The Breckinridge News, November 4, 1903
HIS LIFE AND HIS ODDITIES
M.F. BROWN, WORTH THOUSANDS LIVES ON A SHANTY BOAT AND HAS A PET SPIDER
NOW IN CITY ON BUSINESS
Lives on a shantyboat, is worth thousands of dollars, has a huge pet spider, has had a varied and long esperience as a riverman. The story of Millard F. Brown, while familiar, perhaps, to a few, is unknown to many people in this city and county.
Although this man's home was once only a few miles from this city and although he is now living on a shantyboat on the Ohio river just below this city, little is known to the general public of his life and eccentricities. While his case is not of an extraordinary nature, it is one among a thousand and will probably be of interest to the readers of the News.
A representative of the News paid Mr. Brown a visit in his shantyboat one day last week and had an hour's plesant conversation with him during which he learned much about his live as a riverman and some of his eccentricities. Mr. Brown has acquired the larger part of his education from experiences and, in conversation, impresses one with his simple and yet instructive expressions. When he tells a story ht throws his whole soul into his words and his face beams with pleasure at the telling.
Mr. Brown has had an experience as varied, perhaps, as that of any riverman in the country. He is an adept in two trades, that of boat carpenter and ship-yard carpenter and he has served at various times as mate, carpenter and watchman on a large number of boats. He has also spent several years railroading and in this way came in possession of the small fortune at his command. In 1872 he saw his first service on the Ohio river as fireman on the Samorr, one of the American Cannel Coal Company's boats, at which time he was learning the engineer's trade. For nearly a score of years after this he boated out of Cairo, Ill., on the towboats of different companies. For a long time he as watchman on the old Chas. Brown, which was towing coal out of St. Louis, then carpenter on the Harry Brown, which belongs to the same company. After this he served on the Mississippi Valley Transportation Line's boats, part of the time as watchman and part as second mate. At one time he was mate of Jennie Campbell, of the Barrett line, which was towing around Cincinnati, and later mate on the Jack Frost, which towed logs for a firm in St. Louis.
After this he was mate on the Louis Hock, which was towing railroad ties out of St. Louis. When he left the Louis Hoch he was employed on the Huntingtom & St. Louis towboats, among them the Jack Heathington, Frisbi and Wash Shonsell.
The last towboat Mr. Brown served on was the T.H. Davis, which plyed the Tennessee river in 1890 and towed ties from Waterloo, neat the source of the stream.
Besides serving on the towboasts of private companies he was employed several years on Government boats towing rock for river improvements. Among these were the Emma Ethridge, Minnie Tonka and Vidette.
Mr. Brown was never employed on the packets and during the summer months, when the large towboats could not rum, he would put in his time railroading. At one time he worked for the Big Four as bridge carpenter and in 1892 received a timber for the Cotton Belt Route, which was a good paying position. While working for the Big Four he was badly hurt by some falling timbers while working with his crew. He was laid up for two months and then brought suit against the railroad for damages. This was in November 1889, and in 1899 he won his suit and received $7,500 damages. Last spring he sold his farm near Tobinsport, Ind., to Dan Parrish, formerly of this city, for $4,600.
Mr. Brown has been very saving with his money, but, strange to say, no one knows where it is and he won't tell them either. Although having sufficient money to build him a comfortable home and live in comfort the rest of his life he chooses to lice all alone on a small shanty boat. And this is one of his eccentricities. Another is his pet spider, which he calls 'Frank." He thinks as much of Frank as you or I would think of a pet cat or dog. Frank is one of the largest spiders of his kind in this part of the country. When Frank is in a good humor his master lets him for where he pleases, over the furniture of the room and over his hands and arms. When Frank is in this mood Mr. Brown gently strokes him on the back and thinks Frank is a fine fellow. When Frank is in a bad way Mr. Brown makes him run away into his hiding place. One of Frank's favorite pastimes is killing flies and Mr. Brown prides himself on the number he can kill in a day. He has no use for screens and fly paper when Frank is at home.
Mr. Brown's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford Brown, are both dead and he is how having J.E. Keith & Son, of this city, erect a handsome monument at their grave. He has a sister living near Tobinsport who is his only near relative in this part of the country. He intends to go on his shantyboat in a few weeks to Paducah, to get work on a towboat. This life suits him best, he says, and he wants to return to it. Before going he has some business in this city to attend to and several debts in Tobinsport to collect.
