THOMAS DUNLOP BROWN by Ruth Brown Lewis Thomas D. Brown was born 16 December at Stewarton, Ayr­shire, Scotland, the son of James Galt Brown and Agnes Dunlop Brown. Since no brothers or sisters are mentioned anywhere, we must assume that he was an only child. In later years his father taught school in Salt Lake City, so it is certain that the son bad good early training, both in his home and in the grade schools. His obituary says that “He left home when about 17 years of age, and proceeded to Mussleboro where be supported and taught himself by teaching school, walking to Edinborough to gain at night the knowledge he imparted to his scholars the next day.” 6 Evidently he succeeded as a teacher sufficient to be head mas­ter of a private school, for among the treasures found in an old trunk was a medal . . . “shaped something like a German cross on a short chain. It looked as though it was made of the old type pewter or vermeil. On one side it read, ‘Mr. T. Brown’s Academy’ and under it the year 1834. The other side carried only the name ‘Edinburgh’ ” 7 6 Salt Lake Tribune, March 23, 1874. 7 Mrs. Dorothy Monson letter, 8 April 1969. Whether he had an earlier marriage we do not know, but about 1840 he married Sarah Godwin Sherratt, the widow of Smith Sherratt, who had died about 1833. Mrs. Sherratt lived at Scholar­green, Cheshire, England, on a landed estate, whether hers by in­heritance of birth or from her husband we do not know. She had two sons, William and John. Of the Widow Sherratt we learn most from the research of Mrs. Gwen Heaton Sherratt, who wrote a pamphlet , ATobats, the Silent One”, to tell the story of John Sherratt, the family ancestor. According to her, the widow Sherratt, or “Lady Sherratt”, had a palatial home with many luxuries and certainly with all the com­forts ‑ servants in the house to wait on every need, farm hands to care for the fields and orchards. Treasures saved from that long ­ago time bear this out. John Sherratt was born January 25, 1828. While still an infant, he suffered an attack of Scarlet Fever, the complications from which left him deaf and dumb. He and his older brother William joined the Church, being baptized along with their mother, by Elder Orson Hyde on 6 December 1846. Simon Carter confirmed him. He wrote of his conversion and his faith in the Church in a letter printed in the Millennial Star, 13 December 1846, under the title, “Reflections of a Deaf and Dumb Young Man”. This is an interesting article indeed. They were evidently converted by their foster father, who had been baptized two years earlier, on June 9, 1844, by Elder Thomas Ward. They also had a little half‑brother, James and a sister, Sarah Godwin Brown. By this time the family were living at Liverpool, where Thomas D. Brown taught school for many years, and later became cashier of the British and North American Mail S.S. Company. It would seem that the father of Thomas D. Brown also joined the Church about the same time, for the Millennial Star for 15 November 1848 carries an article signed James Galt Brown, 60 Clark Street, Airdrie, October 12. Under the title, FAITH AN EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR CHOLERA. it relates the instant healing of Mr. Archibald Geddes and his wife by administration of the Mormon Elders. Brother Eli B. Kelsey was presiding there and offered the prayer. Thomas D. Brown came into prominence in the Church during the General Conference held at Manchester in the Hall of Sci­ence, April 6‑7‑9, 1845. At this time a group of ten was selected to draw up the rules to govern a new joint Stock Company. They were excused from the meetings on Monday and worked through until Tuesday afternoon, when T. D. Brown read the articles one by one to the congregation for their consideration and sustaining vote. The forty‑five propositions were accepted, providing that fifteen shareholders act as directors of the company, and that the seven who resided at Liverpool be the regular directors, with Thomas Ward president and corresponding secretary, Thomas Wilson secretary and book‑keeper, Reuben Hedlock and Thomas Dunlop Brown trustees and cash‑keepers for the same. Immediately following this action, it was voted that Thomas Dunlop Brown be ordained an Elder, and “a vote of thanks was cheerfully given him for his unwearing and active services in this conference.” 8 Through the next three years the name of T. D. Brown appears often in the pages of the Millennial Star in advertising books, re­porting conference activities, and submitting excerpts from other reports. His most impressive contribution was a LETTER TO W. CUNNINGHAM, ESQ., which filled the first pages of the Novem­ber 18 and December 1st issues of 1848. As the family prepared to emigrate to America in late 1848, Sarah Brown wrote a farewell letter to relatives and friends, set­ting forth her beliefs and reasons for joining the Mormon Church. It was printed under the title MRS. T. D. BROWN’S FARE­WELL LETTER 8 It is well written, indeed, an explanation of her own faith and an appeal to her friends to investigate Mormonism. At the end is a statement signed by her two sons, William and John Sherratt, which begins, “We willingly concur in the sentiments, doctrines, and testimony of our beloved mother, as record­ed above, and having obeyed the same Gospel, we have received a measure of the same spirit.” 