Brown Family History

Editors Note: With the exception of this blog entry, which is specially time stamped to always appear at the top of the blog, you need to read this history starting with the last entry, moving toward the first entry, to get things in cronological order like you would a book. Or, you can read the articles in the order they appear in the **Table Of Contents**.

Additional Notes will be added to this entry as the project progresses.

October 25th, 2005

I did some research on the web to see if I could find any references to Oral Carl Brown, and I was able to find a death record at KindredKonnections, I have included the record's contents here, in case the link doesn't work;



It seems Penney Farms is a retirement community, almost a small city in Clay County, Florida. Here is a picture from Google Earth. Click on the image for a larger view of Penney Farms.

October 31st, 2005

Today I decided to go ahead and put in all the chapter headings, so you will be able to see where I am going, even if I haven't gotten there yet.

Mostly I will be typing in the chapters in order, but sometimes I will fill in certain sections that I find more interesting.

January 9th, 2006

Well I suppose it had to happen. I got tired of typing, and I managed to get my scanner working, so I am now scanning the original pages and posting them, instead of re-typing them. Each post includes a small image of the original, and you can click on it to see a large readable copy of the page.

Here is a link to the **Table Of Contents**, where you can click links to read all the chapters in order.

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Back to Table Of Contents

Chapter 3

Meet My Father, John D. Brown

In writing this chapter I am aware that some of you do not remember meeting him. Some never did meet him. Others did not know him well. Some saw in him an honest, hard working man with a large family, on a small farm with ground impossible to raise more than the bare necessities of life, with mothing for the market. Then there may be some who found fault with him and think very little of him.

In writing this short article I will endeavor to appraise him with as little feeling caused by family ties or blood relationship.

First of all I think one could truthfully say he was a man's man. He was well liked by men. One thing sure, he was not a ladies' man. That is to say he never flirted with or leaned toward but the one woman, his wife. Neither did any women, to my knowledge, ever make advances toward him.

He was honest to the letter, therefore dependable; he was a poor man and a hard worker. he, under extremely difficult circumstances, provided food, clothing, and a fair education, for the time he lived.

At this point I think it well to state that my great grandfather, Rev. John Brown, and my grandfather, Rev. John H. Brown, were well-fixed. They both had considerable land. So much so that William H. Brown, the oldest son of John H. Brown, was sent to Valparaico Teachers College, also to Theological Seminary, and married Alice Trobridge, a well-to-do daughter.

Rev. John H. Brown, my grandfather, was among the earliest men to enlist when the Civil War or 1860 broke out, and he was one of the early men to be slain on the battlefield. In fact Father was born after his father was slain by a few days. His mother was grieved because of this and never got along well at father's birth. She died when father was four days old. The land coming to my father was put into the hands of a guardian. The laws were "loose" in that "day" so the "guardian" lived up and ran through with his property. he never got a cent of it.

The result was simple. Just as soon as father got old enough to do a little work, he had to work to pay for his keep. He went to school about two years.

All this greatly affected my father and his ordinary way of life.

You will recall, from the first chapter in this treatise, that the land he was on was almost worthless. So extra dollars father had to earn aside from his farm came from clearing land, digging ditches, digging wells, sawing timber, helping in harvest fields, etc., etc. All extremely hard work. Twelve hours was considered a day and the average wage then was 75 cents to $1.00 per day - not per hour.

Shoos, boots, cloth for clothing, yarn to knit with, thread to sew with, sugar, coffee, salt, etc., were hard to come by. Then there were school books for all of us.

When father received his wages, he gave it all to Mother to go and buy as many necessities of life as it would buy. They never bought things on time or charge accounts. they never had enough.

Father chewed tobacco, his only bad habit. At the age of 55 when he was converted, he gave that up and never chewed any more, though he lived for some thirty years after that.

The tobacco he chewed, he raised, tended, cut, cured, twisted his own "long green".

