Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-09-13
Sam Brown of Benton Station-Aged
50 years

50 years
of his SO years. is not what might be
called an old man. He lives on the
Brown place in Benton Station and
there he tends to his garden which is
the pride of the neighborhood. He
has also been keeping house alone
for awhile. during that time that he
and live with him.
He goes visiting and he certainly
does love to visit. He plans TO get
around quite bit to see the folks be-
fore the cold weather sets in. He
has just returned from Winslow
where he visited relatives. While
there he insisted upon doing work
about the place and was a regular
handy man.
DR.. Ezekiel Brown Of Boston came
to Benton and built a log cabin on
the present site Of the Brown homa
He would have been $50 years old if
he was alive today. Sam Brown says.
| And that's where we all originated
| from" There were nine children in
the family of DR.. Brown and all his
children had a number of children.
Sam Brown is a grandson Of the
original Brown.
DR.. Brown was a doctor in the
Revolutionary war and came to
Maine after the war to settle here
and enjoy life.
Sam Browns wife passed away
several years ago. No children were
born of this union but Mr.. and Mrs.
Brown have adopted five children, no
relation, and have reared the larger
number Of them to manhood and wo-
manhood. For 80 years Mr.. Brown
sold butter in Waterville.
Il see that the corn shop is going
to open up Tuesday" said Mr..
Brown. We'll. / carried corn to the
corn shop for Is years" Now he has
good sized garden plot at his home
and there he tolls daily. The results
of his labors is a fine looking garden.
His potatoes are bigger and better
| than those of many younger and
supposedly smarter farmers. He has
some fine apple trees and apples from
these trees are always on exhibition
at the Benton Grange Fair each fall.
The high cost of living interests
| Mr.. Brown. This pair Of shoes
have on could be bought few years
ago for three dollars and now they
are double" Shoes are not what they
| used to be. Once they were all good
| leather and now they are nothing
better than paper. That's pretty
hat you have" he said pointing to
the hat which the reporter held in
her lap, while she sat with Mr.. Brown
and two Of the neighbors in the barn
Of the Brown home while calling on
him a few days ago. When / went
| to dancing school" he continued.
! the girls used to wear little hats like
| bonnets" and he made motions with
his hands around his head. following
| the imaginary lines of 'bunnet.'
They were pretty hats, and your hat
| is pretty too" he added, as If to show
no Partially.
Il never thought thing about get
| ting married until l was 80 years
old. I used to go to dances every
| where and knew a lot of girls but
never once thought Of marriage.
Then I married my school mate when
was 80 years of age" Their half
a century of welded life was one Of
happiness and although they were
never blessed with children they
made a home for five homeless ones,
providing for them the best.
And so, keep good health and you
will be happy says Sam Brown Of
Benton Station, aged So years. And
after all, happiness is what we all
desire.