John Brown
The Browns are—as far back as we can learn—natives of Virginia. From there they removed to Kentucky, thence to the territory of Ohio, years before it became a State. They located within the present limits of Clermont County. This pioneer was Joseph Brown and his wife, Mary Parker Brown. They settled here soon after their marriage. They raised a family of twelve children. John was the fourth of the family; he was born in Clermont County in 1806. He lived to manhood on the farm, and worked with his father at the wheelwright trade. At intervals, when not engaged on the farm or otherwise, he would follow boating down the river. They would load a flatboat with grain or provisions, and take it down to Natchez or New Orleans--those being their principal points of trade. In 1829 he married Miss Mary Fitzwater, and the following year (1830) came to Shelby County, and settled on 160 acres of land that his father had entered several years prior. This land was all in the timber. From this wild, unbroken forest, he made a well lmproved farm. Here he lived to raise a family of six children, viz., Mariah, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Lavina, John P., and F. Ward. Mr. Brown died June 17,1879.
The Fitzwaters are of English descent. Their first location in America was in Pennsylvania. Thomas Fitzwater, the father of Mrs. Brown, came to Clermont County, Ohio, at the close of the last century. They lived in block-houses, and were among the first settlers of that county. It was here that Mrs. Brown was born in the year 1809.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883