Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

"A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891), page 384.

A. W. Browne [Editor inserted: Albert William Browne]

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.

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Descendants of Albert Willam Browne

1 Albert Willam Browne b: 09 Feb 1852 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania d: in Ventura County, California
.. +Neotia Rice b: Dec 1857 in California m: 1878 d: in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Albert O'Brien Browne b: 13 Feb 1880 in Ventura County, California
............ +Maude L. b: 1880 in California
................... 3 Albert W. Browne b: 1910 in California
........ 2 Valeria O. Browne b: Sep 1883 in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Nathaniel Borrodaille Browne b: 01 Feb 1886 in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Samuel H. Browne b: Nov 1887 in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Mary K. Browne b: Jun 1891 in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Ruth E. Browne b: Oct 1893 in Ventura County, California
........ 2 Craig Browne b: 1879 in Ventura County, California d: in Died Young

Ventura County Republican Project: History and Rootsweb Genealogy posted by Jon Miller and Tony Larson.