Brown Brothers

This evolving workspace relates to the amazing story of two brothers born in Dutchess county: Alfred and Alonzo Brown. After Alfred moved to Australia they maintained a close relationship for the nearly half-century remainder of their lives through letters, which various family members continue to share and understand. Most of the content has come from family members who started depositing research findings in our research library in 2015.

Above image: Jesse Wolcott (above left) was a friend and neighbor of Alfred Brown (center) in Australia. In 1884, Wolcott left Australia for a trip to New York which included a visit to Alfred’s brother, Alonzo in Poughkeepsie. A letter from Wolcott to Alfred is the basis for the first-person narrative dramatization of the visit written by Alfred’s great granddaughter, Jan Green, which you’ll find below. An excerpt of which was published in the N/S Dutchess News in January 2023. Photos provided by Jan Green.

Letter to a Friend, excerpt and full story below:

Evolving research notes below:

Above: Jan Green notes related to New York

Above: Jan Green notes related to Australia

Above: DCHS notes related to Poughkeepsie Directory