8 Millennial Star, 7 (1846), 185‑187. Although we do not have the name of the ship or the date of the sailing of this family, we know they were established in Kanes­ville by midsummer, for the Frontier Guardian for August 22, 1849, carried an impressive announcement. In large headlines it declared that A LARGE IMPORTATION OF ENGLISH & FRENCH DRY GOODS, HARDWARE AND CUTLERY was this day opened for sale to the Ladies and Gentlemen of Kanesville. The list included groceries, yardage, ready‑made, tools, spices, liquors, with brandy by the gallon, powder, lead, vinegar, and tin­man's solder ‑ in fact, almost anything “all offered cheap for cash”, by BROWN & BARHAM. August 22, 1849. 9 By October 14 following, the business had changed hands, and was now Brown & Miller's store at a location opposite the first, the Miller being Henry W., well‑known frontiersman. Now the stock is not listed in such detail and the public is informed that: “We have re‑marked all goods . . . Our motto in business is and shall be ‘Small profits and Quick Return.’ “ 10 A note at the end tells past customers that “All accounts due to the late firm ‑ Brown & Barham, will be received, settled and ac­counted for by Thomas D. Brown at Brown and Millers store.” 11 One other announcement tells of tragedy in the family. The Frontier Guardian for March 20th, 1850, notes: “Died‑ in this town on the 7th last, of quick consumption, Mr. William Sherratt aged 28 years, from England.” Since no mention is made of a family, we assume that William was unmarried, and perhaps had been in poor health even before the family left England. Without following the merchandising activities of T. D. Brown in detail, we observe that he remains in partnership with Miller, but they again move their stand, this time to the Bluffs. By late 1851 he had added violins and accordions to his list of merchan­dise. The Frontier Guardian for Nov. 12, 1851, notes that: “People here say that Bro. T. D. Brown has been absent from this place for about two months on business to England. . .” This trip might well have been tied up with the position he had held in the organizing of the emigrant companies for the four years before he sailed to America, or with the settling of business of his own. Perhaps it was just to help his parents emigrate, for according to the family genealogist, Mrs. Gwen Heaton Sherratt, we learn that, “On January 26, 1852, T. D. Brown baptized his mother, Agnes Dunlop Brown, and she emigrated March 6, 1852. T. D. Brown is listed on the same sailing.” The L.D.S. Church Chronology on that date says: “The ship Rockaway sailed from Liverpool, England, with 30 Saints and machinery for the Deseret Sugar Manufacturory, under the direction of Elias Morris. It arrived in New Orleans after seven week’s passage. Apostle John Taylor, accompanied by about twenty Saints, sailed from Liverpool for Boston, on his way home.” The second ship was not named. The Browns could have been on either; we know that by November 5, 1852, Thomas D. Brown was operating his store on Salt Lake City Main Street, for on that day Lorenzo Brown was trying to buy a record book from him. Records of the various companies across the plains differ wide­ly, some giving in great order and detail the names and genealogi­cal information of all, and others being very brief. Of the later kind are the records of Capt. Robert Weimer, of the 15th Compa­ny for'1852. He names James Brown, Agnes Brown, and T. D. Brown, but makes no mention of the wife or children. Whether or not they had taken at least a part of the goods from Council bluffs and gone ahead earlier, we do not know. 12 12 Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, Dec. 31, 1852, Supplement p. 100. The Salt Lake County Assessment Roll for 1853, J. Y. Hutchinson, Assessor, gives much interesting information as to the econom­ic status of the residents of the county, at least the comparative wealth of the citizens in goods and chattels. Names are listed al­phabetically with locations within the various Wards. Brown, Thomas [no initial] 14th Ward Wagons & carriages 120 Horses 150 Mules Oxen & steers 60 Cows 25 Watches & clocks 150 Sheep Pigs 6 Farmer & Merchant tools Money Loaned or on rent Household furniture 300 Other personal property Total amount of tax $19.45 Territorial tax $1.00 It is clear that here is a man of some substance, compared to his neighbors in this section. Only Seth M. Blair would rival him ‑ or exceed him ‑ in the matter of household furniture, while having less in wagons and teams. The first home of T. D. Brown was evidently in connection with his place of business on First West, as is shown on an early map of the city preserved at the Utah State Historical Society of­fice. Later he would build his permanent home at 522 East Sec­ond South, a well‑planned, two‑story structure, finished with qual­ity materials, a fine stair‑case, and decorated windows. This building was remodeled (1967‑68) for offices. That the Thomas D. Brown family was well set‑up in Salt Lake City when he left to go on this Southern Indian Mission is shown by an excerpt from a letter written by George A. Smith on 27 February 1855. Since I last wrote you, another association has sprung into existence, entitled the Deseret Philharmonic Society, whose object is the cultivation of vocal and instrumental music. Elder James Smithie is their president and their meetings for the present are held in Elder T. D. Brown's large room. These items show that not only was the Brown family well‑to-­do, but that Mrs. Brown was a woman of culture, interested in music and probably the owner of an organ and other musical in­struments. With the help of her son James, she would manage the business at the store. For Thomas D. Brown himself, this “Journal” constitutes a per­sonal diary as well as an official history of the mission. His com­plete loyalty and devotion to the church is evident in every line, as is also his accuracy in recording the missionary activities.