Uncle John and Aunt Marie

This is my mother's oldest brother, John Goldsmith Cornwell. He was born 2 Jan 1892 in Wichita Kansas. His parents were Chales B. Cornwell and Sarah Allen Cornwell. He was 20 years old when my mother, Alice, was born in 1912.

This is Uncle John in his army uniform.

Uncle John served in World War I. He was stationed at a Fort Columbia (on the Washington side) at the headwaters of the Columbia River. I remember going there with him, my folks, Dolph and Aunt Marie when Dolph and I were first married. In the Family Bible it says that he served 16 months in the Army and went to France on October 4, 1917.

More early Brown pictures

 This is Issac Watt Brown with his granddaughters, Anna and May (May is Dolph's mom). I got this picture from Dolph's Aunt Beth. Later I tried to borrow it again to get a better copy, but one of her children had taken it and couldn't find it. Sorry it's not a better picture. I think it is the only one of Issac.

Issac (Ike) was born 4 Aug 1844 in Palestine, Crawford, Illinois and died 7 Jan 1921 at the Old Soldier's Home in Roseburg, Oregon. He married Charlotte Kelly, born in 1851 (either in Canada or Wisconsin - depends on which census you look at) on 21 Jun 1868 in Leavenworth, Brown, Minnesota.  She died 7 Jul 1922 in Silverton, OR.  They had nine children. Dolph's grandfather, John, was the third child. In military papers dated 6 April 1915, Issac states that he doesn't know where Charlotte is and he hasn't lived with her for 20 years.

Dolph and I went to the Oregon State Archives in Salem and found Charlotte's death certificate. It stated that she was buried in the Bethany Cemetery in Silverton. We went to Silverton and (with friends) walked the cemetery and could not find her grave...although there were a number of graves marked "occupied". With some investigation, we found the following story...
In the 1930s, the Bethany Cemetery had been sold to one of the local undertakers. He, not liking the unevenness of the ground there, decided to smooth it out. In doing so, he made a map of the cemetery showing where each grave was placed. He then took up the stones and smoothed the ground. While this was being done, the map of the graveyard was lost. Thus the stones with no inscription and just the word "occupied. We just have to have faith that Charlotte is really there!
Karen, I think you will see the resemblance to the present day Browns...John, Betty, etc.

This picture looks like it was taken about the same time. This is Anna on the left, Oscar, and Dolph's mom, May. Oscar was born in 1902, Anna in 1905 & May in 1907 (all in Sweet Home, Oregon)

I can see that their personalities had already developed at that early age!



65 Years Later

This is John and Edith Belle Cleveland Brown (about 1957).  At that time they lived in Salem. Dolph and I lived in Salem then too, because I was going to business college. (Dolph worked in Albany). We visited them, but I don't remember the anniversary. There were some really BIG Brown reunions back in those days. I went to my first Brown reunion in 1957 (probably this an anniversary celebration) just before Dolph and I were married. Dolph's cousin Sarah tells me tha she asked me if I had ever seen so many people at a picnic before and I answered, "Well, I went to an Elks Picnic once!" She thought that was really funny!.

John and Edith Belle Brown

This is the wedding picture of Dolph's grandparents on his mother's side. Edith was 14 years old and John was 19. They had 13 children who lived to adulthood. (Dolph's cousin, Willard, says that there were others that died at birth, but I haven't found anything that substantiates that!) They had been married for 68 years when John died at age 86 on April 7, 1960 in Salem, Oregon. Edith died at age 87 in Lebanon, Oregon on September 7, 1965. They are both buried in West Salem. John was born on Jul 6, 1873 in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and Edith was born on Oct 12, 1877 in Oakfield, Wisconsin.

The following was written by John about his family:

"My brother William was

born in May 6, 1869, Alex in Nov. 9, 1871, and your umble sire July 6, 1873,

and still they arrived. George 1875, Julius 1877, Zella 79, Lillian 1881, Molly

1886, Viola 1890." "I was married to Edith Bell Cleveland in July of 1892.

There was 13 children born to us, 9 sons and 4 daughters; all lived to grow to

manhood and womanhood, George being the first to go at 52 years of age...Our

chilren: Chester born 4 Dec 1893; Muriel, July 15, 1895; William, Aug. 4, 1897;

George Oct 31, 1899; Oscar Feb. 18, 1902; Anna Sept. 6, 1905; May July 17,

1907; Victor April 12, 1909; Beth Sept. 17, 1912; John, Jim Sept 21, 1913; Asa

Jan 18, 1916; Ivan May 23, 1919."

Happy Easter

Dolph and the Easter Bunny! I have his age listed on the back of the picture...but it is in Clarkston. I'm guessing about 3 years old.

Look Alikes?

On the right is Adolph Samuel Lundholm and on the left is Eric David Lundholm. Every time I see this picture of Adolph Samuel, (who is Eric's Great great grandfather) I am reminded of Eric. Do they look alike? What do you think?????

Aunt Beth & Uncle Ted (about 1960)

Adding a picture to my last post...