Brown Family Collection
Scope and Content
This collection contains over 400 letters written by members, friends and associates of the Brown family of Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio. The collection also contains diaries kept by Edwin Brown during the Civil War, a copy of his discharge papers and other notebooks that he apparently used to help with his personal finances.
The letters span the period 1843 to 1866 and cover a wide range of topics, from the general passing of information about family problems and worries to the tragic battles and hardships of the Civil War. The two diaries, which were kept by Edwin Brown, were dated 1862 and 1863 and appear to describe many battles (Fredericksburg, Virginia; Antietam, Maryland; and the second battle of Bull Run, Virginia.)
Most of the letters were written during the time of the Civil War and serve to tell the story of the war from one family's perspective.
Dates
- Creation: 1843 - 1866
Creator
- Brown, William A. (Person)
- Van Vorhes, Jane C. (Person)
- Van Vorhes, H.C. (Person)
- Van Vorhes, N.H. (Person)
Language of Materials
The records are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio University Libraries.
Conditions Governing Use
Ohio University retains all property rights to the collection.
Ohio University retains all copyrights unless retained by the donor, other correspondents, or other artists.
Biography of The Brown Family
The Brown family settled in Albany (Lee Township), Athens County, Ohio. It appears that Almyra Brown's family came from Boston and lived in Ohio for many years. After some of the children grew up and were married and because of the poor health of the mother and father, they left Ohio. The father, mother and the four remaining children went north to Stillwater, Minnesota in the 1850's. For the most part, the married children remained in Ohio.
Two sons, William Van Brown and Edwin A. Brown, both served in the Civil War. William served in the West Virginia 4th Regiment, while his brother Edwin served with the 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Of the two, William is the more literate and observant correspondent. His letters provide an almost weekly account of the movements and activities of the West Virginia 4th Regiment.
William died during the war, due to some dreadful disease (maybe small pox), and Edwin went on to serve his full three years, finally being discharged in 1864.
The two brothers of Almyra Brown, Nelson H. Van Vorhes and Andrew Jackson Van Vorhes, also kept in close contact with the Brown family. The former became a distinguished citizen of Athens County who served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1850 through 1872. In 1861, he joined the Union Army and served as a colonel in the Kentucky campaigns, which he wrote about in his letters. Although less graphic and written from a more 'official' point of view than the letters of the Brown brothers, they help to augment the information provided by William and Edwin Brown.
Andrew Jackson Van Vorhes left Athens in 1840 and moved to Stillwater, Minnesota. There he became a member of the legislature and founded the Stillwater Messenger. He was a clerk of the Supreme Court at the outbreak of the Civil War.
The letters written by these members of the two families provide a fascinating account of the trip from Ohio to Minnesota in the mid-1840's, together with details of frontier life in what was then a rugged territory only recently opened to white settlement.
Extent
2 cubic feet
Abstract
Correspondence and a diary of various Brown family members, mostly from the Civil War period.
Statement of Arrangement
This collection remains in its original arrangement.
Other Finding Aid
A paper copy of the folder list is available.
Acquisition Information
The Ohio University Archives purchased the collection in March 1982 from a private party.
Existence and Location of Copies
Ohio University will entertain requests to photocopy reasonable amounts of material from the collection for the convenience of individual researchers.
Description Note
Original, legacy collection inventories may contain inaccuracies or be incomplete. Collection descriptions may change or be updated as they are verified. Please contact Mahn Center staff if you note any errors or discrepancies.
Subject
- Brown family (Person)
- Van Vorhes family (Person)
- Brown, Edwin A. (Person)
- Brown, William Van (Person)
- Brown, Almyra (Person)
- Van Vorhes, N. H. (Nelson Holmes), 1822-1882 (Person)
- Van Vorhes, Andrew Jackson (Person)
Genre / Form
Geographic
- Title
- Finding aid for the Brown Family Collection
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Ohio University Archives staff.
- Date
- 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
- Sponsor
- The finding aid was converted into EAD with funding support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Revision Statements
- 5 January 2024: Subjects and other notes added from ALICE MARC records and Mahn Center Microsoft Office finding aids by Ohio University Libraries Metadata Services Department Python scripts.
Repository Details
Part of the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections Repository
