Frank Mason Brown was born in Blue Hills, Maine, June 9, 1845. Son of Samuel Peters Brown and Charlotte Mason Brown of Maine. His mother died in 1858 and in 1861 his father was appointed Navy Agent, by President Lincoln. So they moved to Washington City, District of Columbia.
Frank went back to Maine to attended Bowdoin Collage. He became Assistant Special Agent, for Alaska for the U.S. Treasury Department, 1869-1870. He was General Manager of the Amador Canal and Mining Company of California, 1873-1879
He married Mary Haworth Ward, daughter of Emma Jane and the Honorable Jasper DeLos Ward in Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 14, 1877. Frank and Mary lived in San Joaquin County, California, where Frank was a State Senator for Northern California, from 1877 to 1878. Their first child Ward was born there in 1878.
They moved to Leadville, Colorado around 1879, Frank was manager of Farwell Consolidated Mining Company. In 1882 they moved to Denver, Colorado where Frank was a successful business man in mining and Real Estate.
It has been written Frank was a most genial and lovable gentleman, so happy and cheerful.
In May 1887 Mary gave birth to their second son Frank Mason in Denver, Colorado.
Frank had all kinds of business ideas, and one was to build a railroad through the Grand Canyon. He lined up backers and had fifty million dollars to go forward with his plan. He stared the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railroad Company which he was president. He hired Robert Stanton to head the survey expedition. Frank bought everything that was needed, but the boats were to light and he didn't buy life preservers.
They started the survey May 25, 1889 and Frank went with them. On July 10, 1889 The boat Frank and another man were in got hit by a rapid and over turned, Frank was thrown in to a whirl pool. He was swimming around trying to get out. When they got a boat over to the whirl pool they couldn't find him. Didn't find his body, only found his note book. He died July 10, 1889 at 9:10 am.
A quote from Robert Stanton: "President Brown sacrificed his life, which could so easily have been saved if he had a life preserver to keep him afloat. A noble hearted man and a true friend, he won the love of everyone associated with him".
This was sent to me: "When Frank Mason Brown was a Senator in California he introduced the bill into Congress to allow construction of the Amador Central Railroad. That was in 1878. Even back then it was required that government approve projects such as this and it was sometimes difficult to gain support from government officials for small railroads. But Frank took up the banner and it was approved. Unfortunately, the railroad was not built until 1904 so he did not live to see his efforts come to fruition."
Regards,
Debby
Frank is a Mayflower Descendent.
Frank went back to Maine to attended Bowdoin Collage. He became Assistant Special Agent, for Alaska for the U.S. Treasury Department, 1869-1870. He was General Manager of the Amador Canal and Mining Company of California, 1873-1879
He married Mary Haworth Ward, daughter of Emma Jane and the Honorable Jasper DeLos Ward in Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 14, 1877. Frank and Mary lived in San Joaquin County, California, where Frank was a State Senator for Northern California, from 1877 to 1878. Their first child Ward was born there in 1878.
They moved to Leadville, Colorado around 1879, Frank was manager of Farwell Consolidated Mining Company. In 1882 they moved to Denver, Colorado where Frank was a successful business man in mining and Real Estate.
It has been written Frank was a most genial and lovable gentleman, so happy and cheerful.
In May 1887 Mary gave birth to their second son Frank Mason in Denver, Colorado.
Frank had all kinds of business ideas, and one was to build a railroad through the Grand Canyon. He lined up backers and had fifty million dollars to go forward with his plan. He stared the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railroad Company which he was president. He hired Robert Stanton to head the survey expedition. Frank bought everything that was needed, but the boats were to light and he didn't buy life preservers.
They started the survey May 25, 1889 and Frank went with them. On July 10, 1889 The boat Frank and another man were in got hit by a rapid and over turned, Frank was thrown in to a whirl pool. He was swimming around trying to get out. When they got a boat over to the whirl pool they couldn't find him. Didn't find his body, only found his note book. He died July 10, 1889 at 9:10 am.
A quote from Robert Stanton: "President Brown sacrificed his life, which could so easily have been saved if he had a life preserver to keep him afloat. A noble hearted man and a true friend, he won the love of everyone associated with him".
This was sent to me: "When Frank Mason Brown was a Senator in California he introduced the bill into Congress to allow construction of the Amador Central Railroad. That was in 1878. Even back then it was required that government approve projects such as this and it was sometimes difficult to gain support from government officials for small railroads. But Frank took up the banner and it was approved. Unfortunately, the railroad was not built until 1904 so he did not live to see his efforts come to fruition."
Regards,
Debby
Frank is a Mayflower Descendent.
Frank Mason Brown was born in Blue Hills, Maine, June 9, 1845. Son of Samuel Peters Brown and Charlotte Mason Brown of Maine. His mother died in 1858 and in 1861 his father was appointed Navy Agent, by President Lincoln. So they moved to Washington City, District of Columbia.
