CHAUNCEY EVERETT BROWN
& THE BASCOM FAMILY

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES.

PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 748

CHAUNCEY EVERETT BROWN, a very successful farmer and one of the representative citizens of Columbia, Tolland Co., Conn., was born in Hebron, Conn., Oct 17, 1825, and in the course of his long and useful life has developed those manly qualities and that upright character which make him so respected and esteemed. His first schooling was received in the old brick school house in Hebron, and after his ninth year in the north district in Columbia. While he was still a young boy he was thrown on his own resources, and supported himself by working on the farm during the summer, attending school in the winter. As a young man he still followed farming in Columbia and Norwich, being employed for a short time in a butcher shop in Hartford.

Mr. Brown was married April 2, 1851, to Mary A. Downer, a daughter of Simeon P. and Lucy (Lee) Downer. Mrs. Brown died Oct. 24, 1868, in Norwich, Conn., having become the mother of five children: (1) Isabella S., born Oct. 28, 1852, married Frank W. Woodward, of Melrose, Mass., and is the mother of the following children: Walter E., who is married, and has a family; Madison, who is also married, and has a family; Alice; Carrie; and Mary. (2) Horace Brown was born March 6, 1855, married Belle Kelly, of Talcottville, Conn., and has been engaged in the paper manufacturing interests at that point, where he has lately had a meat market. (3) Mary Louise, born March 23, 1858, is the wife of Edward P. Lyman, of Columbia, where he holds the office of town clerk. (4) Jane Adelaide, born April 24, 1860, died July 17,
1863. (5) Julia Annie, born March 1, 1863, married Abbott Little, of Columbia, and has one son, Horace.

The second marriage of C. E. Brown occurred March 14, 1869, when he was wedded to Fanny W. Bascom, by whom he had one son, Frank A., born March 25, 1870, and for the last ten years a telegrapher, being in the employ of the Western Union at New London, Conn., since 1899.

The Bascom family is an old one in their part of the State, and its original representative there was named Billie Bascom, who was born June 30, 1776, dying May 14, 1841. His wife, Mary Abel, was born May 15, 1775, and died Sept. 3, 1831. They had two children: Gerard, the father of Mrs. Brown, who was born Sept. 26, 1804, and died Nov. 30, 1858; Almira. Billie Bascom was probably born in Lebanon, Conn.; he purchased the farm on the north side of the reservoir, which for many years was known as the Bascom homestead, and where Mr. Brown now resides. Mr. Bascom engaged in both farming and coopering, his cooper shop being located by the pond on the spot well known to the family. He died while plowing.

Gerard Bascom married Eunice Brown, a daughter of Ephraim and Hannah (Holmes) Brown, and a native of Stonington, Conn., where she was born June 23, 1808. Her death occurred Nov. 11, 1890. A life-time resident on the farm where he was born, Gerard Bascom carried on coopering in company with his father in earlier days, but in his later years gave his entire attention to his farm work. Like his father he dropped dead while employed in the open air. To Gerard Bascom and his wife were born: Mary E., born Sept. 28, 1831, the wife of Levi C. Grant, of Vernon; an infant; Fanny Wood, the wife of C. E. Brown, born June 10, 1834.

C. E. Brown has been an active farmer for twenty-eight years, occupying what is now the Buell farm, near his present home. For some five years he was quite extensively engaged in lumbering, doing contract work, getting out railroad supplies and ship timber. In his early life Mr. Brown voted the Democratic ticket, for a number of years was independent in his political relations, and for many years has been a stanch Republican. In 1878 he represented his town in the General Assembly, and served on the committee on the Sale of Lands. Again in 1881 he was sent to the Assembly, where he was made a member of the committee on Military Affairs. For nine years he was a selectman of the town, being chairman of the board for a part of this time. As assessor, constable, on the school committee and on the board of relief he has served his town well, and his appointments by Gov. Bulkeley in 1882 as a county commissioner was regarded as a creditable selection of a good
citizen to an important position.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both members of the Congregational Church, his connection dating from 1870, that of his wife from 1859. He has served on various church committees, and at different times has acted as collector. In 1857 he united with the I.O.O.F. at Hebron, and continued his membership until the local lodge was dissolved. At the present time he is a member of the Columbia Grange.

Stephen Brown, the grandfather of Chauncey E., was born in Buckley Hill in Colchester, and spent his life on the farm where he was born. He was an extensive farmer and was father to the following children: Russell, the father of Chauncey E. Brown; Chauncey, who removed to Harpersfield, N.Y.; Jerusha, who never married, and lived in New York; Julia, the wife of Roswell Hotchkiss, who lived in New York, and afterward married Miles Hotchkiss.

Russell Brown was born on Buckley Hill, in Colchester, Conn., Jan. 3, 1789, and was married to Wealthy Strong, Oct. 18, 1814. Mrs. Brown was a daughter of Benjamin Strong, and was born May 1, 1790. To this union came the following children: Harriett, born Sept. 24, 1815, who married Aaron Youmans, lived in Columbia, and has a daughter, Mona; Bassett, who died in childhood; Abbette, who died in childhood; Wealthy, born June 26, 1821, who married William Foote, and lived in Colchester; Egbert, born Sept. 12, 1823, married to Jane Elizabeth Wright, who died long since, leaving no living children; Chauncey E., born Oct. 17, 1825, who had two wives, as noted above; Albert, born March 12, 1830, who married Isabelle Little, and after her death, Susan E. Wright, a daughter of Elihu and Laura (Phelps) Wright. She was born Jan. 19, 1829, and has one son, Albert Everett.

Russell Brown was a carpenter and a joiner, and lived in Hebron the most of his life, where his family was born. In 1854 he moved into Columbia, locating in the west part of the town, and there he died.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel – great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct.