ALGIE LEE BROWN was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on September 1, 1872. He died in Grapeland Texas Feb 9, 1951. His parents were Frank Brown and Mary Margaret "Molly" Hurt Brown. both parents were also born in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
He was orphaned at a very early age; mother died when he was 2 or 3 and father died when he was about 7 years old. An elderly uncle and aunt helped him. He lived in Hot Springs until adulthood.
After his death his children realized they never knew how he happened to come to Grapeland. About 1855, Mary Lou Darsey Anderson was visiting in the Brown home and related the facts told to her by her father, George Edward Darsey. It was in 1897 or 1898 when Mr. Brown was traveling through Grapeland on a train (without a diner) and was employed with a construction company and the entire crew was traveling to Galveston, Texas. While the train was getting water, Mr. Brown ad two fellow workers left the train to obtain lunch goods at the local George E. Darsey store. Mr. Darsey was impressed with the well-mannered, well-spoken, handsome young man and asked him where he was going and for what purpose.
Brown explained about the workers on the train and that they had left Hot Springs to get more work in 'booming' Galveston.
Mr Darsey liked Brown and told him to go back to the train and tell the workers that Grapeland had a building boom too and to stay here. Brown and several of the workers left the train and remained in Grapeland. Mr. Darsey and Algie Lee Brown enjoyed a long and staunch friendship.
Algie Lee Brown married married Edith Pearl Pridgen in Grapeland, Texas July 29, 1900, and they had a beautiful wedding in the parlor of the Totty Hotel. In 1907, he made the highest grade on a civil service examination and became a rural mail carrier. He was retired after 30 plus years of service having reached 65 years of age. He served under five postmasters and during the administration of Presidents Taft, Wilson, Harding, Collidge, Hoover and Roosevelt.
He used all modes of transportation in his work.In the early years a saddle pony answered the need. Then he used a cart and buggy, buying his first car in 1920. He wore out 12 automobiles during his service, traveling approximately 326,092 miles and handled over 18 million pieces of mail.
He was much loved by his patrons and acquaintances in the area; many descendants still remember and discuss his good advice and kindness to them in times of great need.
Algie Lee and Edith had the following children;
1.Alice Lileene Brown Murray 1902-1996
2. Edith Florence Brown Smith b. Sept 19, 1903. Married Wilbur A. Smith. 1930 Census puts them in Texarkana, Bowie, Texas. I believe she died there July 19, 1997 and is buried there.
3. Joe Algie Brown 1906-1981
4. Gordon Lee Brown 1908-1955
5. Milam Polk Brown 1910-1971
6. Coleman Ross Brown 1911-1966
7. Nettie Gertrude Brown 1913-2003
8. Lucy Wright Brown Heard 1915-1996
9. Pridgen Brown 1917-1981
10. Ted Brown b. 1919
11. Necia Jean Brown Campbell b. 1921
12. Billy Brown b. 1923
Written by Nettie Brown.
Houston County History 1687-1979.
He was orphaned at a very early age; mother died when he was 2 or 3 and father died when he was about 7 years old. An elderly uncle and aunt helped him. He lived in Hot Springs until adulthood.
After his death his children realized they never knew how he happened to come to Grapeland. About 1855, Mary Lou Darsey Anderson was visiting in the Brown home and related the facts told to her by her father, George Edward Darsey. It was in 1897 or 1898 when Mr. Brown was traveling through Grapeland on a train (without a diner) and was employed with a construction company and the entire crew was traveling to Galveston, Texas. While the train was getting water, Mr. Brown ad two fellow workers left the train to obtain lunch goods at the local George E. Darsey store. Mr. Darsey was impressed with the well-mannered, well-spoken, handsome young man and asked him where he was going and for what purpose.
Brown explained about the workers on the train and that they had left Hot Springs to get more work in 'booming' Galveston.
Mr Darsey liked Brown and told him to go back to the train and tell the workers that Grapeland had a building boom too and to stay here. Brown and several of the workers left the train and remained in Grapeland. Mr. Darsey and Algie Lee Brown enjoyed a long and staunch friendship.
Algie Lee Brown married married Edith Pearl Pridgen in Grapeland, Texas July 29, 1900, and they had a beautiful wedding in the parlor of the Totty Hotel. In 1907, he made the highest grade on a civil service examination and became a rural mail carrier. He was retired after 30 plus years of service having reached 65 years of age. He served under five postmasters and during the administration of Presidents Taft, Wilson, Harding, Collidge, Hoover and Roosevelt.
He used all modes of transportation in his work.In the early years a saddle pony answered the need. Then he used a cart and buggy, buying his first car in 1920. He wore out 12 automobiles during his service, traveling approximately 326,092 miles and handled over 18 million pieces of mail.
He was much loved by his patrons and acquaintances in the area; many descendants still remember and discuss his good advice and kindness to them in times of great need.
Algie Lee and Edith had the following children;
1.Alice Lileene Brown Murray 1902-1996
2. Edith Florence Brown Smith b. Sept 19, 1903. Married Wilbur A. Smith. 1930 Census puts them in Texarkana, Bowie, Texas. I believe she died there July 19, 1997 and is buried there.
3. Joe Algie Brown 1906-1981
4. Gordon Lee Brown 1908-1955
5. Milam Polk Brown 1910-1971
6. Coleman Ross Brown 1911-1966
7. Nettie Gertrude Brown 1913-2003
8. Lucy Wright Brown Heard 1915-1996
9. Pridgen Brown 1917-1981
10. Ted Brown b. 1919
11. Necia Jean Brown Campbell b. 1921
12. Billy Brown b. 1923
Written by Nettie Brown.
Houston County History 1687-1979.