HIS LIFE AND HIS ODDITIES
M.F. BROWN, WORTH THOUSANDS LIVES ON A SHANTY BOAT AND HAS A PET SPIDER
NOW IN CITY ON BUSINESS
Lives on a shantyboat, is worth thousands of dollars, has a huge pet spider, has had a varied and long esperience as a riverman. The story of Millard F. Brown, while familiar, perhaps, to a few, is unknown to many people in this city and county.
Although this man's home was once only a few miles from this city and although he is now living on a shantyboat on the Ohio river just below this city, little is known to the general public of his life and eccentricities. While his case is not of an extraordinary nature, it is one among a thousand and will probably be of interest to the readers of the News.
A representative of the News paid Mr. Brown a visit in his shantyboat one day last week and had an hour's plesant conversation with him during which he learned much about his live as a riverman and some of his eccentricities. Mr. Brown has acquired the larger part of his education from experiences and, in conversation, impresses one with his simple and yet instructive expressions. When he tells a story ht throws his whole soul into his words and his face beams with pleasure at the telling.
Mr. Brown has had an experience as varied, perhaps, as that of any riverman in the country. He is an adept in two trades, that of boat carpenter and ship-yard carpenter and he has served at various times as mate, carpenter and watchman on a large number of boats. He has also spent several years railroading and in this way came in possession of the small fortune at his command. In 1872 he saw his first service on the Ohio river as fireman on the Samorr, one of the American Cannel Coal Company's boats, at which time he was learning the engineer's trade. For nearly a score of years after this he boated out of Cairo, Ill., on the towboats of different companies. For a long time he as watchman on the old Chas. Brown, which was towing coal out of St. Louis, then carpenter on the Harry Brown, which belongs to the same company. After this he served on the Mississippi Valley Transportation Line's boats, part of the time as watchman and part as second mate. At one time he was mate of Jennie Campbell, of the Barrett line, which was towing around Cincinnati, and later mate on the Jack Frost, which towed logs for a firm in St. Louis.
After this he was mate on the Louis Hock, which was towing railroad ties out of St. Louis. When he left the Louis Hoch he was employed on the Huntingtom & St. Louis towboats, among them the Jack Heathington, Frisbi and Wash Shonsell.
The last towboat Mr. Brown served on was the T.H. Davis, which plyed the Tennessee river in 1890 and towed ties from Waterloo, neat the source of the stream.
Besides serving on the towboasts of private companies he was employed several years on Government boats towing rock for river improvements. Among these were the Emma Ethridge, Minnie Tonka and Vidette.
Mr. Brown was never employed on the packets and during the summer months, when the large towboats could not rum, he would put in his time railroading. At one time he worked for the Big Four as bridge carpenter and in 1892 received a timber for the Cotton Belt Route, which was a good paying position. While working for the Big Four he was badly hurt by some falling timbers while working with his crew. He was laid up for two months and then brought suit against the railroad for damages. This was in November 1889, and in 1899 he won his suit and received $7,500 damages. Last spring he sold his farm near Tobinsport, Ind., to Dan Parrish, formerly of this city, for $4,600.
Mr. Brown has been very saving with his money, but, strange to say, no one knows where it is and he won't tell them either. Although having sufficient money to build him a comfortable home and live in comfort the rest of his life he chooses to lice all alone on a small shanty boat. And this is one of his eccentricities. Another is his pet spider, which he calls 'Frank." He thinks as much of Frank as you or I would think of a pet cat or dog. Frank is one of the largest spiders of his kind in this part of the country. When Frank is in a good humor his master lets him for where he pleases, over the furniture of the room and over his hands and arms. When Frank is in this mood Mr. Brown gently strokes him on the back and thinks Frank is a fine fellow. When Frank is in a bad way Mr. Brown makes him run away into his hiding place. One of Frank's favorite pastimes is killing flies and Mr. Brown prides himself on the number he can kill in a day. He has no use for screens and fly paper when Frank is at home.
Mr. Brown's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford Brown, are both dead and he is how having J.E. Keith & Son, of this city, erect a handsome monument at their grave. He has a sister living near Tobinsport who is his only near relative in this part of the country. He intends to go on his shantyboat in a few weeks to Paducah, to get work on a towboat. This life suits him best, he says, and he wants to return to it. Before going he has some business in this city to attend to and several debts in Tobinsport to collect.