In fact they raised all their eats and made all their own clothing except for a few basic necessities.

Father was stern with the children. he required strict obedience. he did not have to whip a child often. Once punishment usually lasted six months or a year. He had a high temper. Did not yeild "the wearing of the pants" to anyone.

He was a good singer and played the french harp and jews harp, inexpensive instruments.

The township and county spelling bees were about all he ever attended, except Church, and an occasional public auction.

Father was an expert at most kinds of hard labor jobs. Never allowed any man to do more than he did. He was a free sweater, always drank lots of water. Coffee, one cup for breakfast only, and cold well water the rest of the time.

When I was large enough to do about as much work as a man, our next door neighbor, north of us, Mr. Jim K. whetaker, came to Father and wanted him and myself to clear 40 acres of land, except several large trees for shade. He wanted this for a fine herd of sheep he had. Finally a bargain was struck. Both Father and I wwere to work twelve hours per day for 75 cents each per day. We were to do this work in the winter time so we would have work during the slack work time. Of course we were to board and keep ourselves. There was one more consideration. We were to deaden all the hallow beach trees. (There were scores of them, and they were ours to cut for wood; all we had to do was burn the brush.) We could cut them at our own choosing.

The contract brought in $1.50 per day, for I never had a thin dime for my work. And I had to stay out of school one whole year. But we got the job completed in about six months.

To use up the beech trees, Father took a contract from the lewis bros. to cut, split and haul to them (1 1.4 miles) five hundred cords of wood at $1.00 per cord. This we also completeed.

One more thing I will relate about my father that reveals another side. He liked to hunt and fish. He did both of these things partly because he liked the sport and partly for what he made.

A winter's catch in furs usually brought about $150.00. This went a long way, in those days. The fish, if we got any, we all liked them. As Father aged, he never could get used to the higher prices as compared to when he was a boy. I can now fully sympathize with him. You would have liked him!

Back to Table Of Contents

Chapter 2

Some Early Reccollections

After a normal birth, in the bed room of the little home described in Chapter 1, on June 19, 1884, Mother and son get along nicely.

My first recollection was a few days before my fourth firthday. Mother was busy cutting out some little shirts and knee pants. when they were completed, Mother called me to her sewing machine. She had buttoned the little pants to the shirt and held them up for my inspection. I asked what they were. She explained that tomorrow was my fourth birthday. On that day she was going to try on my first pair of pants. i said, "But I do not want to wear pants".

You see, up to this time I had worn dresses. The oldest child, a girl, was five when I was born. And by the time I was four there was another girl who wore dresses. So I wanted to be a girl, too.

Nothing more was said then. So I went out to play. On June 19th, 1888, after dinner dishes were finished, Mother called me in from play. I came running. Mother began taking off my dress. I protested, saying i did not want to be a boy. Motyher went right on changing my clothing. I began crying like I was broken hearted. Mother tried to reason with me saying she wanted to see how I looked in trousers. She bragged on how nice i looked. After a little, Lorena, my oldest sister, and Ina, then about two, took me out to play.

One of our favorite playing places was in the dirt under the house. You see the ground sloped down slightly from the road eastward. The west end of the house was set on rocks on a level with the ground, but the east end of the house, 24' east, was about two feet above the ground.

You can hardly guess how my white shirt and new pants looked when we emerged from under the house. We were dirt from head from foot.

Mother finally got sight of us. The "the fat was in the fire". "Oral, come here this very minute. You have ruined your new clothing. I will change you back into your old dress." I said, "I do not want to be a girl now. I can crawl better when I wear pants."

When Mother insisted I change, I cried like I was broken hearted. Then Mother said, "Well, we want a boy anyway; we will not make you wear your dress out." I never put them on again.

Another high point in my childhood life was when Mother licked her geese.

