George L Brown

BROWN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/17/2010 at 13:08:54

As vice president and superintendent of the Monarch Manufacturing Corporation of Boone, George L Brown represents important industrial interest in his city. The success of his firm, which is now operating on a most profitable basis, is largely due to his initiative and the great amount of experience which he has in this line of work. They not only act as engineers, designers ad machinists but are also manufacturers of hardware specialties and stamping dies and engaged in electro plating and finishing. Their connections are extensive and they do business all over the United States. Mr Brown was born in Lockport, New York, July 31, 1868, and is a son of George R and Ellen (Poyfair) Brown, the former born in County Armagh, north Ireland. He came to the United States shortly before the Civil war and was a miller by occupation, following this trade in Lockport, new York, where he passed away. His wife was born in that city and as a daughter of Jeremiah and Ellen (Flynn) Poyfair. Her paternal grandfather, Jeremiah Poyfair, was a native of France who emigrated to America as a young man. By occupation he as a ship carpenter. Mr and Mrs George R Brown became the parents of the following children: Emma, who married Charles Parker of St Albans, Vermont, Ella the widow of William Few, of Fort Niagara, and George L of this review.
The last named received his education in the public schools of Lockport, New York, laying aside his text books at the age of sixteen, when he was apprenticed to the machinist’s trade, serving his indenture with Jackson & Church in Saginaw, Michigan. He was connected with that firm for four years and then went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he followed his occupation in the employ of the Jones & Laughlin Company. He subsequently followed his trade in many parts of the United States, finally arriving in Niagara Falls, where he became assistant master mechanic of Niagara Falls Power Company. He continued as such for seven and a half years and the removed to Sioux City, Iowa, where for three and a half years he held the position of superintendent of the Novelty manufacturing Company. He then was for one year assistant master mechanic of the Sioux Service Company and for the next three years acted as chief engineer of the Cudahy Packing Company of that city. Having acquire the means and a large an d valuable experience, he then decided to embark in a business in which he would be financially interested and bought stock in the Monarch Manufacturing Corporation, of which he was made vice president and superintendent. Their plant was built in 1913 under the supervision of Mr Brown and Mr Sears. Although they have been established but a short time, their trade is already extensive and they enjoy the highest reputation. Much of their sudden success must be ascribed to Mr Brown, who is a master in his line of work and thoroughly acquainted with every phase of it. He is a competent man, and all those who have business transactions with his firm realized that their business is handled in a competent way.
On April 26, 1892, Mr Brown married in Washington, D C, Miss Minnie E Marr, who was born in East Tawas, Michigan, and is a daughter of Benjamin F Marr. Mr and Mrs Brown have three children: Howard L, Helen M and George N. Although Mr Brown has been a resident of Boone for only a short time, he has already found occasion to participate in movements for the general welfare of his city and has given examples of his public spirit. While he is mainly a business man and a most of his attention is naturally devoted to his private interests and to the growth of his factory he never neglects his duties a s acuity, fully realizing that it is obligatory upon any business man to be thoroughly conversant with the issue and equations the day. He has already made many friends in Boone who esteem him as a man of high qualities of character. By the establishment of the Monarch Manufacturing Corporation a valuable addition has been made to the industrial enterprises of Boone county which will have its effect upon the general condition of its people and will add to the county’s prosperity.

1914 Boone County Histor Book