Norwich bulletin., 1920-01-21
Special to The BulIetin.l

sApPCC4dL tO 1 n0 6ull6Ilu.)
 Hartford, Conn, Jan. 2o.-Almost s7 yedrs old. weak in eyesight and en- feebled in health, but strong in mind and memory, John T. Brown, who claims to be the oldest living person
 who was born in Norwich. is now re- siding with his son, David Strong, at 14S Oakland Terrace, Hartford.
 MT. Brown lived in Norwich for four years after he was born and then moved to BozranviIle. When fifteen
 he went to Colchester and later to Providence. Later he located in F1tchyille. At intervals during this time he was in Norwich.
 His: first position in Norwich was ass clerk for the Ely dry goods com pany, which occupied the building on Main street where the Atlantic & Pa- cii1c store was a few years ago. At that time this was the largest dry goods company in eastern Connecti- cut and it was no uncommon thing for customers to come to it all the way from Providence. Later he went to work for N. e. Breckenbridge in store located on the Wauregan cor ner. The store dealt in tobacco and ankee. notions and MT. Brown was employed as a clerk.
 On the death of MT. Breckenbridge ln 1863, MT. Brown went into business for himself. He laid a wooden nave ment Of several thousand square yards Int New Haven at the rate of four dollars a square yard. Then he started to manufacture wrenches at little shop on Franklin street. Leay- Ins this he entered the employ of the Hall Insurance company and was with them fourteen years. He did impor- tant work for them in conducting in Vestlgatlons to determine the exact cost of insuring persons at ages vary, ing from to 100 years. He was em- ployed as clerk in the probate and se- iectman's offices and later went into business manufacturing braided cord age. He was located in a building on East Main street owned by the late Edward c. ChappeH. He was there year when he moved his bus mess to Montville. After a year and q half there he moved to Greyville. Later he took charge of his wife's farm in Colchester and in 1900 he came to Hartford where he has lived ever since.
 MT. Brown was born in 1883. the son of Thomas and Rachael Sterling Brown. His father was a descendant of Peter Brown who came over in the Mayhower, and his mother was related to Lord Sterling of the Eng fish nobility. Her father was one of the younger sons of Lord Sterling and came to this country to take up land Tn Connecticut. He was here when the revolution broke out and cast his fortunes with the cofonists, serving in the Continental army during the rev. olutlon. MT, Brown has been married tWIce, the first time to Miss Mary Lanpheare of Colchester who died in 1885, and the second time to Mrs. Da- Vld strong of Colchester. He has no children. MT Brown is, a member of all Masonic lodges in Norwich and claims to be the oldest member in years of any of them.
 In politics, MT. Brown has always been republican. He was first se- lectman of the town of Norwich from 1853 to 1858 and from 1882 to 1887. He says that he left the office in 1887 under cloud caused by the statements spread by some of the members of the democratic party that there was a shortage of $17,000 in his ofnce. A committee of six men, y'in- cluding Winslow T. Williams, was ap- pointed to investigate and completely exonerated him.
 Mir Brown has a number of inter estlng relics. He has several pieces or sewing which he did when he was but four years old. They are small pieces of patchwork, very well done. Another treasured relic is a handker- chief with Biblical verses printed up- on IL which was presented to him by 1 William c. Gilman, who was superin- tendent of the Sachem Street church 1 Sunday school when Mir Brown left fla go to Bozrahville. He also has a French duplicate of the famous porce- lain vase unearthed in the ruins. of Pompeii in 1855. There are only half a. dozen of these limitations in the country.
 The original vase was purchased by the late Mrs. A. T. Stewart at a price reported to be $1S,00G. MT. Brown secured his vase from the son of Othniel Gager, former town clerk l Of Norwich. At sixty it was the boast ] Of the son that he had crossed the i Atlantic more times than he had years. He brought to this country the few limitations that are now here 1 The imitation vases sold at about s20O apiece. Another relic of which Mir. Brown is very proud is a silver watch made in Liverpool which was pre- 1 sented to his father by some friends in 179S. It has been in the Brown family for 122 years.
 Ev For his times MT. Brown travelled widely. He has been in every city of any size in New England and has 1 been south to Philadelphia and Wash i ingtOn and north to Montreal When selectman he made many trips with insane people, taking them to institu tions. He brought from Norwich one l of the first patients to be committed