You see in that day we had straw ticks instead of springs (Ed: A straw tick is a mattress case filled with straw). Then feather ticks filled with soft goose down went on top of the straw ticks. Mother had to work fast to raise enough geese to keep pace with her rapidly growing family. By the time our family quit increasing we had six double beds. And Mother always had one or two extra feather beds.

How to pick the geese. We would drive them into the wood shed, close the lower doors so they could not get out. Then Mother would get her old hickory bottom shair, tie a cloth over her hair to keep the down the down out of her hair. She would have and old dress with a big apron. Then she was ready to catch her first goose. She tied it's feet together, turned it head down, then all in one movement, she would turn the goose's breast toward her, let it's head down about her knees, push it's breast up near her waist, and push it's feet out at arm's length from her. It's feet then would be right over it's head; Then she was ready to pick. Her right thumb would slide down and away from her grabbing hold firmly of the feathers she wanted to pick, and with a quick jerk toward her. That bunch of feathers is out and ready to put into a small bag. That movement is quickly but firmly repeated hundreds of times. About five minutes is required for a good plicker to finish one goose. Then the goose was turned outside of the shed.

When I was real small I was more trouble than help. But I learned what to do quickly. The real Mother shows up in having patience. Thus we worked till all the geese were picked.

Another thing we children liked to do and frequently did. That was to play in the spring.

Our spring really was several springs coming together 40 or 50 yeards from wherethey cam out of the ground. They never went dry, summer or winder. Someacre or so of ground was marshy. When wading in it one would sink down about six inches into a mixture of sand and ossie mud. It was a lovely place to accidently, on purpose, fall down.

In this swampy soil willow bushes, catstails, calamil with plenty fo speermint, grew in profusion. Of course this was a real haven for dragon flies and beautiful butterfiles. A place where three or four hours would melt away to nothingness.

It goes without saying that we went barefoot from the beginning of nice warm days until frost in the fall.

There was another thing I was extremely fond of and so was my sister two years younger than myself. That was climbing trees, bushes or anything. So it was climbing!

One near fatal experience for myself and one for Ina will suffice.

When any of the neighbor's children would come to play with us, we would trade tricks. That is, we would show them how to do a trick. Then they in turn would show us how to do one.

By this method we soon knew how to do all the tricks, some of then were a bit over small children's head. But we would attempt them anyway.

Just above one of the largest springs was a triple yellow poplars. They were about 5 inches in diameter. Ina attempted to climb them one day. They were slick - no limbs. She started up, got a few feet up and her hold began to play out. She clung to the tree by her legs and herknee bent slipped into the Y of the tree and we could not get her out. Her bent knee was smaller back of the knee than at the knee. So we ran for Mother. She came and bodily lifted Ina up the tree until her leg was free, then walked backward a couple of steps. She was out. That night Mother threatened to make her beticking clothing; Mother said she was a tomboy.

The other story I promised is on myself. It could be headed "When Oral learned to Skin a Cat."

It happened this way. At first I would skin a cat (Ed:climb the tree) and rest a while; then I got so I would skin three or more cats without stopping. Then I climbed to greater heights by skinning a cat forward; then I would skin it backward. that was a thrill. I guess I waas all of five or six years old.

One day we were just on top of the hill, south and west from the spring. At this place there was a big wild cherry tree. It was made for climbing - limbs, the right size, came almost to the ground. I slid up the tree, higher and higher. At about 15 feet up there was a place just made for a venturous boy. A limb about three inches in diameter ran due north. When I stood on this one, there was another limb directly over it, just the right size for my hands.

While standing there a desire struck me to skin a cat. So I did but I could not skin it backwaards. After hanging there in that position for some time I sent for Mother. Soon she came. By that time I was worn out. Mother sized the situation up and told me to let go with my hands, then quickly catch with my feet and hands on the limb below.

I could not hold any longer, so I let go and did manage to do what Mother ordered.

One final memory and experience fill my purpose upon this subject.

