Individual Details
Charles Milton "Carl Magnusson" Brown (Torstenberg)
(18 May 1835 - 12 Sep 1901)
Charles recounted his early years in Sweden to his family with the stories his daughter, Mary (Brown) Cummins, describes in the following letter :
Perris Cal
March 1912
My father, Charles Milton Brown was born near Carlshamn, Lille Holger, Murrum Socken, Bleking Lan, Sweden, May 18th or 23rd - 1835 His mother said May 23rd, but church record said May 18th. His mothers maiden name was Mary Gonellah Thurstenberg She died when my father was six years old. She was drown in a well that had stone steps down to the water. She had been sick and was not allowed water so while the nurse slept, she got up and went to the well to get herself a drink, went down the steps but was so weak fell in and drown leaving the bowl on the top of the curb.
His father and Uncle (his fathers only brother) were partners and their property consisted in farms and Distilleries. My brother says their brand of whiskey was a Beare, but I never heard my father say what it was. When my father was eight years of age his father was killed by a tree falling on him. My fathers Uncle, Albert Brown, (I think his name was Charles Albert, but can not say sure) his fathers only brother & partner took entire charge of my father and became his guardian. At the time of his fathers death, there was some money of his fathers loaned to the Government and could not be collected until my father became of age. This money was never collected.
When my father was about nine years old he went out in the woods with a little gun his Uncle had bought him, and got lost and was not found for three nights and
(3)
two days.
A canon that was taken from Norway during the trouble between Norway & Sweden, was in his Uncles yard, this canon was fired to herald the news of my father being found.
He came to America when he was 18 years of age, about the year 1853. His Uncle signed his permit (as he was under age) not realizing what he did until it was done, he tried to persuade my father not to come to America, using the argument that he was heir to all the property he having no children. My father being a spoiled and always having his own way would not listen to reason. His Uncle said, as you will go I never want to see your face in Sweden until you are worth more money in America than you are in Sweden.
This remark hurt my fathers feelings and he said he did not want that money in Sweden. He changed his mind about
(4)
that and the last year of his life made up his mind to go to Sweden and get it, he died very sudden, retired at night feeling well as usual and died while asleep Sept 12th 1901 being 66 years old. We have his Naturalization papers. He was also a soldier in the Civil war My father & Mother were married in Monmouth, Ill. March 25 - 1860 My Mother is still living. My brother saw a man a short time ago just from my fathers old home and he said this estate is now leased to a man by the name of Hansen and the title has never been transferred to any one but is still there for my father to claim. If you can find out any thing concerning this will you please notify Mrs Geo W. Cummins
C. Ira Brown or Perris
Banning Riverside Co
Cal Cal
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Six years after coming to America, Charles married in 1860 to Sarah Ann Jones in Monmouth, Illinois. They lived with Sarah's parents for a while in Roseville Township, Warren Co. Charles worked as a farm laborer. Their first child, Mary Ellen was born then, so may have been born in Roseville, Berwick, or Monmouth. On 4 Nov 1861, Charles applied for citizenship to the United States at the courthouse in Monmouth, Illinois. A little over two years later on 22 March 1864 he received his certificate of naturalization which had been signed by John S. Chandler and J.W. Ray, who swore Charles had resided in the U.S. for at least five years and at least one year within the state of Illinois. John S. Chandler was Sarah's uncle; being married to Rosanna's sister, Fanny.
On 2 August 1862, Charles joined the Union Army as a private in the C Company of the 83rd Regiment of the Volunteer Infantry of Illinois, under the command of Captain L. B. Cutler. He was at some fort in Kentucky in September 1862 when he developed chronic diarrhea and dyspepsia from exposure and an improper diet, and was treated for this illness at a hospital in Mound City, Illinois. He was discharged six and a half months after enlisting, at Cairo, Illinois on 18 February 1863. he later applied and was approved for a military pension in 1880 for this disability.
Around 1865, a lot of the Jones family moved west to Union County, Iowa, and Charles, Sarah, and Mary went with them. The 1870 census taken on 5 August shows Charles, Sarah and Mary Brown living in Cromwell Twnsp, Iowa, where they were listed with a group of other people; so were probably living in a boardinghouse. Charles was working in a flour mill. Albert was not listed in this census, he would have been one month old. A census taker said that anyone born after the first of June of the same year was not to be listed.
