Brown Family History

The information provided on this page originated in 1922 at a meeting of the Knights of Columbus where a twenty year old young man from Coal Township befriends Peter Haile. As the two engage in quiet converation they realize that they share a common bond. Hails'e wife Ellen Barnett, is a descendent of Catherine Barnett. Haile goes on to tell the remarable tale of how Catherine's husband worked in the coal mines of Wales to earn enough money to enroll in the University of Cambridge. There he would gain a formal education and become quite proficient in the art of boxing. He would eventually emigrate to America, fight in our bloodiest war and raise a family of twelve in the coal region of central Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River Valley.

When I was young boy my mother urged me to watch a movie classic titled How Green was My Valley. Now I understand why. It is the story of a large Welsh family that worked in the coal mines. It was a hard life filled with peril and few rewards eventually leading the family to find greener pastures in America. This is a similar script followed by her own family many years ago.

During his later years, my granfather had the foresight to document his family history based on what he had learned from his meeting with Pete Haile. His notes along with the correspondence between my Mother Louise Brown Pascali, and her Aunt Anna Brown Gabrish, have provided me with the material needed to document our families history. As you read the history below please take time to reflect on the importance of an era when people commuicated through a long lost art - the hand written letter.

This page is a work-in-progress. Additional information that would help update the accuracy of the data is appreciated. If there is any doubt as to the integrety of the information below, you are welocme to visit the Pennsylvaia monument located at the Gettysburg battlefield along Hancock Avenue near Humphreys Avenue. Beneath the 118th Infantry, Company H displayed on bronze is John Brown's grandfather - Thomas Brown.

Scroll Down to View Photos and Learn about the Brown Family / Click Here to view Miscellaneous Photos

Brown Family 1931
BROWN FAMILY PICTURE TAKEN IN 1931
Top Row James, Joseph, Susan, John (grandpop), Margaret, Thomas, Catherine, Henry, Peter
Bottom Row Mary, Mother Margaret, Anna, Father Joseph, Helen

Click to View Brown Family Shield



Great - Great Grandfather Thomas Brown (Thomas was my grandfather John Brown's grandfather)
Civil War 118th Infantry Great Great Grandfather Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown

118th Pennsylvania Regiment (Civil War Battle of Gettysburg)

In 1922 my grandfather John Brown became friends with a man by the name of Pete Haile who he met at the Knights of Columbus. Pete was married to Ellen Barnett; his father was a brother-in-law to John Brown' grandfather Thomas Brown. This webpage is the history of the Brown family as recounted from the notes of John Brown and his friend Pete Haile.

Thoma Brown went to work in Wales in the coal mines to earn money for college. Attended the University of Cambridge and was later sent to the United States as an exchange student. He learned the art of boxing in school. After Thomas Brown married he went to work in the Iron Mines in Danville, Pa and later moved to Shamokin, Pa to work in the coal mines.

He was drafted into the army during the Civil War but he was able to pay a fee to avoid being drafted. This was legal at the time. Later when the South was coming north, as the North was being defeated, Thomas enlisted in the army to stop the South. He served with the Pottsville Volunteer Brigade under Captain McBride. His name is engraved on the stone in Gettysburg Battlefield where he faught with the Pennsylvania infantry. During his life he was well known.

On a Sunday afternoon, he and his brother-in-law Barnett, would put on a boxing exhibitionin at a hall on Market Street. He was very likable and had many friends, among them the famous Molly McGuires. He knew them all by name. As he got older he became blind and died at the age of 85.


Great Grandfather Joseph Brown
Great Grandfather Joseph Brown Great Grandmother Margaret Brown

FAMILY OF JOSEPH & MARGARET BROWN as of 2002

Children: 12

Grand Children: 24

Great Grand Children: 49

Great Great Grand Children: 56

  • Born: 3/16/1871
  • Died: 3/30/1936
  • Spouse: Margaret Lex (12 children) Click Here for Lex Family History
    • Born: 12/17/1877
    • Died: 4/4/1958
    • Father: Henry Lex
    • Mother: Margaret Bohr
    • Occupation: Dressmaker
  • Children:
    • Daughter:Margaret
    • Son:John (Grandpop Brown)
    • Son:Joseph
    • Son:Thomas
    • Daughter:Catherine
    • Son:Henry
    • Daughter:Mary
    • Son:James
    • Daughter:Susan (Moved to fort Waye Indiana. died at age 81)
    • Son:Peter
      • Daughter:Helen
      • Daughter:Anna


Margaret Brown
Margaret Brown
  • Born: 5/10/1901
  • Died: 6/8/1989


Joseph Brown
Joseph Brown
  • Born: 2/8/1904
  • Died: 3/16/1967
  • Spouse: Celilla Coveleski; died 10/5/1962
  • Children:
    • Martin
    • Suzanne - Spouse: Raymond Burke
      • Son: Raymond - Spouse: Maura: Children: Sarah, Mike, Raymond III born 9/6/1990
      • Son: David - Spouse: Renee: Children: Cherie, Amanda Kathleen born 9/6/1990, David II, Raychel
      • Son: Christopher - Spouse: Donna: Children: Christopher II born 1/29/1986, Ryan born 10/25/1988
      • Daughter: Suzanne
      • Son: George - died 6/3/1987 was hit by tractor trailer near Highspire Pa. He was 23 years old
      • Son: Joseph - Spouse: Lisa: Children: Emma, Jack & Brad (Twins)
    • Bernard - Spouse: Not listed
      • Sons: Robert, Martin
    • Casper - Spouse: Jane Cannon (div), spouse Pauline Fontaine
      • Daughter: Katherine Bobeck born 5/17/1986; Mother: Jane
      • Daughter: Jane; Mother: Jane
      • Daughter: Ginetter; Mother: Pauline
      • Daughter: Christine; Mother: Pauline


Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown
  • Born: 6/29/1905
  • Died: 10/12/1984
  • Spouse:Angela Bluge; Died 8/10/1974
  • Children:
    • Edward - Spouse: Loretta Urbanski
      • Daughter: Dr. Joy Casciano - Spouse: Not listed; Children: Amy Rose, Edward, Julie
    • Daughter: Bernardine - Spouse: Dr. Vincent Paczkokie; Children:
      • Vincent: Spouse - Not listed; Children: Kathie Mae, Vincent III
      • Lorie Chowka: Spouse - Not listed; Children: Ashley
      • Cory
    • Daughter: Audrey - Spouse: Edward Paluch died 7/20/2002 age 75; Children: Brian
    • Daughter: Dolores
    • Son: Thomas; Died: 3/27/1946


Catherine Agnes Brown
Catherine Brown
  • Residence: 918 W. Spruce St, Coal Township, Pa 17872
  • Occupation: School Teacher for 47 years
  • Graduate of Coal Townhip High School and Millersville tate College
  • Born: 11/4/1906
  • Died: 4/2/1983
  • Moved to fort Wayne Indiana.
  • Cemetery: St Edwards, Shamokin, Pa


Henry Brown
Henry Brown
  • Spouse Hazel Miller; Died 8/28/1960
  • Born: 7/25/1907
  • Died: 8/10/1986
  • Residence: Treverton Rd, Shamokin, Pa
  • Children:
    • Henry Peter; Spouse: Elizabeth (Betty)
      • Children
        • Debbie
          • Spouse: Dr. James Bowers
          • Children: Eliabeth, Jonathon, Mathew
        • Kathleen
          • Spouse: Michael Long
          • Children: Michael(Spouse: Jessica), Peter, Jennifer
        • Jeff
          • Spouse: Ardell
          • Children: Christopher
        • Martin
          • Spouse: Annie
          • Children: Stephen born9/23/1987, Heather Nicole born 12/18/1989
        • Michael


Daughter: Mary (Parker)
Mary Brown
  • Born: 1/8/1910
  • Spouse: John Parker; Died: 10/12/1966
  • Residence: Manville, NJ
  • Children:
    • Joseph - Spouse: Lorraine Pogozelki; Died: 1968, Spouse Mary Lou Tocyloski; Died: Died 2/15/2000 at age 54
      • Children
        • Shiela (Mother: Lorraine) - Spouse: Lamar Kerstetter; Children: Eric, Amy
        • Cynthia (Cindy)(Mother: Lorraine) - Spouse: Allen Yancoskie; Children:Allen - Spouse:Jessica; child: Allen III
        • Joseph (Mother: Lorraine)- Spouse: Diane; Children Joshua born 4/4/1984, Andrew born8/20/1987
        • Michael (Mother: Mary Lou)- Spouse: Shellie; Children Nickole, Damion, Justin
        • Kevin (Mother: Mary Lou) - Spouse: Patricia; Children Allison, Sara
        • Jason (Mother: Mary Lou) - Spouse: Stacy; Children Kayla
    • John; Spouse: Esther
      • Children
        • Elizabeth (Beth) - Spouse: Donald Watts; Children: Jared born 5/6/1986, Jennifer, Rebecca
    • Catherine Louise - Spouse: Jack Reed died 7/13/1989
      • Address: 219 S. 12th Ave, Manville, NJ 08835
      • Children: Jane Reed; Spoue Don Carbon; Children: Chris, Craig
    • Thomas - Spouse: Claire Parise; Died: 1979, Spouse Emily Linku; Children:
      • Craig (Mother: Claire); Died: 1979
      • Cynthia (Murdock) (Mother: Emily); Spouse: Frank Bavitski
      • Jeffrey (Mother: Emily)
      • Kathleen (Mother: Emily)


James Brown
James Brown
  • Spouse: Stella Pawelczyk (div)
  • James - Spouse: Ruth Brouse; Children: Michael, Heather
  • Maureen - Spouse: James Koyack (Div); Children: David, Dennis
    Spouse: George Zalor; Children: George, Patricia
  • Clara


Susan Brown
Suan Brown
  • Died:10/17/1971
  • Spouse: John Dunaj
  • Son: John


Peter Brown
Peter Brown
  • Born: 10/1916
  • Spouse: Flora (Stricat) died 6/8/1984
  • Residence:Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Children:
    • Richard; Spouse: Sandy Shirk; Daughter: Angela
    • Joyce (Stricat); Spouse: Ed Cowan (Div); Children:
      • Son: James; Spouse: Debbie Mathews; Children: Brandy
        Daughter: Susan
    • John (Stricat); Died: 1989; Children: Brandy
    • Eugine (Cecie); Spouse: Marilyn Teal; Children: John, David. Jame, Sandy, Susan


Helen Brown
Helen Brown
  • Born: 12/25/1917
  • Died: 10/2/1963
  • Spouse: Theodore Ted Yabczynski; Died 12/16/1984)
  • Children:
    • Christine - Spouse: Daniel Poplaski; Children: Christine, Eillen, Daniel
    • Margaret Victoria; Spouse: Glenn Walter Faust


Anna Brown
Anna Brown
  • Born: 5/23/1920;
  • Died: 6/13/1984; Obituary
  • Spouse: Alphonse Gabrish
  • Son: Alphonse


Grandfather John Brown with baby Raymond

Click Here for Brown Family History by John Brown

Click Here for John Brown's Story
Grandfather John Brown
  • Born: April 19, 1902, Shamokin Pa
  • Died: June 13, 1984
  • Grandfather: Thomas Brown
  • Spouse: Stella (Szczesne) Stasney Married April 17, 1927
  • Children:
    • Rosemary Rudik
    • Louise
    • Jack
  • Sister: Margaret
  • Brother: Joseph (Best Man in wedding to Stella)
  • School coal Townhip School 1t to 3rd grade, St Joseph's 4th and 5th
  • Timeline:
    1916 - Running 15 Scott & Williams machine making stocking at Jiles Hosiery Mill (age 14)
    Laborer in J.H.& C.K. Eagle Silk Mill
    Laborer then assistant store keeper handling all supplies for mines at Bear Valley Colliery (age 15). The mines went on strike in April 1922
    Worked for construction company making the new highway from Shamokin to Sunbury.
    1922 May - Worked for Shamokin Street Car Co as a track repairman during the day and at night as a conductor on the street cars
    When the strike ended went back to work for the mines and at night worked as a conductor for the trolley companies.
    January 1, 1924 - appointed at the Bear Valley Colliery as Timber and Lumber inspector and Yard Foreman.
    1939 - Bear Valley Colliery shut down, worked as miner at Reliance Colliery, Mt Carmel for 3 months.
    Appointed Coal and Iron Police Officer
    1943 - Appointed Timber and Lumber Inspector and Yard Foreman
    1950 - Appointed Timber and Lumber Inspector and Yard Foreman at Locust Gap Colliery
    1955 - March started work at GirardBank as an attendant in the vault
    1955 - July 1 started as a security officer for the Univerity of Pennsylvania
    1956 - Purchaed home in Philadelphia, 1701 Bergen St
    1972 - Retired from Univerisy of Pennsylvania
    1977 - Moved to 6536 Oxford Ave
  • Residence: Raised on Market St (the house that faces Pine Street) Shamokin, Pa
    1701 Bergen St Phula, Pa 653 Oxford Ave Phila, Pa
  • Moved to Philadelphia in 1956


    • Grandmother Stella Stasney Brown with Raymond

    Click Here to for Szczesny Family History
    Grandmother Stella Szczesny Brown
    • Born: 12/10/1904, Shamokin Pa
    • Died: 4/29/1983 10:48 PM laid to rest at St. Stan's Cemetery Obituary
    • Spouse - John Brown Married April 17, 1926
    • Children:
      • Rosemary
      • Louise
      • Jack
    • Father: Anthony Szczesny
      • Born: Ploand, City of Krakof
      • Moved to Shamokin, Pa and worked in mines
      • Wife: Michalina Marcoski (met on a trip to New York
      • Brother: Paul (Poland)
      • Sister: Mary (Poland)
    • Mother: Wilamena Marcoski
      • Born: Ploand, City of Krakof
      • Moved to Shamokin, Pa
      • Father: Carl Marcoski (Lithuanian)
      • Mother: Mary Kulacoski born in Poland
      • She immigrated to New York and worked in a dress mill
      • Sister: Minnie
        • Married Jacob Jalinski and had one son and three daughters:
          • Son: Joe Jalinski; married Margaret Harbovich had two sons and one daughter
          • Daughter: Mary; married Anthony Pilecki
            • Helen: married Tony Yoncosskie; Son Tony Jr., Daughter Mary Ann
            • Mildred
            • Alex
          • Daughter: Katie; married Tom Pastuzak
      • Brother: Carl
        • Daughter: Katie who married Scheminsky and had four children - one boy and three girls.
      • Brother: Frank
        • Married and had one son named Frank.
      • Uncle: Joe Kulacoski, Sr. came to America and married Sophie
        • They had one son and one daughter. They also raised their daughter's son, Ted, who married Mavis and they have one daughter.
        • The daughter of Joe and Sophie, Minnie, married Joe Miscavage and had two sons and two daughters.
    • Sister: Mary (died shortly after birth
    • Sister: Victoria
    • Sister: Sally (bridesmaid at Stella's wedding to John Brown)
    • Residence: 1701 Bergen St Phula, Pa - 6536 Oxford Ave Phila (Sold 9/24/1984 $49,900), Pa
    • Occupation: Weaver in Shomokin Woolen Mills then five year at University of Pennsylvania Library started in 1956
    • Cemetary: Saint Stanislaus, Coal Townhip Pa
    • Moved to Philadelphia in 1956
    • Underwent major operations in 1955 in Shamokin, 1960 major operation in Hahenmann hospital, 1965 major operation in Einstein hospital
    • 10/7/1982 had heart attack
    • 4/29/1983 had a heart attack and was taken to J.F, Kennedy hopital where she died
      •


    Aunt Victoria E. Szczesny Chambers with husband Joe Chambers
    Aunt Victoria
    • Born: 2/24/1898, Shamokin Pa
    • Died: 5/1/1983 Obituary
    • Burried: 5/1/1983, Locustwood Cementary, Marlton NJ.
    • Spouse: Joe Chambers
    • Step Children:
      • Bobbie
    • Residence: 1818 Springarden St apt 11A Phila,Pa
    • Father: Anthony Szczesny
    • Mother: Wilamena Marcoski


    Aunt Sally Szczesny Moore
    Aunt Sally Szczesny Moore
    • Born: Shamokin Pa
    • Died:
    • Spouse: Francis Mantz (Div)
    • Spouse: Warren Moore
    • Father: Anthony Szczesny
    • Mother: Wilamena Marcoski


    Rosemary Brown Rudik holding God Son Raymond
    Aunt Rosemary
    • Born: March 12, 1927, Shamokin Pa
    • Died: August 25, 2003 Obituary
    • Spouse: John F. Rudik
    • Children
      • William J. Rudik
        • Spouse - Kathleen Peters Rudik
        • Children
          • Derick
          • Deanna
      • Roseann Rudik Barnes
        • Edward Barnes


    Roseann Rudik. One of the nicest persons I ever knew.
    Roseann Rudik
    • Born -
    • Died: 8/3/1986
    • Spouse: Ed Barnes
    • Parents
      • Jack and Rosemarry Rudik
        • Brother - William Rudik
    • Graduated Little Flower HS 1972


    Louise Brown Pascali (Mom)
    Louise Brown Pascali
    • Born - Nov 4, 1929, Shamokin Pa
    • Died - Nov 7, 2008
      Obituary

      PLYMOUTH MEETING — Louise M. Pascali, 79, of Plymouth Meeting, formerly of the Rhawnhurst section of Philadelphia, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, at her son's residence in Plymouth Meeting. She was a retired sales associate for the Strawbridge and Clothier Department Store, Center City, Philadelphia.

      Born in Shamokin, she was a daughter of the late John and Stella (Szczesny) Brown.

      While living in the Rhawnhurt section of Philadelphia, Louise was a member of Maternity BVM Church.

      She was an avid reader and enjoyed reading Stephen King novels. She also enjoyed poetry and shopping and did many artistic drawings. She enjoyed musicals and Mantovani records as well.

      Survivors include her husband, Dominic Pascali; three sons, Raymond Pascali and his wife, Diane, of Philadelphia; Michael Pascali and his wife, Katie, of Plymouth Meeting, and Steven Pascali and his wife, Donna, of Damascus, Md.; one brother, John Brown, Philadelphia; and six grandchildren, Mary Kate, Nicholas, Michael, Christina, Juliana and Angela. She was preceded in death by a sister, Rosemary Rudick.

    • Graduated from Shamokin High School 1947; diploma: Louise Diploma
    • Spouse - Dominic
    • Children
      • Raymond
      • Michael
      • Steven
    • Louise's Poems


    John "Jack" Brown
    Uncle Jack Brown
    • Born: January 19, 1932, Shamokin Pa
    • Died -
    • Spouse: Rosemarie Sadusky
      • Died:1/11/1998
    • Children
      • Jacalyn
      • Linda