HARRRISON J. BROWN, miller at Altona, Hinton Tp., was born in Warren Co., Pa., Nov. 11, 1835. His parents, Peter and Mary (Libby) Brown, were natives respectively of Connecticut and New York. The father died in Pennsylvania, in 1855; the mother is still living, with her son at Altona. Mr. Brown was a lumberman in Warren County until 32 years of age; two years he was owner and operator of a steam saw-mill. When 18 years old he commenced to labor in the woods, putting in timber in the winter and rafting it down, in which business he continued for three years. In the spring of 1865 he was drafted for the Union service and procured a substitute, to whom he paid $1,000. Nine days later Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court-House. Mr Brown came to Michigan in the spring of 1867, and spent some months in prospecting in Flint, Chesaning and Greenville; and then came to Saginaw Co. and bought a farm of 100 acres. The summer following he built a house and labored in clearing and improving his land. This place he owned two years, when he settled in Mecosta Co., in 1868. In the summer of that year he built a flouring-mill on the Little Muskegon River, the first in the township. In later years he bought a saw-mill of Wm. Egbert, and is now operating both and employing 12 men. He had recently refitted his shingle-mill, its capacity being now 35,000 per diem. The full product of the flour mill is 20 barrels daily, besides feed grinding.
Mr. Brown was married in New York, June 9, 1865, to Maryette E., daughter of Thomas and Susannah (Stewart) Thomas. Mrs. Brown's father was born in Pennsylvania, and her mother in Canada. The daughter was born March 26, 1842, and is a member of the M.E. Church. Mr. Brown is a Republican, and comes of patriotic ancestry, his grandfather Libby having been a soldier of 1812.
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