Rev. John Brown was born in Tossaway, County of Kinross, Scotland, in 1766. While he was attending to his duties at College, at times he attended the meetings of Synod. At one of those meetings an urgent appeal was read from Dr. McGregor, of Pictou, stating the destitution of some parts of Nova Scotia for want of a preached Gospel, and calling on the Synod for assistance by sending more ministers to Nova Scotia. One of those appeals made a powerful impression on his mind. In connection with his fellow student, the late Rev. Duncan Ross, they drew up and signed a paper, by which they both devoted themselves to the mission work, should their services be accepted. This paper fell into the hands of the Professor of Divinity, having been left unintentionally inside of one of the volumes of the Divinity Library. When their intentions were known by the Presbytery, they were hurried on their preparations for an early departure. He was ordained in February, 1795. In the same month, he was married to Margaret Beveridge, of Paisley. Before he left home, he purchased the Bible in two volumes and wrote the name of Margaret Brown in each of them on March 6th, 1795. They were pocket Bibles, and have been used constantly since that date. The writer had the satisfaction of seeing them on June 8th, 1872, and copying the dates of the births of their children from them. They were in good condition, with scarcely a leaf started from the binding. When they were about to leave their native land, never to see it again, and bid adieu to friends and relations; the morning they were to leave his father's house to proceed to America, in March, 1795, the 121st Psalm was selected for their song of praise; no doubt but it was sung in a solemn manner.
"I to the hills will lift mine eyes, from whence doth come mine aid,
My safety cometh from the Lord, who Heaven and Earth hath made.
Thy foot He'll not let slide, nor will He slumber that thee keeps---
Behold He that keeps Israel, He slumbers not nor sleeps.
The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade on thy right hand doth stay,
The moon by night thee shall not smite, nor yet the sun by day.
The Lord shall keep thy soul, He shall preserve thee from all ill,
Henceforth thy going out and in, God keep forever will."
After they left home, they were detained at the seaport for the sailing of the ship. During their delay, Mr. Brown preached on Sabbath. His mother, having heard that he was to preach, went to hear him, but she did not enter the Church, where she might be seen by her son; she remained outside, where she could hear him. Having bid him farewell once, she did not wish to have it to do the second time. The ship sailed about the middle of March, with Mr. and Mrs. Brown and the Rev. Duncan Ross on board. They arrived at New York, May 27th, 1795. They stopped there and preached one Sabbath, and then proceeded to Halifax. Mr. Ross went by land, or boat, to Londonderry, and preached there one Sabbath (Mr. Smith having died March 25th, while they were on their passage). He proceeded then to Truro, and on his way called at Chiganoise and married Alexander Miller to Rebecca Baird, on June 29th, 1795. Dr. McGregor met Mr. Ross at the house of the Rev. Daniel Cock, in Truro, with a suitable horse for him to ride to Pictou. The next day they proceeded on to Pictou. About the same time, Mr. And Mrs. Brown arrived there also, and received a hearty welcome from Dr. McGregor, who had been nine years in the wilderness almost alone. During the time they remained in Pictou, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was dispensed on a small piece of interval beside the water of the Middle River, a short distance below the Bridge. They continued their mission work until the summer of 1796. When the Presbytery met this year, there were two calls for each of them. One from Prince Edward Island, and another, from Pictou, for Mr. Ross; one from Amherst, and another from Londonderry, for Mr. Brown. The first sermon Mr. Brown preached in Londonderry, produced the most happy results. He preached from Numbers 23rd, and 10th verse, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like His." Although there were divisions in the congregation, they soon laid aside their differences and gave him a unanimous call. He accepted their call, and was inducted to the charge of the congregation about Sept., 1796.
The first whom he married there were Thomas Ellis and Elizabeth Deyarmond, of Chiganoise, about the first of October, 1796. The second pair that he married were Thomas Morrison, of Debert, and Mary O'Brien, of Noel, October 25th, 1796. The last that he married were Matthew Peppard and Miss Sutherland, from Westchester Mountain. He continued to labor faithfully and zealously for nearly fifty-three years in his congregation. In July, 1845, on the same day that he had preached his first sermon in Londonderry, fifty years before, a Jubilee was held, at which there was a large gathering of ministers and people of his own congregation, and from neighboring ones also. At the time that the Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia, was about to send a missionary to the Islands of the South Seas, the Rev. John Geddie offered to go forth as her missionary. His offer was accepted, and preparations were made for him and his family to leave Nova Scotia to carry the glad tidings and good news of the Gospel to the heathens. Shortly before they left, there was a large meeting of the ministers and people, held in the old meeting house at Onslow, on November 8th, 1846, to bid them farewell and to encourage them in their work by the prayers and advice of the Church. At this meeting the Rev. Mr. Brown was the person who gave the parting address. This address was given by him in a very solemn manner. He was a the time about eighty years old, and had experienced leaving his native land and removing into the wilds of America, and knew what it was to leave home with its endearments. It is believed that he never regretted undertaking the work of the ministry, or of settling in Londonderry. When he drew near the close of his life, he said that, "If he had his life to live over again he would be a minister. Were I to choose a field of labor, of all the world, I would choose America, and of what I know of it, there is no place in it that I would prefer to Londonderry." His attachment to his congregation was strong; his labor of love and earnest desire for the welfare of souls made that impression on his people which will not soon be forgotten. His desire was that, if it was agreeable to the Divine Will, he might not outlive his usefulness. He died Friday, April 7th, 1848, aged 82 years. After his death, his remains were followed by a large concourse of sorrowing friends to the grave. After the burial, they repaired to the house of God where their pastor's voice had been so long heard, but was now silent in death, and were addressed by the Rev. Messrs. Baxter and McCulloch, and to call to mind that text which constituted the theme of their departed pastor's first sermon to them: "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Mrs. Brown died December 13th, 1848, aged 77 years. They lived together as man and wife more than fifty-two years. When they were first settled in Londonderry, they boarded a few years with Robert McElhenney, who then resided on the farm lying on the point between the Folly and Debert Rivers, being the same on which his two grandsons now reside. A few years after, he purchased land, had some of it improved and buildings put up on it, being the same that is now inherited by his daughter, Janet, and her husband, Isaac West.
Agnes Brown, their eldest daughter, was born at the house of Mr. McElhenney, Nov. 26th, 1795. She was married to Thomas Fletcher, of Masstown, July 5th, 1816. They had four sons and five daughters. She died January 3rd, 1866, aged 70 years. Her husband died Oct. 11th, 1872, aged 82 years. John, the eldest son of Rev. John and Margaret Brown, was born August 8th, 1797. He was married to Susannah, daughter of William Davidson, and Sarah Ann Denny his wife, Nov. 25th, 1823. He settled on a part of his father's land. Janet Brown, their second daughter, was born February 27th, 1799. She was married to Isaac West February 15th, 1827. They had three sons and two daughters. They inherit what was her father's property. Sarah Brown, their third daughter, was born Feby. 5th, 1800. She was married to David, the youngest son of James Fulton, Esq., and Margaret Campbell, March 15th, 1825. They had three sons and four daughters. They inherited what was the homestead part of his father's property at Bass River. She died there Sept. 9th, 1858. Mr. Fulton died March 26th, 1862. Thomas and Rossann Brown, their twin son and daughter, were born May 1st, 1805. Thomas Brown died a bachelor February 23rd, 1830, in the 25th year of his age. Rossann Brown, their fourth daughter, was married to Joseph, the second son of Thomas and Ester Crow, of Debert River, November 2nd, 1823. They had three sons and three daughters. She died May 15th, 1856, aged 51 years. Mr. Crow died in March, 1870, aged 69 years.
