Ventura County Biographies

A. W. Browne

Submitted by Sandy Neder

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
A. W. Browne came to Ventura County in the fall of 1873, from his native city, 
Philadelphia, where he was born February 9, 1852. His father, N. B. Browne, was 
born in Philadelphia, in 1818; was a lawyer and a Representative in the 
Legislature from his district; held the office of Postmaster of Philadelphia 
under the administration of President Lincoln; was Sub-Treasurer and had charge 
of the Mint and Custom House; helped to organize the Trust and Safe Deposit 
Company of that city; was president of the company, and it might be said that he 
was the originator of that enterprise. The ancestors of his family were 
originally English. Mr. Browne's mother, nee Mary Jane Kendall, was a native of 
Reading, Pennsylvania, and also of English descent. The subject of this sketch 
was the third of a family of two sons and two daughters, and his mother's death 
occurred when he was only four years old. Mr. Browne received his education at 
Sanders' Institute, Philadelphia, and at Williston Seminary, East Hampton, 
Massachusetts. For five years he was employed in the Trust and Safe Deposit 
Company, Philadelphia, beginning as errand boy and rising to the position of 
receiving teller.
    He came to California and engaged in sheep-raising, in Ventura County, ten 
years, being in partnership with Levi Taylor. They had as many as 12,000 sheep 
at a time, divided in flocks of 2,000 each. He disposed of his sheep, and 
afterward purchased 5,000 acres of land and engaged in the cattle business on 
the ex-Mission ranch, ten miles east of Ventura. He sold out in 1887, and for a 
year was one of the managers of the Anacapa Hotel. In 1882 he had served as 
Supervisor, and resigned the office to go away with his sheep. He was again 
elected, in 1888, to represent the town of San Buenaventura on the County Board, 
which position he now holds. He is the secretary of the Republican Central 
Committee, of Ventura County, and is a tried and true Republican of intelligence 
and ability, and a leader in his party.
    Mr. Browne was married, in 1878, to Miss Neotia Rice, a native of 
California, born in 1860. She is the daughter of Peter Rice, who traces his 
ancestry back to the Germans. They have four children, all born in Ventura 
County, viz.: Albert O., Valeria O., Nathaniel B. and Samuel H. Mr. Browne takes 
a just pride in being a member of the California National Guard, of Ventura; is 
Second Lieutenant of the Company.
 
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS 
OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 384