The Brown family made the big move west to California in 1873, and on to Round Valley in 1874, where Charles worked at the Covelo Grist Mill. The U.S. troops were still garrisoned at Camp Wright, not too far from the Brown's home. Albert, then a tyke of four summers, made friends with some Indian boys. He later told his grandson he had once gone into the home of one of his playmates and seen some bloody scalps hanging up on display. I gathered he had kept his mouth shut about this grisly visitation at the time.
Marjorie (Lovejoy) Prouty recalls that Charles ran a mill and had Indians working for him. They had a house near the mill by a creek in the Northwest area of Round Valley. His wife, Sarah, carried a gun in her bra because of her fear of the Indians. Three or four different tribes had been relocated to the Covelo Reservation and hostilities were high.
Together with George Cummins, his son-in-law, Charles bought land in Covelo on 24 November 1887 for $400 from Oliver A. Dingman. Ten years later, they sold some of this land to Albert.
The Great Register of Mendocino County for the 1890's has the information that Charles had blue eyes, brown hair, a light complexion, a height of 5' 10 1/2", and had three crippled fingers on his left hand.
Charles and Sarah had six children, but only four grew to maturity.
Recently, in Oct 2005, the following correspondence with Maj-Britt Sundin in Sweden revealed a different early life than what Charles told his family.
"After havíng looked up everything in the church records, I am sending you this :
Carl Magnusson Torstenberg was born 18 May 1835 in a village called Ljungryda in Jämshög parish in Blekinge Län. He was born out of wedlock and his parents are noted in the church register as Gunnild Nilsdotter and Magnus Torstenberg. Magnus was at that time a farmhand in a village close by called Sonarp # 1 in the parish of Näsum in Kristianstad län (Skåne).
Carl spent his first 5 years with his mother but when she died in 1840 in Ljungryda village he lived with his grandmother, Elna Hansdotter who was a widow and lived in Ljungryda as well. In 1847 Carl moved to the parish shoemaker in Jämshög # 8 and spent the next 6 years there. After that he became a farm hand in a village called Gränum # 51 and the next year he emigrated to North America. That is what the church registers tells me. Anyway, Carl's father was Magnus Torstenberg, born 15 oct 1810 in Jämshög dead 5 April 1867 in Ljungryda village."
While it's possible this is a different person, several facts match exactly; the surname Torstenberg, his birthdate, birth location, the death of his mother, Gonellah/Gunnild, when he was young, and the date of his immigration to America. What's different is the information on his father, which was always sketchy. Why was Charles children told the name of his mother but not his father? Since no mention of the father taking an interest in his son appears in the above account, this can be understandable. Charles Milton Brown was a hard working man and America truly was a land of opportunity for him. He raised a fine family and owned his own land in California. I certainly hope the idea of going back to Sweden didn't cause him undue stress!
Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, California) Fri, May 10, 1901, Page 1
C. M. Brown resumed his work the 1st inst. as chief mechanic of the Government saw mill.
Events
Families
Spouse | Sarah Ann Jones (1842 - 1919) |
Child | Mary Ellen Brown (1861 - 1949) |
Child | Albert Martin Brown (1870 - 1953) |
Child | Charles Ira Brown (1875 - 1947) |
Child | Frances Gonella "Fannie" Brown (1877 - 1961) |
Father | Magnus Torstenberg (1810 - 1867) |
Mother | Mary Gonella (Gunnild) Nilsdotter (1811 - 1840) |
Notes
Birth
b. 18 May 1835 (record shows) 23 May 1835 (A.F. [English] Lovejoy said) near Carlshamm, SwedenImmigration
To check out:Place: Illinois Year: 1864
Primary Individual: Brown, Charles Milton
Source Code: 2764.1
Source Name:
"THE GREAT REGISTER OF KERN COUNTY, California, Vol. 1: 1866-1877." In Kern-Gen [Kern County Genealogical Society]. Vol. 27:1 (March 1990), pp. 2-5 (S); vol. 27:2 (June 1990), pp. 24-29 (S-T); vol. 27:3 (September 1990), pp. 52-55 (T-V); vol. 27:4 (December 1990), pp. 73-78 (V-W).
Source Annotation:
Date and place of naturalization or voter registration. Includes residence, occupation, and place of birth. Copied by Shirley C. Ford, Evelyn D. Lynn, Joyce Bayless, and others. In this index the code A indicates entry in PILI has been altered to reflect corrections listed in vol. 19:4 of Kern-Gen; the code B indicates entry has been altered to reflect corrections listed in vol. 20:1; and the codes C, D, E, F, G, and H indicate alterations to reflect corrections listed in vols. 21:2, 23:3, 24:1, 24:2, 25:2, and 22:3 respectively.
