Brownville

Named after General Jacob Jennings Brown. Nearby is Glen Park, Dexter, and Watertown.

The year 1799 saw the town of Brownville settled by pioneer Jacob Brown, who had been sent as James D LeRay's agent, as well as Brown's wife Pamelia (Williams), and his extended family. Brown was a Quaker from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The town of Brownville at that time included all of present Brownville, as well as Pamelia, Lyme, Cape Vincent, Clayton, Orleans, and a part of the Town of Alexandria.

In the 1800's the state road was extended from Brownville to Cape Vincent. General Jacob Jennings Brown built a sawmill in 1800, too, and in 1801 a small grist mill at the mouth of Philomel Creek.

On April 3, 1821, the towns of Brownville and LeRay gave birth to the towns of Alexandria, Philadelphia, and Orleans (the latter created wholly from the town of Brownville).

Remington Brothers built the first streetcar line from Watertown to Brownville, and five years later extended it to Dexter. Trolleys ran in the city of Watertown from 1899 to 1937.

The Brownville Paper Company was organized in September of 1892 by J. Munson Gamble and Charles H. Remington, and the company was incorporated the next year.

On April 1st, 1946, Samuel Upham, Watertown philanthropist, bought the Brown Mansion and gave it to the village of Brownville. Since then it has been used as a museum, library, civic center and village meeting place. (add this to brown mansion too maybe?)

A new high school was built in 1956 near Dexter for the 1954 merger of the Brownville-Glen Park and Dexter school districts (see General Brown Central School). This was enlarged in 1960 and the elementary school in Brownville was enlarged in 1964.

Today, Watertown's suburbs reach well into the town of Brownville.

Need photo(s) here.