Ethan Allen Brown ~ An Attender at Quaker Meeting

Ethan Allen Brown (b. December 23, 1818 ~ d. January 25, 1901), a local farmer near Waynesville, would become one of the first Directors of the Waynesville National Bank in 1875. He held that position until his death in 1901. He had also been a teacher and director of Wayne School District No. 2 from 1850 on for approximately 13 years. For many years he was a Wayne Township Trustee and was a Justice of the Peace. He was widely respected for his fairness and good judgment. He was a non-Quaker married to Hannah Ann Chandler Brown, a Quaker who was the aunt of Aaron B. Chandler. Ethan A. Brown and Hannah Ann Chandler were married on October 11th, 1860.

The Waynesville Area Heritage and Cultural Center at The Friends Home, Inc. is in possession of one of Aaron B. Chandler’s Law books, A Guide to Executors and Administrators in the Settlement of the Estates of Deceased Persons within the State of Ohio; to which is prefixed A Brief Comment Upon the Statute of Wills by George W. Raff (Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., Law Publishes, 1860). A. B. Chandler’s signature is on the first page above the signature of E. A. Brown who bought the book January 30th, 1863. Aaron's uncle Ethan, a Justice of the Peace, may have encouraged Aaron to study the law.

E. A. and Hannah Ann Brown were also on the Board of Trustees of Miami Valley Institute ~ A Hicksite Quaker College in Springboro, Ohio.

E. A. Brown's farm was located on the north side of Lower Springboro Road east of Waynesville (across from the Cook farm, now Milton Cook’s Organic Farm).

Obituary in the Friends’ Intelligencer, 2nd mo. 16, 1901:

BROWN.~ Near Waynesville, O., First month 26, 1901, Ethan Allen Brown, In the 83rd year of his age. This dear brother was one of whom we could truly say, he had not lived in vain, his life seemed to combine so many of those attributes which make heaven on earth. It fell to his lot to a peacemaker, an arbitrator, and general counselor among his neighbors and friends. It was said at his funeral that if Ethan A. Brown excelled in any one thing it was that of justice. He was not a member of Friends’ Meeting but frequently attended with his wife, who is a member. He held to the principles of Friends in preference to those, of any other, denomination. O, that this world might be filled with such characters. F. P.

Ethan, the son of Joseph and Dinah (Cook) Brown, and his wife, Hannah Ann Chandler Brown, are buried in Miami Cemetery in Corwin, Ohio, Section G.