In June of 1890 I was six years old. That very fall I was to start to school. I was looking forward to it with pleasure. But it was not to be that way.

A few days before school time I was attached in my left leg with muscular rheumatism. My foot stayed drawed up to my hip until it got warm weather in the spring. By that time school was out. In the fall when I was seven the same thing happened. I was in such pain most of the time I could not study. So I never got to go to school until I was eight years old.

When I did get to go I learned so fast that I finished with the class I would have been in had I got to go at six.

Of course scores of experiences come before my mind for utterance. But this is enough to show that I was a boy.

Back to Table Of Contents

How It All Happened

Chapter 1

The Old Home Place

The Old Home Place - just to write or think of these words causes a feeling to well up inside that is akin to home sickness. The60 acre farm was not valuble because of the quality of the land; but rather because it was home. The place where a "heap" of living was done by a healthy, wide-awake, active, growing American family.

The 1/2 mile long and 1/4 mile plot of ground was located on the country line. this line was a public road, running North and South. On the east side of this road was Morgan County, on the west was Owen County. Martinville, Indiana was our County seat. the long-way of our farm was north and south. Our small home was in the center of the Place. It was 1 1/4 miles to Lewisville, where the Lewis Brothers had then and still have one of the best country stores one will find in a day's journey. Sears Roebuck and Co. did not get any business around there for Lewis Bros. would duplicate anything in their catalogue for Sears' low price if the buyer would add the freight or P. P. to the catalogue price.

People came for miles to trade at this store. And, it was the first store I ever saw. Here we traded.

back on the farm. The north forty had some 15 Sink-hopes. The south forty was what is called, "turkey gravel flats".

Most of this land was in timber when the folks bought there. I remember helping to clear much of it for the plow. It was no a money making farm. Only a place for a small home, garden, chicken houses, barn, pig lot, etc.

The house was all built from timbers that grew on the place. The sills were hewn from Yellow Poplar trees by "broad axes". The siding was sawed from yellow logs. The lumber used for frame work, sheathing, finishing lumber, even the boards that covered the house were "rived" from our own timber.

The house, when first built, consisted of two rooms down, a stairway, and two attic rooms, usable but unfinished.

the dimensions of the original house was about 20' X 24'. The living room, also the bed room, was 14' X 20'; the kitchen etc. was 10' X 20'. In the center of the partition was a chimney, built of brick, from the ground up through the roof.

To the east of the house, some 25' was dug a well, with water good and cold. east of this well some 10 feet was a smokehouse about 12' X 16', wherewe smoked our meat, kept our fruit, potatoes, canned fruit, flour, meal and most all meats. it was a crowded place, well stocked. Just south of this was the milk house, for milk, butter, etc. Southeast of this some 150 feet was the log barn, and west of this, the chicken house, corn crib, etc.

Such were the buildings and farm land where I was born.

Our Church was 1 1/2 miles away - a brick building, the Christian Church. It was 1 3/4 miles to our school.

Our life was simple. We raised and made most everything we used, or did without. Our Post Office was a little place called Alaska, 1/2 mile west of Lewisville. our school building was a large two-story brick building som 1/8 mile north of the Post Office. we seldom went to Martinsville.

Back to Table Of Contents

Editors Note: I am delaying posting the first tree, because it is graphical, and I have not yet setup my computer to handle graphical data. In addition, while the details of the tree would no doubt be of great interest to geneologists, I am not one, so it is of lesser importance to me. If you have a high level of interest in the geneology part of this book, feel free to contact me and offer assistance in transcribing parts of this work.

Back to Table Of Contents

Study this page. It clarifies (1) the Tree system used, (2) the seeming division between Christian workers in the 19th Century and 20th Century, (3) states main object for writing this history in its present form, (4) why each family does not have a larger write up and tree.

