Leopold Alexander Brown Obits

Dr. Leopold A. Brown Dies In Hudredth Year

     AYLMER. -- Dr. Leopold A. Brown, Rutherford avenue, veterinary surgeon, co-founder of the Aylmer and Malahide Telephone Company and who was perhaps the oldest active Mason in Ontario, died in St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital on Saturday evening.  He would have been 100 years old on May 15 of next year.
     Dr. Brown contracted influenza about two weeks ago which later developed into pneumonia from which he never recovered.
     Born May 15, 1858, at what was then known as Seminary Corners, and now Dunboyne, about four miles south of Aylmer, Dr. Brown was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Carter Brown.
     He attended public school at Dunboyne and the Aylmer High School.  To attend high school, Dr. Brown had to ride four miles to and from Aylmer daily on horseback.  In the year 1877, the aspiring veterinarian entered the Ontario School of Agriculture at Guelph.  Although his studies were interrupted because of a serious eye trouble, he returned to graduate in 1889.  From that year until his retirement in 1920, he was a practising veterinarian the Town of Aylmer.
     Dr. Brown was married on Hallowe'en night, October 31 in the year 1892 to Mary L. Mann, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. P. M. Mann, of Aylmer.  Mrs. Brown died in 1946.
     The couple settled down in a frame house which still stands on the east side of the garage operated by H. Lindsay and Son on Sydenham street west.   The doctor's office, formerly owned by the late Dr. Ezra Foote, on the east side of the house, also still stands, and is presently owned by Angus Hughes, Aylmer.
     Two years after his marriage, Dr. Brown became interested in a new invention, the telephone.  Along with the Dr. J. J. Kingston, of Aylmer, he promoted the South Malahide Rural Telephone Association, now known as the Aylmer and Malahide Telephone Company, which gave Aylmer and district residents their first telephones.
     In the year 1897, the doctor was elected a member of the Aylmer Town Council and served a full term under the then mayor, J. J. Nairn.   While a member of Council he promoted the first boulevard sidewalk in Aylmer.   The boulevard was built along Sydenham street with a sidewalk constructed of two-inch planks.
     Dr. Brown was an active member of Malahide Lodge 140 A. F. and A. M. until the time of his death, joining the organization 65 years ago in 1891.   He was also a member of Aylmer Chapter 81 Royal Arch Masons.  He served a number of years on the Aylmer Fair Board and was a member of St. Paul's United Church, Aylmer.
     Carrying on his practice in Aylmer, Dr. Brown covered an area bounded on the north by Harrietsville, on the west by Sparta road, as far east as Vienna and south to Lake Erie, all by road cart and cutter.  For almost the entire 31 years of his active practice, he used those two means of transportation, and only during the last two or three years before retirement did he make calls in an automobile.
     Dr. Brown is survived by one brother, Colonel Walter James Brown, of London, former financial secretary of the University of Western Ontario, a sister, Mrs. Cora M. Chase, of Grimsby, and a number of nieces and nephews.
     Resting at the James H. Barnum funeral home, Aylmer, from where service will be conducted by members of Malahide Lodge.   Interment will be made in the Aylmer Cemetery.

Dr. Leopold Brown Buried on Tuesday

     A large number of citizens and others from a distance paid tribute Tuesday afternoon to Dr. Leopold A. Brown, for many years a veterinary surgeon here, who died Saturday evening in St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.  He was in his 100th year.
     Rev. T. G. Husser of St. Paul's United Church officiated at the service at the Jas. H. Barnum Funeral Home and at the graveside in Aylmer Cemetery there was a service by members of the Masonic Order of which Dr. Brown was a member for 66 years.
     Pallbearers and flower bearers were all members of the Masonic Order, the former being Cecil Co?, Harold M. Nelson, Archie S. Hare, S. D. Lacey, David McNiece and Clair Pressey.
     Friends and relatives attended from Grimsby, London, Toronto, Port Burwell, Guelph, Springfield, St. Thomas, Belmont, Sparta, Aylmer and vicinity.
     Dr. Brown contracted influenza about two weeks before his death.   Pneumonia developed.  Previous to his illness he had been up and around as usual.
     Born May 15, 1858, at what was then known as Seminary Corners, and now Dunboyne, about four miles south of Aylmer, Dr. Brown was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Carter Brown.
     He attended public school at Dunboyne and the old Aylmer High School.  To attend high school, Dr. Brown had to ride four miles to and from Aylmer daily on horseback.  In 1877 he entered the Ontario School of Agriculture at Guelph.  Although his studies were interrupted because of a serious eye trouble, he returned to graduate in 1889.  From that year until his retirement in 1920, he was a practising veterinarian in Aylmer.
     Dr. Brown was married on Hallowe'en night, October 31, 1892 to Mary L. Mann, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. P. M. Mann, Aylmer.  Mrs. Brown died in 1946.
     The couple settled in a frame house which still stands on the east side of the garage operated by H. Lindsay and Son on Sydenham street west.   The doctor's office, formerly owned by the late Dr. Ezra Foote, on the east side of the house, also still stands, and is presently owned by Angus Hughes, Aylmer.
     Two years after his marriage, Dr. Brown became interested in a new invention, the telephone.  Along with the late Dr. J. J. Kingston of Aylmer, he promoted the South Malahide Rural Telephone Association, now the Aylmer and Malahide Telephone Company, which gave Aylmer and district residents their first telephones.
     In 1897, Dr. Brown was elected a member of the Aylmer Town Council and served under the mayor, the late J. J. Nairn.  While a member of Council he promoted the first boulevard sidewalk in Aylmer, the boulevard being along Sydenham street with a sidewalk constructed of two-inch planks.
     Dr. Brown was an active member of Malahide Lodge 140 A. F. and A. M. until the time of his death, joining the organization 65 years ago in 1891.   He was also a member of Aylmer Chapter 81 Royal Arch Masons.  He served a number of years on the Aylmer Fair Board and was a member of St. Paul's United Church, Aylmer.
     Carrying on his practice in Aylmer, Dr. Brown covered an area bounded on the north by Harrietsville, on the west by Sparta road, as far east as Vienna and south to Lake Erie, all by road cart and cutter.  For almost the entire 31 years of his active practice, he used those two means of transportation, and only during the last two or three years before retirement did he make calls in an automobile.
     Dr. Brown is survived by one brother, Colonel Walter James Brown, of London, former financial secretary of the University of Western Ontario, a sister, Mrs. Cora M. Chase, of Grimsby, and a number of nieces and nephews.