Source Page #: 3
Marriage
married by Rev. John JonesGROOM BRIDE CNTY DATE VOL/PAGE LIC
BROWN, CHARLES M JONES, SARAH A WARREN 03/15/1860 B/ 71
Marriage License was granted On the seventh day of Marcy AD 1860 to Mr Charles M Brown and Miss Sarah A Jones
No. 2201, Ephraim S Swinney Clerk
State of Illinoies, Warren County
I hereby certify, that on the twenty fifth day of March AD 1860, I joined in the state of matrimony Mr. Charles M Brown and Miss Sarah A Jones according to the usual custom and laws of the State of Illinois.
Given under my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of March AD 1860
Returned, Registered and Filed March 26th AD 1860
Ephraim S Swinney Clerk
Census (family)
Charles had just recently married Sarah and they are living with her parents. See census notes under Martin W. Jones.Military
On 2 August 1862, Charles joined the Union Army as a private in the C Company of the 83rd Regiment of the Volunteer Infantry of Illinois, under the command of Captain L. B. Cutler. He was at some fort in Kentucky in September 1862 when he developed chronic diarrhea and dyspepsia from exposure and an improper diet, and was treated for this illness at a hospital in Mound City, Illinois. He was discharged six and a half months after enlisting, at Cairo, Illinois on 18 February 1863. he later applied and was approved for a military pension in 1880 for this disability.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Charles M. Brown (First_Last)
Regiment Name 83 Illinois Infantry.
Side Union
Company C
Soldier's Rank_In Pvt.
Soldier's Rank_Out Pvt.
Film Number M539 roll 11
83rd Illinois Infantry
Dyer's Regimental History
Source - "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer
Organized at Monmouth, Ill., and mustered in August 21, 1862. Moved to Cairo, Ill., August 25-29, thence to Fort Henry September 3, and to Fort Donelson, Tenn., September 5. Attached to garrison of Forts Henry, Donelson and Heiman, District of Columbus, Dept. of the Tennessee, to November, 1862. District of Columbus, 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to January, 1863.
SERVICE - Garrison duty at Forts Heiman (2 Companies), Henry (3 Companies) and Donelson, Tenn., till September 20, 1863. Expedition from Fort Donelson to Waverly, Tenn., October 22-25, 1862. Near Waverly and Richland Creek October 23. Cooley's Mill October 23. Near Garrettsburg, Ky., November 6. Fort Donelson Road January 2, 1863.
Excerpts from File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Susan Tortorelli
Naturalization
He signed an intention in Warren Co., Illinois on 4 Nov 1861.Brown, Charles M.
Nat. Final A Pg. 136, Circuit Ct. Warren Co., Ill.
Sweden
Date of naturalization March 22, 1864
John S. Chandler
J. W. Ray
Census (family)
The 1870 census taken on 5 August shows Charles, Sarah and Mary Brown living in Cromwell, Iowa, where they were listed with a group of other people; so were probably living in a boardinghouse.Brown, Chas 36 Works in Flour Mill. 600 Real Estate, Born Sweden
Sarah 28 Keeping house KY
Mary 9 at school Illinois
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This is a unrelated Milton Brown -
1870 Federal Census, Mendocino County, California
Name State County Location Year Page
Brown, Milton CA Mendocino Sanel Twp 1870 130
Census (family)
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's BirthplaceCharles R. BROWN Self M
Sarah A. BROWN Wife M
Mary E. BROWN Dau
Albert M. BROWN Son S
Charles J. BROWN Son S
Fannie G. BROWN Dau
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Source Information:
Census Place Round Valley, Mendocino, California
Family History Library Film 1254068
NA Film Number T9-0068
Page Number 228B
Census (family)
SD 3 ED 74 sheet 8 B line 72113, 116, Brown, Charles M, Head, WM May 1835, 65, Married 40 yrs, Sweden, Sweden, Sweden, 1854, 46 yrs, Na, Farmer Own free farm
Sarah A, Wife, WF, Mch 1842, 58, M-40, 6 child born 4 living, KY KY KY
Charles I, Son, WM, Aug 1875, 24, single, CA Sweden, KY, farm laborer
Fannie G, Daughter, Mch, 1877, 23, single, CA, Sweden, KY
Death
Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) Fri, Oct 18, 1901, Page 3COVELO, October 12. -- Today Charles Milton Brown, son of Albert Brown and grandson of C. M. Brown, was buried. He had been sick for some time. C. M. Brown, the grandfather, was buried last month. He was quite an old resident, and a man well thought of and respected by all who knew him. Thus the old residents are passing away. C. M. Brown, the elder, had been long and well known in Round valley. He will be missed as a helper in good works.
