Life Summary: Donald Brown (1840 - 1918)

Donald Brown was born on May 12, 1840, in Oakwood, in Mariposa Township, Victoria County, Ontario, Canada. This is the date given in a handwritten obituary in my possession. I also have a copy of some notes that were probably written by Donald's son-in-law, Harmon Fairchild, in 1888. The notes list his birth year as 1842. 1842 also appears in the online transcript of the Midland City Cemetery records, but I think this date is incorrect. In the 1871 Canadian census, which was to reflect the population as of April 2, 1871, Donald is listed as being 30 years old, which would have been the case if he was born in 1840. Also, according to the Brown family Bible, when Donald was married in 1861, he was 21 years of age. Donald's parents were Donald Brown and Ann Brown (one source says "Anna"). Ann's maiden name was also Brown. Donald and Ann were cousins. 

Harmon Fairchild's notes also say that Donald (born in 1840) had two older brothers, Neil and Peter. The Canadian census records confirm this. Neil was born about 1836 and Peter was born on July 13, 1839. According to the Fairchild notes, Donald's father (also named Donald) was killed by a falling tree three months before Donald's birth.

Donald married Sarah Ann Brignall on November 26, 1861. In the 1871 Canadian census Donald Brown is listed as a peddler living in Mariposa, Victoria South, Ontario. At that time they had four children: Harriet, 8, Peter, 6, Joseph, 4, and Donald, 1. Harriet was born August 6, 1862. Peter W. on October 21, 1864. Joseph I. on May 2, 1868. A child named Donald was born in August of 1870. He must have died in 1871 soon after the census was taken. More children were born later: Daniel D. on August 15, 1871, David Winter on October 26, 1874, John Melville on July 22, 1876 (and died in March 1877), John Wesley on August 26, 1877, and Alfred Hubert Elwood on February 26, 1880 (and died in 1886).

Both the 1871 census and notes mentioned above say Donald was a Methodist. The notes add that he was "very religious." His physical appearance is described as follows: "In his youth he had blue eyes, light brown hair, and heavy auburn whiskers." The notes report that Donald was a merchant at Listowel, Ontario, and at Cass City, Michigan (in the Thumb area). In a 1921 souvenir booklet entitled "Listowel: Past and Present" a Donald Brown is mentioned as being a grocer in Listowel during the period 1878-1881. Donald and Sarah are not listed in the 1881 Canadian census. It appears that in 1880, soon after the birth of their youngest child Alfred, they moved to the town of Baltimore, in the Dakota Territory of the United States. The family became naturalized citizens in 1882. In about 1884 they moved to the Michigan Thumb area and began a business in Cass City. According to the 1900 United States census, Donald and Sarah were living in Midland, Michigan, at the turn of the century. The handwritten obituary mentioned above says that in 1918 he had lived in Midland for twenty-one years, which would mean that they moved to Midland in 1897. The picture above was probably taken in Midland. Donald died in Midland on February 20, 1918, at the age of 77. The obituary says the cause of death was heart disease. He is buried in the Midland City Cemetery.