The Life and Times of Moses Brown: - PowerPoint Presentation

1. The Life and Times of Moses Brown:Hollidaysburg Entrepreneur

2. ObituaryBorn on May 15, 1827 in Bedford, PA to Perry and Hannah Bosten BrownCame to Hollidaysburg at age 19 (1846)Worked as a barber/minister with a Mr. David Crabb (black person) on Montgomery Street and then moved his barber business to Allegheny Street.Participated as part of the grand jury that recommended the building of the new courthouse in Hollidaysburg.One of the first subscribers of the Altoona TribuneMarried to Sidney (or Sydney) Ellen Keith of Maria Forges (Taylor Township, south of McKee’s Gap), PA. She proceeded him in death on July 4, 1913. Died on March 27, 1916. His body was interred at Union Cemetery in Hollidaysburg.

3. Population of Blacks in Hollidaysburg/ Blair County in 1840s to 1860sIn the 1840 Census: a total of 161 African Americans lived in this part of Huntingdon; 89 lived in Hollidaysburg, 26 in Antis Township home, Tyrone Township has 14 African American residents and Williamsburg has 17In the 1850 Cenus: a total of 260 African Americans lived in Blair County; 141 in Hollidaysburg; 19 in Gaysport; 23 in Allegheny Township; 19 in Blair Township; 24 live in the “Cove” area of Blair County (N. Woodbury, Huston, Woodbury, Martinsburg); 10 lived in Williamsburg The Altoona Tribune of Dec. 30, 1858 stated that 168 people of color resided in Hollidaysburg. The total population of Hollidaysburg was 3,175 at that time.1860 Census, 283 African Americans lived in Blair County, out of a population of 27,829

4. Hollidaysburg and Blacks He was a waiter and porter at the Exchange Hotel in Hollidaysburg and became acquainted with such notable Judges as Jeremiah Black, John Dean and George Taylor in this position. In 1851, Moses Brown notifies Messrs. Banks, Calvin and several other lawyers of which he had been their barber that he was planning on going into the Salon/Catering business. He also notifies the Honorable Thomas Scott, the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), of his plans. He goes to Burgess McCord’s office in Hollidaysburg to secure the license to sell drinks and food. By 1866, the Christian Recorder (the African Methodist Episcopal newspaper) notes that Moses Brown is the “wealthiest colored man in this place” (Hollidaysburg) and “is the owner of some of the most favorably located property the town contains.” In addition to Moses Brown, Hollidaysburg has a black seamstress, black shoemakers, black barbers and other black laborers working there according to the Christian Recorder. Moses Brown was in the salon/catering business for over 65 years.

5. Civil Rights and Moses BrownMoses Brown was involved in locally in the discussions on the abolition of slavery and eventually the granting the rights of voting to newly freed Black men in the South and disenfranchised Black men who lived in the North after the end of the Civil War. (PA had legislatively taken away the right to vote from Black men in 1838.)He was a member of an organization called the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League, which had a chapter in Blair County. William Nesbit of Altoona was voted in as the President of this organization shortly after its founding in 1865. The organization in conjunction with the White Carnation League sponsored a celebration of the USCT (United States Colored Troops) on November 14, 1865 called the “Pennsylvania Grand Review or Harrisburg Grand Review” In March of 1874, he was elected as Assessor of the 3rd Ward of Hollidaysburg. August 26, 1875’s Altoona Tribune newspaper, Moses is listed on the 2nd week of Jury duty for October.

6. Moses Brown’s FamilySydney Ellen Brown (wife) his helpmate in business, was greatly involved in the founding, building and maintaining of the Hollidaysburg AMEZ church, also was a county Philanthropist (helped with fundraising for the Altoona Hospital). Ella/Eliza/Elizabeth Brown Gale (d/o) (assisted with the salon/catering/ice cream business along with her husband, Charles S. Gale) Blair W. Brown (s/o) LaborerCharles F. Brown (s/o) Caterer, Realtor and Lumber owner (liked fine cars), first black graduate of Hollidaysburg High School and probably first black High School graduate in the commonwealth of PA (1881)Samuel Brown (s/o) Professor at West Va. Collegiate Institute (now West Va. State University, a Historically Black College/University aka HBCU) Lydia/Lida/Lyda Brown (d/o)Other members of the family: David Brown (s/o) who died in infancy, “Lizzie” Brown (granddaughter who appears in the 1900 census)

7. Salon/Catering; Ice and Ice Cream BusinessName of Business: Union Dining Saloon, located on Allegheny Street in HollidaysburgServed as the official caterer for the Blair County Agricultural Fair in Hollidaysburg until asked to no longer serve there in 1891.Served as the official caterer at Lakemont Park from 1903 to 1906. (Lakemont Park was “officially” founded as an amusement park in 1904.) Sylvan Lodge, which was constructed next to Lakemont Park by Dr. S.C. Baker in 1904, also provided meals and amusement to those who needed and wanted to take a break from work during the summer. Moses’ son, Charles F. Brown ran the “amusement” side on the 2nd floor of the building, which consisted of bowling alleys, pool, billiards, bathrooms, a mothers’ room. It also consisted of a dining room, observatory balconies, a magnificent view of the lake and surrounding country. Moses Brown oversaw the catering on the first floor. It opened on August 1, 1904. In 1911, an injunction was brought against Anna Baker which determined that the building was unsafe.