ALGIE LEE BROWN was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on September 1, 1872. He died in Grapeland Texas Feb 9, 1951. His parents were Frank Brown and Mary Margaret "Molly" Hurt Brown. both parents were also born in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
He was orphaned at a very early age; mother died when he was 2 or 3 and father died when he was about 7 years old. An elderly uncle and aunt helped him. He lived in Hot Springs until adulthood.
After his death his children realized they never knew how he happened to come to Grapeland. About 1855, Mary Lou Darsey Anderson was visiting in the Brown home and related the facts told to her by her father, George Edward Darsey. It was in 1897 or 1898 when Mr. Brown was traveling through Grapeland on a train (without a diner) and was employed with a construction company and the entire crew was traveling to Galveston, Texas. While the train was getting water, Mr. Brown ad two fellow workers left the train to obtain lunch goods at the local George E. Darsey store. Mr. Darsey was impressed with the well-mannered, well-spoken, handsome young man and asked him where he was going and for what purpose.
Brown explained about the workers on the train and that they had left Hot Springs to get more work in 'booming' Galveston.
Mr Darsey liked Brown and told him to go back to the train and tell the workers that Grapeland had a building boom too and to stay here. Brown and several of the workers left the train and remained in Grapeland. Mr. Darsey and Algie Lee Brown enjoyed a long and staunch friendship.
Algie Lee Brown married married Edith Pearl Pridgen in Grapeland, Texas July 29, 1900, and they had a beautiful wedding in the parlor of the Totty Hotel. In 1907, he made the highest grade on a civil service examination and became a rural mail carrier. He was retired after 30 plus years of service having reached 65 years of age. He served under five postmasters and during the administration of Presidents Taft, Wilson, Harding, Collidge, Hoover and Roosevelt.
He used all modes of transportation in his work.In the early years a saddle pony answered the need. Then he used a cart and buggy, buying his first car in 1920. He wore out 12 automobiles during his service, traveling approximately 326,092 miles and handled over 18 million pieces of mail.
He was much loved by his patrons and acquaintances in the area; many descendants still remember and discuss his good advice and kindness to them in times of great need.
Algie Lee and Edith had the following children;
1.Alice Lileene Brown Murray 1902-1996
2. Edith Florence Brown Smith b. Sept 19, 1903. Married Wilbur A. Smith. 1930 Census puts them in Texarkana, Bowie, Texas. I believe she died there July 19, 1997 and is buried there.
3. Joe Algie Brown 1906-1981
4. Gordon Lee Brown 1908-1955
5. Milam Polk Brown 1910-1971
6. Coleman Ross Brown 1911-1966
7. Nettie Gertrude Brown 1913-2003
8. Lucy Wright Brown Heard 1915-1996
9. Pridgen Brown 1917-1981
10. Ted Brown b. 1919
11. Necia Jean Brown Campbell b. 1921
12. Billy Brown b. 1923
Written by Nettie Brown.
Houston County History 1687-1979.
He was orphaned at a very early age; mother died when he was 2 or 3 and father died when he was about 7 years old. An elderly uncle and aunt helped him. He lived in Hot Springs until adulthood.
After his death his children realized they never knew how he happened to come to Grapeland. About 1855, Mary Lou Darsey Anderson was visiting in the Brown home and related the facts told to her by her father, George Edward Darsey. It was in 1897 or 1898 when Mr. Brown was traveling through Grapeland on a train (without a diner) and was employed with a construction company and the entire crew was traveling to Galveston, Texas. While the train was getting water, Mr. Brown ad two fellow workers left the train to obtain lunch goods at the local George E. Darsey store. Mr. Darsey was impressed with the well-mannered, well-spoken, handsome young man and asked him where he was going and for what purpose.
Brown explained about the workers on the train and that they had left Hot Springs to get more work in 'booming' Galveston.
Mr Darsey liked Brown and told him to go back to the train and tell the workers that Grapeland had a building boom too and to stay here. Brown and several of the workers left the train and remained in Grapeland. Mr. Darsey and Algie Lee Brown enjoyed a long and staunch friendship.
Algie Lee Brown married married Edith Pearl Pridgen in Grapeland, Texas July 29, 1900, and they had a beautiful wedding in the parlor of the Totty Hotel. In 1907, he made the highest grade on a civil service examination and became a rural mail carrier. He was retired after 30 plus years of service having reached 65 years of age. He served under five postmasters and during the administration of Presidents Taft, Wilson, Harding, Collidge, Hoover and Roosevelt.
He used all modes of transportation in his work.In the early years a saddle pony answered the need. Then he used a cart and buggy, buying his first car in 1920. He wore out 12 automobiles during his service, traveling approximately 326,092 miles and handled over 18 million pieces of mail.
He was much loved by his patrons and acquaintances in the area; many descendants still remember and discuss his good advice and kindness to them in times of great need.
Algie Lee and Edith had the following children;
1.Alice Lileene Brown Murray 1902-1996
2. Edith Florence Brown Smith b. Sept 19, 1903. Married Wilbur A. Smith. 1930 Census puts them in Texarkana, Bowie, Texas. I believe she died there July 19, 1997 and is buried there.
3. Joe Algie Brown 1906-1981
4. Gordon Lee Brown 1908-1955
5. Milam Polk Brown 1910-1971
6. Coleman Ross Brown 1911-1966
7. Nettie Gertrude Brown 1913-2003
8. Lucy Wright Brown Heard 1915-1996
9. Pridgen Brown 1917-1981
10. Ted Brown b. 1919
11. Necia Jean Brown Campbell b. 1921
12. Billy Brown b. 1923
Written by Nettie Brown.
Houston County History 1687-1979.
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