Browning Family

Date: 1789 [unknown]
Location: Belpre, Washington_County, Ohio
Surnames/tags: Browning Barker Putnam

History of the Browning Family in Washington County, Ohio

JOHN DANA BROWNING, a successful liveryman of Belpre, Ohio, was born January 5, 1856, in Belpre and is a son of Alexander H. and Augusta (Stone) Browning. His great-grandfather William Browning, came from Massachusetts to Marietta in 1789, and later settled in Belpre, where he lived until his death, in 1823. He married Abigail Putnam, daughter of Gen. Rufus Putnam, and they were the parents of four children, of whom three grew to maturity, namely: William R., grandfather of John Dana; George; and Samuel M. William R. Browning married Sophia Barker, of Washington County, Ohio. Unto this union the following children were born, namely: William; Joseph; Abigail and Cynthia, both of whom died unmarried: Alexander H.; Sophia, who married Melvin H, Clark; and R. P.

Alexander H. Browning was born and reared in Belpre, where he carried on farming and merchandising for many years. He was the original owner of the land on which the village of Belpre is platted. He also operated a mill for some time. He died in April, 1873, and his wife survived him until October, 1884.

John Dana Browning was reared on his father's farm and obtained the greater part of his mental training in the common schools of Belpre township. He also attended Oberlin College. In early days he assisted his father on the farm, and afterward engaged in business in Belpre, where he continued for five years. He disposed of his stock and again farmed for three years, at the same time having the contract for carrying the mail to and from the depot. He fulfilled this contract for a period of six and a half years, and upon its expiration in 1899 engaged in the livery and feed stable business in Belpre. He has since continued in this line and enjoys a liberal patronage.

January 31, 1884. Mr. Browning was united in marriage with Mary F. Ryan, a daughter of James Ryan, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, by whom he has four children, namely : Laura N. ; Julia M. ; Frank R. ; and Mary L. Religiously the family are Congregationalists. The subject of this sketch is a Republican in politics and fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chancellor.

Quoted from page 1196 of History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Martin Andrews, 1902 archived link.