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William Delay Brown

William Delay Brown

Male 1840 - 1917  (77 years)

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  • Name William Delay Brown 
    Birth 2 Sep 1840  Sydney, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Census 16 Jun 1860  Almaden, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 19, born AUS, day laborer, living with mother 
    Census 27 Jul 1870  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 30, born AUS, butcher 
    Census 3 Jun 1880  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 38, born AUS, policeman, parents born IRE/IRE 
    Census 1 Jun 1900  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 59, born Sep 1842 in AUS, marr 38 yrs, night watchman, parents born IRE/IRE 
    Census 2 Jun 1900  Santa Clara, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 59, born Sep 1840 in AUS, marr 39 yrs, imm in 1849, watchman, parents born IRE/IRE 
    Census 18 Apr 1910  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 69, born AUS, marr 50 yrs, messenger for W.J. & Co. Express, parents born IRE/IRE 
    Death 4 Dec 1917  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1242  Family Tree
    Last Modified 17 May 2018 

    Father William Brown,   b. 1806, Clonoulty, Tipperary, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Oct 1854, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 48 years) 
    Mother Catherine Daly,   b. 1802, Cahir, Tipperary, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Feb 1889, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F266  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Johanna Cunningham,   b. 20 Oct 1842, Kilkenny County, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Feb 1919, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Marriage 8 Jan 1860  San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Catherine Brown,   b. Dec 1861, Almaden, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Jun 1939, Ripon, San Joaquin, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
     2. Willie S Brown,   b. 31 Oct 1862, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Jan 1864, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 1 year)
    +3. Peter Leslie Brown,   b. 18 Oct 1863, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jun 1943, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
    +4. Johanna Maria Brown,   b. 22 Jan 1867, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Feb 1928, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 61 years)
    +5. Theresa F “Tessie” Brown,   b. Jan 1870, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1908 (Age 37 years)
     6. William J Brown,   b. 1872, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jul 1909, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 37 years)
     7. Richard Frances Brown,   b. May 1874, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Sep 1910, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 36 years)
     8. Virginia Mary Brown,   b. 1877, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Apr 1938, San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 61 years)
     9. Lillie F Brown,   b. 11 Jun 1875, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Mar 1876, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     10. Clementia Brown,   b. Sep 1877, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Feb 1884, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 6 years)
    +11. Eugene Lewis Brown,   b. 25 Jul 1879, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Feb 1959, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
    +12. Georgiana Marcella Brown,   b. Mar 1882, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Jan 1937, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 54 years)
    Family ID F265  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 20 Oct 2016 

  • Photos
    William Delay Brown
    William Delay Brown

    Headstones
    Brown Family Grave Site
    Brown Family Grave Site
    William D Brown Gravestone Inscription
    William D Brown Gravestone Inscription
    WILLIAM D. BROWN / BORN SEPT. 2. 1840 / DIED DEC. 4. 1917

  • Notes 
    • Chief of Police of San Jose, is one of those men who by sterling worth and innate fidelity to duty has acquired the confidence of his fellow-citizens, and to that degree that he has not only been promoted to his present position by the suffrages of men in his own party, but has the active approval and support of hundreds of voters of opposing party affiliations. This is evidenced by the fact that he has won his way up from the ranks, and that, while his first election showed a majority of only ninety votes, at the next election it was 340, and at the election lately held (April 9, 1888) he received a majority of 1,062 votes.

      His parents, William and Catherine (Daley) Brown, were natives of Ireland, who emigrated in 1840 to Australia, the subject of this sketch being born in Sydney, two weeks after the arrival of his parents. In 1849 they came to California, attracted by the prospects of fortune to be wrested from the streams and hill-sides by strong hands and willing hearts. The father went at once to the mines in Stanislaus County, remaining for about six months, while the mother established and kept the hotel known as the "Maid of Erin," on Broadway, near Ohio Street, in a building brought in sections that year from Australia.

      In 1851 the subject of this sketch was brought to Santa Clara College by Father Nobili, then in charge of that institution, and remained there for one year, returning again in 1858, and remaining another year. There is hanging up in a modest frame, in Mr. Brown's office, a catalogue taken from the San Francisco Daily Herald, of July 14, 1852, of the exercises and premiums awarded, as well as the names of the pupils attending this examination. In this list is the name of William D. Brown, and among the other twenty-six pupils comprising the class are: Ignacio Alviso, Joaquin Argues, John M. Burnett, son of the first American Governor of California, John T. Calahan, Martin, Bernard, and Patrick Murphy. Mr. Brown appears as having taken a premium in the second class in the Spanish language, also in the third writing class. The parents of the subject of our sketch, in order to be near their son, removed to San Jose, his father opening a butcher shop, the second one in the town, while his mother engaged in the hotel business. His father purchased, in 1852, a ranch near what are now the Guadaloupe quicksilver mines, where he devoted himself to farming and stock-raising for the remainder of his life, he dying there in 1854, and was buried in the old Mission Dolores Cemetery, in San Francisco.

      The subject of our sketch worked on his father's farm until 1858, when he attended another year at Santa Clara College. He later worked at black­smithing and mining at the Guadaloupe and Hewriquita quicksilver mines for a number of years; followed various occupations until he entered the service of the city in the Fire Department, being later appointed Special Officer of the American District Telegraph Co., working in conjunction with the regular force; and on the death of Mitchell Bellew was appointed police officer. From this position he was promoted through the various grades until elected Chief.

      He married, January 8, 1860, Miss Johanna Cunningham, a native of Ireland, and sister of Richard Cunningham, who now owns the San Bruno House, at San Bruno, California. They have had twelve children, of whom three died in infancy. Those living are: Johanna, now the wife of James Hogan, Superintendent of American District Telephone Co., of San Jose; Katie, now the wife of Albert Richards, bookkeeper for Edward Wail, of San Jose; Peter, now in business in San Francisco; and Tessie, William, Richard, Virginia, Georgiana, and Bud, still under the paternal roof and attending school. Mr. Brown is a member of Mount Hamilton Lodge, of A. O. U. W., also of the American Legion of Honor, and of the Knights and Ladies of Honor. He is a member of the Democratic party.