The Breckinridge News, November 4, 1903
HIS LIFE AND HIS ODDITIES
M.F. BROWN, WORTH THOUSANDS LIVES ON A SHANTY BOAT AND HAS A PET SPIDER
NOW IN CITY ON BUSINESS
Lives on a shantyboat, is worth thousands of dollars, has a huge pet spider, has had a varied and long esperience as a riverman. The story of Millard F. Brown, while familiar, perhaps, to a few, is unknown to many people in this city and county.
Although this man's home was once only a few miles from this city and although he is now living on a shantyboat on the Ohio river just below this city, little is known to the general public of his life and eccentricities. While his case is not of an extraordinary nature, it is one among a thousand and will probably be of interest to the readers of the News.
A representative of the News paid Mr. Brown a visit in his shantyboat one day last week and had an hour's plesant conversation with him during which he learned much about his live as a riverman and some of his eccentricities. Mr. Brown has acquired the larger part of his education from experiences and, in conversation, impresses one with his simple and yet instructive expressions. When he tells a story ht throws his whole soul into his words and his face beams with pleasure at the telling.
Mr. Brown has had an experience as varied, perhaps, as that of any riverman in the country. He is an adept in two trades, that of boat carpenter and ship-yard carpenter and he has served at various times as mate, carpenter and watchman on a large number of boats. He has also spent several years railroading and in this way came in possession of the small fortune at his command. In 1872 he saw his first service on the Ohio river as fireman on the Samorr, one of the American Cannel Coal Company's boats, at which time he was learning the engineer's trade. For nearly a score of years after this he boated out of Cairo, Ill., on the towboats of different companies. For a long time he as watchman on the old Chas. Brown, which was towing coal out of St. Louis, then carpenter on the Harry Brown, which belongs to the same company. After this he served on the Mississippi Valley Transportation Line's boats, part of the time as watchman and part as second mate. At one time he was mate of Jennie Campbell, of the Barrett line, which was towing around Cincinnati, and later mate on the Jack Frost, which towed logs for a firm in St. Louis.
After this he was mate on the Louis Hock, which was towing railroad ties out of St. Louis. When he left the Louis Hoch he was employed on the Huntingtom & St. Louis towboats, among them the Jack Heathington, Frisbi and Wash Shonsell.
The last towboat Mr. Brown served on was the T.H. Davis, which plyed the Tennessee river in 1890 and towed ties from Waterloo, neat the source of the stream.
Besides serving on the towboasts of private companies he was employed several years on Government boats towing rock for river improvements. Among these were the Emma Ethridge, Minnie Tonka and Vidette.
Mr. Brown was never employed on the packets and during the summer months, when the large towboats could not rum, he would put in his time railroading. At one time he worked for the Big Four as bridge carpenter and in 1892 received a timber for the Cotton Belt Route, which was a good paying position. While working for the Big Four he was badly hurt by some falling timbers while working with his crew. He was laid up for two months and then brought suit against the railroad for damages. This was in November 1889, and in 1899 he won his suit and received $7,500 damages. Last spring he sold his farm near Tobinsport, Ind., to Dan Parrish, formerly of this city, for $4,600.
Mr. Brown has been very saving with his money, but, strange to say, no one knows where it is and he won't tell them either. Although having sufficient money to build him a comfortable home and live in comfort the rest of his life he chooses to lice all alone on a small shanty boat. And this is one of his eccentricities. Another is his pet spider, which he calls 'Frank." He thinks as much of Frank as you or I would think of a pet cat or dog. Frank is one of the largest spiders of his kind in this part of the country. When Frank is in a good humor his master lets him for where he pleases, over the furniture of the room and over his hands and arms. When Frank is in this mood Mr. Brown gently strokes him on the back and thinks Frank is a fine fellow. When Frank is in a bad way Mr. Brown makes him run away into his hiding place. One of Frank's favorite pastimes is killing flies and Mr. Brown prides himself on the number he can kill in a day. He has no use for screens and fly paper when Frank is at home.
Mr. Brown's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford Brown, are both dead and he is how having J.E. Keith & Son, of this city, erect a handsome monument at their grave. He has a sister living near Tobinsport who is his only near relative in this part of the country. He intends to go on his shantyboat in a few weeks to Paducah, to get work on a towboat. This life suits him best, he says, and he wants to return to it. Before going he has some business in this city to attend to and several debts in Tobinsport to collect.
