Brownn
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
NOAH N. BROWN is a member of
the firm of Brown Bros., who conduct the justly popular and well known
Elberta hotel at Wenatchee. The establishment is all that can be
wished by a traveling public. First class in all its appointments,
it is supplied with thirty-nine sleeping apartments, large sample rooms,
beautiful parlor, commodious office, superb dining room, and an unexcelled
cuisine. The long and varied experience of our subject in this line
of work vouchsafes to the patrons of this hotel the best accommodations
and the most kindly and experienced management.
Noah N. Brown was born in New Albany, Indiana,
on May 12, 1857, the son of Rheuben W. N. and Melvina B. (Fisher) Brown,
natives of Indiana. They were prominent people and early pioneers
of that section. The mother's ancestors were among the founders of
Jamestown, Virginia, and were very prominent planters. Our subject
was educated in Washington, Indiana, and when eighteen came to Vancouver,
Washington. Being of an active and energetic make-up, from that time
until the present he has been constantly engaged in business. He
followed merchandising, clerking in hotels, handling salmon fisheries,
and so forth, and then went to Walla Walla where he was associated with
Ike Chilburg, in the Delmonico restaurant. Later he was clerking
in the Umatilla house, at The Dalles, Oregon, then in the Villard hotel
at Pendleton. After this Mr. Brown was engaged in a restaurant in
San Francisco and was the head steward of the Auzerais hotel, in San Jose
and finally returned to Washington through Oregon. He bought a relinquishment
to a homestead above Wenatchee in 1896, commuted and disposed of his property.
Next we see him operating the Forrest house in Ellensburg, then in Easton,
later again in Ellensburg, where he bought the Forrest house, which was
consumed by fire on July 4, 1889, but was fully insured. The next
six months were spent in traveling in Europe. Returning to America,
he opened the Dayton, at Dayton, Washington, in 1891, then he came to Wenatchee
and built the Hotel Watson, which he conducted for sixteen months, then
sold it. He visited the World's Fair at Chicago, came back to Ellensburg,
operated in North Yakima, was in California and Portland and finally went
to the Klondike, via Chilcoot pass. He got to Dawson, September 21,
1897, and immediately was engaged as night clerk at $450 per month, in
the Green Tree hotel. With several others he laid out the townsite
of Eagle City, now Fort Egbert, and made considerable money. He sold
out to advantage, then followed several other occupations. In 1898
he left the country. Returning the next year he disposed of his business
interests and went down the Yukon river to Nome. Erecting a cabin
on property he secured he then took a mail contract from Nome to St. Michaels,
which required forty-three days to make the trip with a dog team.
Tiring of this, he sublet his contract and went to sluicing on the beach.
In the fall of 1900 he sold his entire interest and returned to the states.
For eighteen months he was out of business and then went into the hotel
business in Reardon with his brother, George W. One year later they
came to Wenatchee and bought the Bell hotel, which they have entirely remodeled
and refurnished and made the Elberta, as stated above. Mr. Brown
has two brothers and one sister, George W., Rheuben W., and Mrs. Julia
Roe.
On November 1, 1883, Mr. Brown was married
to Miss Addie S. Harrell, a native of Monroe county, Indiana. The
wedding occurred at Vancouver, Washington. Mr. Brown is a member
of the K. P., I. 0. 0. F. and Elks, and is quite active in fraternal matters.
He is a prominent Republican and although he does not seek office himself,
is very active in the welfare of his party. Mr. Brown is one of the
popular and influential men of Chelan county and is fully deserving of
the prominent position which he holds and the esteem and confidence so
generously bestowed by his host of friends.
Mr. Brown is one of the trustees of the Commercial
Club, which was organized on April 20, 1903. The other trustees are
L. V. Wells, Ira D. Edwards, Charles Harlin, and C. E. Stohl. John
A. Gellatly is president and H. C. Littlefield is secretary.
While conducting the mail route in Alaska
Mr. Brown was associated with the Eskimos very intimately. He slept
and dined with them and in fact for some time lived with them. Thus
he became well acquainted with their manner of life, habits, and so forth.
After coming home he spent some time in lecturing about them and was well
received by the public. Mr. Brown holds the associations with them
among the most happy incidents of his Alaska stay.