Probate
In the Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Mendocino.In the matter of the Estate of C. M. Brown Deceased
Petition for Letters of Administration
To the Honorable the Superior Court of the County of Mendocino, State of California.
The petition of Sarah A Brown, a resident of the County of Mendocino, State of California, respectfully shows:
That C M Brown died at Round Valley in the County of Mendocino, State of California, on or about the 12 day of September 1901, and was at the time of his death a resident of the County of Mendocino State of Califronia, and left estate in said County of Menocino, State of California, consisting of real and personal property:
That said real property consists of the E 1/2 of NE 1/4 and the N 1/2 of SE 1/4 section 29, Township 22, N R 13, W.M. D. M. with the improvements thereon, and being of the value of about $420.00 and being of the annual rental value of about $50.00.
That said personal property consists of a demand against the U.S. Government for $180.00 for services rendered by said deceased on the Round Valley Indian Reservation for said US Government, and being of the value of $180.00, 2 Horses valued at $40.00, 1 Cow valued at $20.00, 1 wagon valued at $80.00, Household furniture valued at $50.00.
That the names ages and residences of the heirs at law of saidn deceased are as follows:
Sarah A Brown, surviving widow of said deceased, aged about 59 years, residing at Covelo, County of Medocino, State of California, and Albert M Brown aged 30 years, and Charles I Brown, aged 26 years both sons of deceased and this petitioner, and both residing at PoonKinney, Mendocino County, State of California and Mrs. Mary E Cummins aged 40 years and Fannie G Brown aged 24 years both daughters of deceased and this Petitioner, and both residing at Covelo, County of Mendocino, State of California.
That the whole of said estate of said deceased was and is the community property of said deceased and this petitioner his surviving widow, having been aquired during their marriage.
That due search and inquiry have been made to ascertain if said deceased left a will and testament, but none has been found, and petitioner therefore alleges that said deceased died intestate.
That your petitioner is the surviving widow of said deceased, and as such is entitled to letters of administration of said estate.
Wherefore petitioner prays that letters of administration of said estate be issued to her.
Sarah A Brown Petitioner
Weldon Held
Attorneys for Petitioner
State of Californis
County of Mendocino
Sarah A Brown, the petitioner above named, being duly sworn deposes and says that she has read the foregoing petition and knows that contents thereof; that the same is true of her own knowledge except as to those matters therin stated on her information and belief, and as to those maters she believes it to be true.
Sarah A Brown
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 19th day of Nov. 1901
C W Cummins
Notary Public in and for the County of
Mendocino, State of California
The Fort Bragg Advocate (Fort Bragg, California, Wed, Dec 25, 1901, Page 3
Estate of C. M. Brown, deceased. Letters ordered issued to Sarah A. Brown on giving bond in sum of $800.
The appraisal dated December 28th 1901 came to a sum of $1185 for both the real and personal property.
Appraisers were Jacob Wattenburger, James H Riffe, Thos E Long
Endnotes
1. , "Valley View Cemetery," database, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 6 November 2011), .
2. Illinois State Archives & the Illinois State Genealogical Society., Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763 - 1900. (
3. U.S. Federal Population Census. 1860 Illinois, Warren Co. (Interlibrary loan from Sutro Library, S.F. CA read Dec 3, 2001 by Nancy Prouty.), pg 133, line 11.
4. National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System Web Page (http://165.83.221.5/cwss/ Aug 2002).
5. Brown, Florena (Wisely)., Family history on Brown, Cummins, English, Lovejoy, and related families. (Tryon, OK: Florena Brown, 1994).
6. US Federal Population Census. 1870, Iowa, Union Co. (interlibrary loan from Sutro Library, SF CA read Oct 27, 2001, by Nancy Prouty.).
7. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints., Transcription of the United States Federal Population Census - 1880 (http://www.familysearch.org/ Oct. 2002).
8. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1900 > California > MENDOCINO > COVELO Series: T623 Roll: 93 Page: 124 .
9. , "Valley View Cemetery," database, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 6 November 2011), .
10. , "Valley View Cemetery," database, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 6 November 2011), .