Benjamin F. Brown ^{1 2}

   FamilySearch ID: M1Z1-1NS.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He has conflicting birth information of His death certificate has 27 Jun 1854 birth, his obituary has 24 Jun 1854, and his tombstone is 24 Jun 1852, 24 Jun 1854 and Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN. ³

2. Census in 1860 in Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN. ⁴ The 1860 census recorded William Brown, farmer, 45, living with wife Mary, 40; Manerva, 18; Jasper, 16; Matilda, 14; Samuel, 11; Benjamin, 9; Beeker, 7; and Mary, 1. Everyone was born in Indiana except William in Pennsylvania and his wife Mary in Virginia. William's real estate was valued at $10,000 and personal estate $2500. The post office was Robroay & Portland.
Next door is William and Mary's daughter, Louisa, 19, living with her husband Smith Coffing, farmer, 23, and their son Jasper M., 4 months old. They were born in Indiana. Smith's real estate is $1800 and personal estate $250.
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3. Census in 1870 in Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN. ⁵ The 1870 census recorded William Brown, farmer, 56, living with wife Mary, 50; Benjm, 17, Minerva, 28; Beeker, 15; and Mary, 12. Wiliam was born in Pennsylvania, the others in Indiana. His real estate was valued $9600 and personal estate $2100. The post office was Attica.

4. Census in 1900 in Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN. ⁶ The 1900 census recorded Bej. Brown [sic, as written and indexed in census], farmer, 48, born Jun 1852, living with wife Mary, 45, Jan 1854, and son Elba E., laborer, 24, Apr 1876, single. Also in the home were two servants. The census columns record Benjamin and Mary were married for 25 years and she had birthed 2 children, 1 alive in 1900. The parents and their mothers were born in Indiana and their fathers in Pennsylvania. Elba and his parents were born in Indiana.
On the same census page are neighbors: Benjamin's father, William Brown, 87, born Aug 1813, widowed, living with son Beeker Brown, 45, Oct 1854, and daughter Mary A., 41, Apr 1869.

5. Cause of Death: chest crushed by a bull, 18 Apr 1922, Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN. ³

6. Obituary: Journal and Courier: obituary of Benjamin Brown on 19 Apr 1923 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe, IN. ² Angry Bull Attacks Farmer And Inflicts Fatal Injuries

Benjamin Brown, of Fountain County, Famous as Maple Sugar Producer, Meets Tragic Death at His Maplewood Farms, Nine Miles South of Attica.

Benjamin Brown, 68 years old, a prominent farmer and lifelong resident of Shawnee Township, Fountain County, was attacked by an angry bull at his home place, Maplewood Farm, 9 mile south of Attica, Wednesday evening shortly before 6, receiving injuries which caused his death an hour later. He was terribly gored and died without regaining Consciousness.

Brown had just driven into the barn lot in his automobile to put the car in a garage when the bull appeared. The animal charged at him and he seized a pitchfork to defend himself. However the beast was not to be thwarted. He tossed Brown into the air three times, ran his sharp horns into the farmer's chest and punctured his lungs. Then the animal trampled on his helpless victim. It was found that Brown's back and breast bone had been fractured.

John Harper, a farm hand employed by Elba Brown, son of the unfortunate man, went to Brown's assistance and was also attacked by the bull. Harper has a broken right shoulder. The animal finally was driven away and brown was taken to the home of his son nearby where he has resided since the death of his wife a year ago.

Popular and Community.

Mr. Brown was born June 24, 1854, on the farm where he met death. He was held in high esteem, his friendliness and kindness having one for him a host of friends. Much of his popularity in Fountain County was due to his famous maple syrup which he secured annually from a large Grove on the farm and for which many residents of all sections of the county travel to the Brown farm.

The deceased was married in 1875 to Miss Mary Davis and to the union one son, Elba who resides on the family Homestead, was born. One brother, Baker, also of Shawnee Township, also survives. Mr. Brown was a member of the new cluster Church, a small country congregation in his community.

Benjamin married Mary Davidson on 13 Jun 1875 in , Fountain, IN. (Mary Davidson was born in Jan 1854 in , , IN,⁷ died on 28 Dec 1921 in Shawnee Township, Fountain, IN ^{7 8} and was buried in Newtown: Union Christian Cemetery, Fountain, IN ⁷.)