Ninteenth Century Christian workers included.
1. John Brown (Reverend) and wife, born in 1804. Disciple of Christ.
2. John H. Brown (Rev.) and wife, born in 1833. Disciple of Christ.
3. William Harvey Brown (rev.) and wife, born 1855. Disciple of Christ. Theologically, they lean strongly to calvanism. (Once a Christian, always a Christian.) Three things are absolutely necessary to become a Christian. a. make a public confession. b. Baptism by immersion. c. Fellowshipped into the Christian Church (name put on the Church rolls.)

The above three ministers are all in a straight line. Buthere Rev. william H. Brown's oldest son died when a lad. God reached over to the youngest brother of W. H. Brown to another John - John Dempsey Brown, also a son of John H. Brown, and called his oldest son, Oral Carl Brown, who is the same identical relation or blood line as Walter Brown would have been. Oral C. Brown at 12 joined the Christian Church, but at 21 1/2 was Born Again at the methodist Altar and became a Methodist. So the 20th Century Browns are methodists of the Armenian faith. This is all told in 15 chapters, "How It All Happened". Study them. This shows why the seeming division. rev Oral carl Brown is the fourth in a line. his son (Rev.) david Brown is the sixth minister in a line and will likely span more than 200 years.

The writer is blind and unable to follow in detail only those who are Full Time Christian Workers, namely all ministers and their wives (in green), all teachers and their wives (in red).

Please preserve and continue this History.

Oral C. Brown
July 13th, 1962

Back to Table Of Contents

The Writer of This History

This "History" was conceived, planned, written by the Rev. Oral C. Brown, the fourth Brown minister in a direct line. At this date he is 60 days short of 78 years. Lost his sight April 10th, 1960. With great difficulty and many mistakes he cannot correct, he has hour after hour, days, weeks and months on end, prepared this work.

This is a service to the master to assist our present and oncoming, full time Christian workers.

Later in this book we will call upon every praying person with any of this strain of Brown Blood to set aside one period during each week as Prayer Day for the blorious band of full time Christian workers, by name. Choose your own time for this purpose. make is long or short as you choose.

But when the pledge is ready, please sign and go to work.

Late this year we will furnish each Prayer partner with some information concerning the work, opportunities of each full time Christian worker.

You will be finding out more and more about the writer as this "work" nears completion. We hope by jan. 1st, 1963. Not a promise, but rather a HOPE.

Back to Table Of Contents

Why the Brown Family History Now

To answer this I will give the following reasons:

1. I have drawn or led by the Holy Spirit to do this very thing. for several weeks He has been talking to me and I have been getting information organized to do so.
2. This is April 14th, 1962, 158 years since my great grandfather John Brown was born. As you will see as this story unfolds, this is a very important family in God's sight. To date the simple record of births and deaths is all that is now written. But God being my helper, a more intelligent record is now in the making.
3. I was born in 1884. I was full of questions. I plied them to Mother and father. Their answers plus my own experience and knowledge will be here recorded.
4. Then there is the rich spiritual heritage also and a smattering of academic standing, acquired and in the process of becoming a reality.

Our children and our children's children will revere this book much more than will our present adults.

It might be well for the "oldsters" to recommend the reading and study of this book to our youg as they are able to understand what it says.

Back to Table Of Contents

The Browns covered in this History are:

1. John Brown, Reverend. Born in 1804.
He is as far back as our family Bible records, and, of course, all his family, including wife and children.

2. Reverent John H. Brown, the oldest son of #1
He was born in 1833, and his wife and children later. But at this point it is necessary to state that he was killed in the Civil War. However, before his death, then had three sons.
(1) William Harvey Brown
(2) James D. Brown
(3) John D. Brown

3. Reverend William Harvey Brown. Born 1855.
They had two sons. Neither became preachers. So God for the fourth unbroken generation was pleased to choose the oldest son of John D. Brown.

4. Reverend Oral Carl Brown. Born 1884.
Then their family. Their youngest son becomes the 5th minister in one unbroken line.

5. reverend O. Carl Brown, Jr. Born 1913.

