the Village of Brownville

The Village of Brownville.- This village was founded in 1709, when Jacob Brown and his companions came to the mouth of Philomel creek and built a log cabin for the subsequent use of his father and family; and when in 1800 Noah Durrin and Ebenezer Hills built for the pioneer the saw mill, the settlement became the common rendezvous of the region, and even at that early day had an importance equal to the hamlet at Watertown five miles up the river. In 1801 Jacob Brown and his father opened a stock of goods for trade, and also caused a grist mill to be built, one of the first in the region, which was patronized by settlers from all the western part of the county. To accommodate the settlers on the south side Oliver Bartholmew was employed to build a bridge across the river, which was done in 1802. The bridge was carried away on high water in the spring of 1806 but was replaced the next year. Deacon Bartholmew was a prominent figure in early village life here, although his place of settlement was in the neighboring town of Watertown, where he was a pioneer. In the settlement at Brownville he conducted Sabbath worship previous to the formation of any religious society.