This contains a transcription of the James A. Brown of East Alstead, NH biography from Biographical Review Volume XXIII: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cheshire and Hillsboro Counties, New Hampshire, Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, 1897.
Page 48
JAMES A. BROWN, a prominent and respected resident of East Alstead, was born in this town, June 8, 1822, son of Abijah and Sarah (Shepard) Brown. His grandfather, Abraham Brown, who was a native of Grafton, Mass., lived in Alstead, and there carried on farming. Abraham married Lucy Golden, also a native of Grafton, whose children by him were: Sarah, Polly, Abijah, Abraham, John, Betsey, Israel, David, Jonathan, Lucy, and Relief. David and Jonathan were twins.
Abijah Brown, born in Alstead, May 1, 1782, died May 21, 1848. After his school days ended, he worked on a farm for seven years, and then bought a farm in Alstead. Later he bought the old homestead, where he died. He was a devoted member of the Congregational church and ever ready to work for its interests. His wife, Sarah, was born in 1782, daughter of Simeon Shepard, of this town, and died in 1869. Of their seven children, two died in infancy. The others were: Gardiner S., Lucy B., Nancy G., James A., and Emily. Gardiner S., who, born September 10, 1810, died December 29, 1876, graduated from Dartmouth College, taught school for a number of years, and afterward became a minister. Eventually he studied medicine, and subsequently pratised [sic] it in Hartford, Conn., for twenty-five years. He was successively married to Mary Scranton and Adeline Merrill, each of whom bore him one child. There were: Lucy B., who married N. Hayward, a farmer of Acworth, and had a large family of children; and Nancy G., who married a Mr. Bates, of Swanzey, N. H., the proprietor of a cotton-mill, and had one child, who died at the age of four months.
James A. Brown was sent to the common schools of the town. Thereafter he worked on his father’s farm until some six years ago. He has been actively interested in local affairs, and, besides serving in the minor town offices, he was Selectman for several years. A Justice of the Peace for a good many years, he has settled a number of estates. He is an attendant of the Congregational church and a liberal giver toward its benevolent enterprises. Mr. Brown married Martha A. Ramsey, a daughter of James and Nancy Ramsey, of Alstead. Mrs. Brown was born in Marlow on April 29, 1823.