relationship to the household is unfortunately illegible because it would be informative and interesting. Iva would later have a son, Paul Hayden, whom Alice Brown Banks would adopt and raise, although Iva would always be included in their lives. It was hinted that perhaps one of the Brown men was the father of Paul. Many of the Browns kept in touch with Paul right through his life.

Mide Ginther McKnight remembered that the old Brown family house on eleven lots sold for $5,000. She said that it had a place for slaves to hide. ‎[That was probably fairly common for houses in West Virginia on the road to freedom in Ohio.]‎

According to his granddaughter, Martha Louise Brown, Mathew had a high forehead and dark eyes. He had a hooked nose or a prominent bone in his nose. He was lanky, not heavy-set and wore glasses. He gave peppermints to his grandchildren.
Granddaughter Mide McKnight said that Grandpa was a good guy. Uncle Miles looked like him. He had a high forehead and dark eyes. He had a hooked nose, a prominent bone in his nose. Grandpa had a lot of eye trouble, so he wore glasses. Her sister Martha Laboyteaux had Mathew Brown's old steel glasses.

Capt. Matthew D. Brown died at his home at Hartford Sunday morning last aged about 80 years.

He is survived by the following children: George of Kenova; Edward, McMechen, W. Va.; Harry, Versailles, Pa.; Miles, Washington; Marlin, Newark; Mrs. Eisenbarth, Marietta; Mrs. Geo. Ginther and Mrs. Frank Chapman, Hartford.

He is survived by three brothers, Capt. Mel, Pomeroy; Capt Miles, New Richmond, O; Capt Manly, Hartford, and a sister, Mrs. Mary Bird, Gallipolis.
Funeral services at Hartford M.E. church Tuesday, Rev. Backus officiating.
The deceased followed the river always and he gave his brothers their start as river men. His wife, who was a sister of prof. D.A. Alexander, died 16 years ago.

Martha Louise wrote from Columbus, Ohio: "...I remember Grandma Brown ‎(Miriam)‎ but did not have the opportunity to know her very long. I think that Dad did look like his mother. She was tall and slender. Grandpa ‎(Mathew)‎, as long as I knew him, had a lot of beautiful white hair and a beautiful beard. He was a sweet, gentleman. He gave us peppermint candy. We didn't like it very well; but we loved him and would not hurt his feelings, so we ate it."

Martha Louise continued,"I always loved Grandpa Brown's home. Besides the kind people who lived in it, it was an interesting home. The house was to be torn down. I don't know if it is still standing or not. I just don't want to go back and see the land on which the home stood."