8. Salon/Catering; Ice and Ice Cream BusinessHe started his Ice Cream Business at the same time as the Catering/Food Service Business in 1851 according to his obituary. Moses Brown is recognized as the first person to sell ice cream in Altoona according to the Altoona Mirror, Saturday, January 16, 1926, pg. 8 Moses made a dam at Brush Run in December 1881. In the summer, people could fish for carp and in the winter could do ice farming. In 1883, he built a “mammoth icehouse” on Brush Run on his ice lake to deal with the growth of his ice cream business. The pond on Brush Run is called “Brown’s pond” and the people of the Hollidaysburg and Altoona skated on this pond when the ice became thick enough in winter. This apparently continued until the 1940s.

9. The End of Family Business and PropertyMoses sold his business to his daughter and son (Ella/Elizabeth/Eliza and Charles) and retired in May of 1913 Sydney Brown died on July 7, 1913 and is buried in Union CemeteryMoses leased the restaurant building on Allegheny Street to a Mr. Saylor in April of 1914. This building became the Lyric Theatre. Moses faced extortion and a death threat in January 1915 and with the help of his son (Charles) and the police, was able to thwart this attempt to extort money from him.

10. Contd. End of Business and PropertyA fire occurred at Brown’s Icehouse on February 22, 1921 in the Roselawn area of Hollidaysburg and destroyed the ice storage houses. Moses died on March 27, 1916 and is buried in Union Cemetery. He, Daniel Williams (father of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and William Nesbit were deemed the trustees of Union Cemetery. (N. Montgomery Street, Hollidaysburg)The WPA (Work Progress Administration) projects filled in the ice dam in the 1930s to the 1940s. In August of 1946, a sheriff sale occurred in which land on Brush Mountain Road and land around Brush Run formerly owned by Moses Brown and his heirs were purchased and utilized by Blairmont Country Club and Sylvan Hills.

11. Location of Former Salon/Ice Cream Business1873 Hollidaysburg map

12. Location of Former Hollidaysburg or 1st AME/AMEZ ChurchHollidaysburg, PAAME Zion Church(1854), 511 Front St.This African Methodist Episcopal/African MethodistEpiscopal Zion Church is first held in familyhomes in the 1830s and builds it first church on McGrawStreet, near Pine and Hickory. Moses Brown purchases theland on 511 Front Street in 1894 for the present building. Overthe years, membership dwindled, and the building is eventuallytransformed into an apartment complex in 1991.

13. Portion of Deed of Union CemeteryThe land is given to William Nesbit,Moses Brown and Daniel Williamsby Colonel William Jack ofHollidaysburg for the cemetery.

14. Portrait of Grandsons of Moses BrownPerry and Irvin BrownM. Irvin Brown is buried inUnion Cemetery, HollidaysburgPerry J. Brown is buried in Canton, OHTheir father is Blair W. Brown. He is buried in Union Cemetery.

15. BibliographyAltoona Tribune 28 March 1916, Tuesday, pg. 16Altoona Tribune 29 March 1916, Wednesday, pg. 3https://taylortownship.org/historyAltoona Tribune 15 December 1859, Thursday, pg. 3Accessible Archives: The Christian Recorder November 10, 1866 “Editorial Notes” “Proceedings of the State Equal Rights Convention, of the Colored People of Pennsylvania held in the City of Harrisburg February 8th, 9th and 10th, 1865” http://www.oc.gov/resource/rbaccpc.27700Accessible Archives: The Christian Recorder August 18, 1866 “Proceedings of the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League at the Meeting Held in the City of Pittsburgh, August 8, 9, 10, 1866 The Altoona Tribune 05 March 1874, Thursday, pg. 3

16. Bibliography The Altoona Tribune 26 August 1875, Thursday, pg. 3The Altoona Tribune 27 October 1881, Thursday, pg. 3The Altoona Tribune 11 June 1885, Thursday, pg. 4The Altoona Tribute 27 May 1886, Thursday, pg. 3Altoona Times Tuesday September 14, 1886, pg. 2Altoona Times Monday September 14, 1903, pg. 1Altoona Tribune 16 June 1906, Saturday, pg. 4Altoona Tribune 9 June 1911, Friday, pg. 1Altoona Tribune Saturday July 5, 1913, pg.5

17. BibliographyAltoona Times 07 July Monday 1913, pg. 7 The Altoona Tribune Thursday, December 1, 1881, pg. 4The Altoona Tribune Thursday, November 29, 1883, pg. 4Altoona Times, 2 February 1887, Wednesday, pg. 4Altoona Mirror Thursday, August 1, 1946, pg. 20United States Census Bureau. 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th Census. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C.“Black History and Heritage of Hollidaysburg”, Sylvia Shorter Lee, article for “Heritage of Hollidaysburg, A Project of Hollidaysburg Area Women’s Club, 1981.Altoona Tribune Thursday November 21, 1918, pg. 12

18. AcknowledgementsPenn State Altoona Blair County Historical SocietyBlair County Genealogical Society

19. Questions?Logo/Artwork Created by Keith MalletEst. 1992 with the assistance of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museumhttps://sites.psu.edu/harriettgaston5/