HIS LIFE AND HIS ODDITIES
M.F. BROWN, WORTH THOUSANDS LIVES ON A SHANTY BOAT AND HAS A PET SPIDER
NOW IN CITY ON BUSINESS
Lives on a shantyboat, is worth thousands of dollars, has a huge pet spider, has had a varied and long esperience as a riverman. The story of Millard F. Brown, while familiar, perhaps, to a few, is unknown to many people in this city and county.
Although this man's home was once only a few miles from this city and although he is now living on a shantyboat on the Ohio river just below this city, little is known to the general public of his life and eccentricities. While his case is not of an extraordinary nature, it is one among a thousand and will probably be of interest to the readers of the News.
A representative of the News paid Mr. Brown a visit in his shantyboat one day last week and had an hour's plesant conversation with him during which he learned much about his live as a riverman and some of his eccentricities. Mr. Brown has acquired the larger part of his education from experiences and, in conversation, impresses one with his simple and yet instructive expressions. When he tells a story ht throws his whole soul into his words and his face beams with pleasure at the telling.
Mr. Brown has had an experience as varied, perhaps, as that of any riverman in the country. He is an adept in two trades, that of boat carpenter and ship-yard carpenter and he has served at various times as mate, carpenter and watchman on a large number of boats. He has also spent several years railroading and in this way came in possession of the small fortune at his command. In 1872 he saw his first service on the Ohio river as fireman on the Samorr, one of the American Cannel Coal Company's boats, at which time he was learning the engineer's trade. For nearly a score of years after this he boated out of Cairo, Ill., on the towboats of different companies. For a long time he as watchman on the old Chas. Brown, which was towing coal out of St. Louis, then carpenter on the Harry Brown, which belongs to the same company. After this he served on the Mississippi Valley Transportation Line's boats, part of the time as watchman and part as second mate. At one time he was mate of Jennie Campbell, of the Barrett line, which was towing around Cincinnati, and later mate on the Jack Frost, which towed logs for a firm in St. Louis.
After this he was mate on the Louis Hock, which was towing railroad ties out of St. Louis. When he left the Louis Hoch he was employed on the Huntingtom & St. Louis towboats, among them the Jack Heathington, Frisbi and Wash Shonsell.
The last towboat Mr. Brown served on was the T.H. Davis, which plyed the Tennessee river in 1890 and towed ties from Waterloo, neat the source of the stream.
Besides serving on the towboasts of private companies he was employed several years on Government boats towing rock for river improvements. Among these were the Emma Ethridge, Minnie Tonka and Vidette.
Mr. Brown was never employed on the packets and during the summer months, when the large towboats could not rum, he would put in his time railroading. At one time he worked for the Big Four as bridge carpenter and in 1892 received a timber for the Cotton Belt Route, which was a good paying position. While working for the Big Four he was badly hurt by some falling timbers while working with his crew. He was laid up for two months and then brought suit against the railroad for damages. This was in November 1889, and in 1899 he won his suit and received $7,500 damages. Last spring he sold his farm near Tobinsport, Ind., to Dan Parrish, formerly of this city, for $4,600.
Mr. Brown has been very saving with his money, but, strange to say, no one knows where it is and he won't tell them either. Although having sufficient money to build him a comfortable home and live in comfort the rest of his life he chooses to lice all alone on a small shanty boat. And this is one of his eccentricities. Another is his pet spider, which he calls 'Frank." He thinks as much of Frank as you or I would think of a pet cat or dog. Frank is one of the largest spiders of his kind in this part of the country. When Frank is in a good humor his master lets him for where he pleases, over the furniture of the room and over his hands and arms. When Frank is in this mood Mr. Brown gently strokes him on the back and thinks Frank is a fine fellow. When Frank is in a bad way Mr. Brown makes him run away into his hiding place. One of Frank's favorite pastimes is killing flies and Mr. Brown prides himself on the number he can kill in a day. He has no use for screens and fly paper when Frank is at home.
Mr. Brown's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford Brown, are both dead and he is how having J.E. Keith & Son, of this city, erect a handsome monument at their grave. He has a sister living near Tobinsport who is his only near relative in this part of the country. He intends to go on his shantyboat in a few weeks to Paducah, to get work on a towboat. This life suits him best, he says, and he wants to return to it. Before going he has some business in this city to attend to and several debts in Tobinsport to collect.
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