Charles David Brown was born the son of Captain James Brown and Cecelia Henrietta Cornu Robellaz Brown on January 23, 1856 in Ogden, Weber, Utah in the large family residence across the street from the Ogden City Tabrnacle. Charles was the thirty-fourth child of his father and the third child of his mother. [Cecelia had a son, George Constant Robellaz , born May 3, 1851 that died in 1865 when he was around 14 years old and a daughter, Eliza born January 27, 1853 who died on June 8, 1854, both from her marriage to Charles Francois Robellaz (z or s). All four were born in Switzerland]
Cecelia then married Captain Brown on December 24, 1854 [just six months after her husband died] as his eighth wife, they were married in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young..
Little Charles was named for his mother's sweetheart husband, Charles, who had died [June 27, 1854] of cholera while crossing the plains on their way to Deseret, and his middle name is for his mother's father David Francois Cornu or Cornue.
Cecelia left Utah sometime after 1865, [after her son George died] for a visit to Switzerland to visit her father. She left the two little brothers, Charles David Brown [b.1856] and James Fredrick Brown [b.1859] [with Mary Wollerton, Captain Brown's ninth wife. Mary was a wonderful mother to them as she had no other children of her own]. Aunt Mary Wollerton raised the two brothers in her home by the Ogden River, she loved them as her own until her death on January 16, 1877. By that time the boys were 21 and 18 years of age. In the large Brown family there was always an older brother or an uncle to look after their interests.
Cecelia was never able to return to America and Utah. Cecelia contracted tuberculosis and was ill the rest of her life and with the death of Captain Brown in 1863, she may not have had the means. It is also written that she was needed in Switzerland to care for her elderly parents [David Francois Cornu and Henrietta Egalite Baulard Cornu] who were in their seventies and in poor health.
Charles David was a very good student in the Central School at Ogden. Mathematics was his favorite study. He graduated from Brigham Young University as a civil engineer which profession he followed for the rest of his life.
In 1878, Charles David married Sarah Ellen Dixon of Harrisville, Weber, Utah. They were married in the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They had four children.
[Children of Charles David Brown and Sarah Ellen Dixon Brown:
Cecilia Etta Brown - b. May 2, 1880, md. LeRoy Eugene Cowles 3 March 1904
Sabra Alice Brown - b. May 21, 1882, md. Joseph Edward Storey Feb 1, 1905, SLC
Phoebe Pearl Brown - b. January 25, 1885, born in Sulphur Springs, Graham, AZ, md. Herbert Burton Foulger May 31, 1905
Dr. William Riley Brown - b. November 5, 1888, born in Thatcher, Graham, AZ, md. Thora Williams March 24, 1915.]
In 1884 Charles David Brown was called on another settling mission to Arizona, this time to Thatcher and Safford, Graham County, Arizona. [Charlie and his wife Sarah and family traveled with William Nicol Fife, Orson Pratt Brown and the adjoined family members from Ogden down to Arizona or they were joined by them there. Pearl was named for Charlie's sometime mother, Phoebe Abigail Abbott Brown Fife, who was living in Thatcher at the time of Phoebe Pearl's birth.] Charlie and his family remained in Arizona until 1890 when they [this may have included William Nicol Fife and some of his children from his first wife Diana Davis Fife] returned to Ogden City and continued as surveyor of Ogden City [Fife continued as an architect and carpenter in Ogden, See Orso Pratt Brown Journals].
Charlie was very religious and payed an exact tithing. He as a good father and a faithful Latter-day Saint.
Sarah Ellen Dixon Brown died on January 23, 1924 in Ogden, Weber, Utah and is buried there.
Charles David Brown died in August 24, 1926 in Ogden, Weber, Utah and is buried there.
MORE STORIES ABOUT CHARLES DAVID BROWN AND SARAH DIXON:
My Father,Charles David Brown, by Cecillia Etta Brown Cowles
Sarah Ellen Dixon Brown, 1861-1924 - Autobiography
Sources:
PAF - Archer files
Book of Remembrance
[Bracketed], bold, corrections, additions, and photos added by Lucy Brown Archer