From John D. Brown a second son was called into the ministry. He is seven years younger than Oral C. His name is Reverent J. harvey Brown. Born 1891. This Book then follows these men and their families to the close of 1962 - a total of 158 years.

Back to Table Of Contents

The Brown Family's History is Dedicated to

The Oncoming younger Generations

So They May More fully understand and Appreciate Their Forefathers.


Oral Carl Brown, Sr.

Back to Table Of Contents

2005 Table Of Contents Additions Start Here

Introductory Notes on Brown Family's History
Where are we, how did we get here and where are we going? (2005 Publishers Notes)
The Brown Family's History (Publishers Original Notes)
Presented to Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Cochran


Original Table Of Contents Starts Here


Dedicated To
Browns Covered in This History
Why the Brown Family History Now?
The Writer of This History
Explaination of Tree System
First Tree - John Brown to John D. Brown

How It All Happened - in Fifteen Chapters

Chapter 1. The Old Home Place
Chapter 2. Some Early Recollections
Chapter 3. Meet My Father, John D. Brown
Chapter 4. Meet My Mother, Margrett Lilly Brown
Chapter 5. Our Home Rule: Work, then Play
Chapter 6. I Joined the Christian Church
Chapter 7. How I Found My Wife
Chapter 8. How I Became a True Christian
Chapter 9. God Called Me to Preach
Chapter 10. Preparation for the Ministry Begins
Chapter 11. My First Year at Taylor University
Chapter 12. The Brown Family Harvest of 1907
Chapter 13. After 55 Years the Results
Chapter 14. My Last Appointment
Chapter 15. Prayer Pledge and Full Time Christian Workers

Second Tree, Full Time Christian Workers
Birthdays and Addresses of Full Time Christian Workers
The Record of Rev. and Mrs. Oral C. Brown
Third Tree for Rev. Oral C. Brown and His Children and Grandchildren
The Family Record of Rev. and Mrs. J. Harvey Brown Sr.
Rev. James Harvey Brown Tree
Our Honor Pages
Ralph Emmert Brown's Family Record
Ralph Robert Brown, Jr. and Family
Sharon and Richard Raines and Family
Tree #5 Ralph E. Brown's Family
Alan Eugene Brown and Family
Tree #6. Alan Brown's Family
Dr. Oral Carl Brown, Jr. Family History
Dr. Oral Carl Brown Family Tree #7
Martha Brown Michel and Lester A. Michel Family
Tree #8. Martha and Lester Michel and Family
Alice Brown and David Frazier and Family
Tree #9. Alice Brown Frazier
My Four Wonderful Sisters and a Brother
Lorena Alice Brown and Edward Magill
Ina Zora Brown Cochran Family
Flossie May Brown - Hodges Family
Galaird Merle Brown Family
Luvada rachel Brown - Windoffer Family
Lorena Alice Brown Tree
Ina Zora Brown Tree
Flossie May Brown Tree
Galaird Merle Brown Tree
Luvada Rachel Brown Tree
Your Spiritual Inheritance and Blessing
Tree #10. Entire Family Tree in ART & The Brown Families' Death Record
Pictures

by your mother Ina Zora Cochran. August 17th, 1963.


Editors Note: Inside front cover, note from my grandmother to my uncle Bob.

Back to Table Of Contents

2005 Editor's Note: The following entry contains the notes from the original publisher Lester A. Michel., It is not actually part of the original publication, I found it as a single folded sheet, inserted into the book just before the picture pages. You should also note, that the statements Lester makes about availability of this book in printed form are no longer available. We need to remember this was written over 40 years ago, and since my research indicates that Lester was married on November 1st, 1942 to Marth L. Brown, then Lester is probably in his mid 80's if he is still alive today, October 2005. These notes were written as the book was finished, probably around 1965.