Frank went back to Maine to attended Bowdoin Collage. He became Assistant Special Agent, for Alaska for the U.S. Treasury Department, 1869-1870. He was General Manager of the Amador Canal and Mining Company of California, 1873-1879
He married Mary Haworth Ward, daughter of Emma Jane and the Honorable Jasper DeLos Ward in Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 14, 1877. Frank and Mary lived in San Joaquin County, California, where Frank was a State Senator for Northern California, from 1877 to 1878. Their first child Ward was born there in 1878.
They moved to Leadville, Colorado around 1879, Frank was manager of Farwell Consolidated Mining Company. In 1882 they moved to Denver, Colorado where Frank was a successful business man in mining and Real Estate.
It has been written Frank was a most genial and lovable gentleman, so happy and cheerful.
In May 1887 Mary gave birth to their second son Frank Mason in Denver, Colorado.
Frank had all kinds of business ideas, and one was to build a railroad through the Grand Canyon. He lined up backers and had fifty million dollars to go forward with his plan. He stared the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railroad Company which he was president. He hired Robert Stanton to head the survey expedition. Frank bought everything that was needed, but the boats were to light and he didn't buy life preservers.
They started the survey May 25, 1889 and Frank went with them. On July 10, 1889 The boat Frank and another man were in got hit by a rapid and over turned, Frank was thrown in to a whirl pool. He was swimming around trying to get out. When they got a boat over to the whirl pool they couldn't find him. Didn't find his body, only found his note book. He died July 10, 1889 at 9:10 am.
A quote from Robert Stanton: "President Brown sacrificed his life, which could so easily have been saved if he had a life preserver to keep him afloat. A noble hearted man and a true friend, he won the love of everyone associated with him".
This was sent to me: "When Frank Mason Brown was a Senator in California he introduced the bill into Congress to allow construction of the Amador Central Railroad. That was in 1878. Even back then it was required that government approve projects such as this and it was sometimes difficult to gain support from government officials for small railroads. But Frank took up the banner and it was approved. Unfortunately, the railroad was not built until 1904 so he did not live to see his efforts come to fruition."
Regards,
Debby
Frank is a Mayflower Descendent.
Frank went back to Maine to attended Bowdoin Collage. He became Assistant Special Agent, for Alaska for the U.S. Treasury Department, 1869-1870. He was General Manager of the Amador Canal and Mining Company of California, 1873-1879
He married Mary Haworth Ward, daughter of Emma Jane and the Honorable Jasper DeLos Ward in Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 14, 1877. Frank and Mary lived in San Joaquin County, California, where Frank was a State Senator for Northern California, from 1877 to 1878. Their first child Ward was born there in 1878.
They moved to Leadville, Colorado around 1879, Frank was manager of Farwell Consolidated Mining Company. In 1882 they moved to Denver, Colorado where Frank was a successful business man in mining and Real Estate.
It has been written Frank was a most genial and lovable gentleman, so happy and cheerful.
In May 1887 Mary gave birth to their second son Frank Mason in Denver, Colorado.
Frank had all kinds of business ideas, and one was to build a railroad through the Grand Canyon. He lined up backers and had fifty million dollars to go forward with his plan. He stared the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railroad Company which he was president. He hired Robert Stanton to head the survey expedition. Frank bought everything that was needed, but the boats were to light and he didn't buy life preservers.
They started the survey May 25, 1889 and Frank went with them. On July 10, 1889 The boat Frank and another man were in got hit by a rapid and over turned, Frank was thrown in to a whirl pool. He was swimming around trying to get out. When they got a boat over to the whirl pool they couldn't find him. Didn't find his body, only found his note book. He died July 10, 1889 at 9:10 am.
A quote from Robert Stanton: "President Brown sacrificed his life, which could so easily have been saved if he had a life preserver to keep him afloat. A noble hearted man and a true friend, he won the love of everyone associated with him".
This was sent to me: "When Frank Mason Brown was a Senator in California he introduced the bill into Congress to allow construction of the Amador Central Railroad. That was in 1878. Even back then it was required that government approve projects such as this and it was sometimes difficult to gain support from government officials for small railroads. But Frank took up the banner and it was approved. Unfortunately, the railroad was not built until 1904 so he did not live to see his efforts come to fruition."
Regards,
Debby
Frank is a Mayflower Descendent.
Inscription
F. M. Brown Pres. D.CC & P.RR Co. Was drowned July 10, 1889
Opposite this point
The inscription was carved by Peter Hansbrough, a survey crew member.
Sadly he and another crew member drowned 5 days later, 13 miles down river.
Gravesite Details
Top Photo by Paul Hirt. Click on photo for more info
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