----


This book is a copy of the original hadwritten book authored by O. C. Brown Sr. It is an exact copy in every detail except that not all of the pictures have been reproduced. The cost of reproduction of all pictures in the original book was simply too great. The choic of pictures was made largely by the author; a few were selected by me as the publisher. Any criticism of the organization of the picture pages should fall on me.

The duplication of the book was make by use of a spirit duplicator which gives clear, readable copy. On occasion, however, imperfect prints come through. the rather large task of assembling more than 50 copies of a book with 115 pages per copy was done by the Lester Michael family. if your copy contains imperfect, unreadable pages or if pages are missing, you may obtain replacement pages by writing me. It might be added that the ink used in this process is not waterproof and will run if the page becomes wet. i will replace damaged pages as long as they are available.

The responsibility for typing and proof-reading also falls on me. i apologize for errors which may have slipped in. if you note errors you might report them to O.C. Brown Sr., who can check them agains the original and pass them on to me. In the event that a second run of the book is ever made, such corrections could then be incorporated in the new printing.

A few extra copies of the Brown Family's History have been made and can be obtained from me at a price of $3.00 each.

This slight increase seems fair since the actual expense of producing the book exceeded income, even though several donations have been made by certain members of the family. This is the result of the inclusion of more picture pages than were planned originally and a somewhat larger cost for picture pages than was anticipated.

The cost of producing the book has been kept as low as possible by using a spirit duplicator method of reproduction for the printed matter so that lithography and commercial printing were required only for the eight picture pages and the family tree at the back of the book. The only wages or salary paid went to my secretary for the typing of the manuscript on the duplicator master sheets. I will be glad to furnish detailed information on the cost of the project to anyone who would like ot know more about it.

I have found the production of this book a rewarding and interesting experience and trust that you who have ordered books, paid in advance for your copies and waited patiently for the result, will not be disappointed.

Sincerely,

Lester A. Michel
309 Yucca Circle
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Back to Table Of Contents

Debbie and I (Tom Zimmer) were cleaning out our garage yesterday (October 22nd, 2005), and we came across a box of pictures and stuff from early in our marriage and some photo albums and stuff from my uncle Bob (Robert L. Cochran). I sort of took care of uncle Bob the last 10 years of his life. He had Parkinson disease, and the last few years were very hard on Bob. As I am sure most people know, Parkinsons is a degenerative nerve disease, and it makes your body kind of lock up. Various treatments help for a while, but to my knowledge there is no cure. Anyway, Bob was a Christian, but he always struggled with his feelings that he wasn't very good. I guess like most of us, we have lots of things we regret in our life, and we often have difficulty forgiving ourselves, even when we know that God has forgiven us. So, to make a long story longer, I loved Bob a lot, and my family loved him too. We were in some ways like the children he never had. He was married three times in his life I think, but for whatever reason never had any kids. After Bob passed away, I ended up with some of his things, including some photo albums, and a book. I never before yesterday bothered to really look at the book, but what it turns out to be is a self published memoir/history of the life and times of Oral Carl Brown. Oral was a preacher, he was born June 19th, 1884, died July 1967. Oral was the brother of Ina Zora Brown/Cochran, who was my mothers mother, and Bob's mother. Ina was my Grandmother. So that would make Oral Carl Brown my great uncle. I think this history will be of interest to other Browns, Cochrans, and Zimmers.

As this history unfolds, you will see why I found it so interesting. Oral has a very easy and friendly style of writing, and is very matter of fact about the details of his journey coming to Christ. He wrote this history when he was 78 years old, in 1962.

I will have to ask you to be patient, because the history is over 100 pages in length, consisting of single spaced typed 8 1/2 x 11 pages, so it is quite a volume to transcribe, and it will no doubt take me several weeks, if not months to type it in. So without any more adu, lets begin "The Brown Famiy's History" by Oral Carl Brown Sr.

P.S. The next entry will be the notes from the original editor, Lester A. Michel.

Back to Table Of Contents