David Brown House
Encyclopedia
The David Brown House is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Rising Sun, Indiana
and approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Laughery Creek
. The log home
was placed on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures
on October 25, 1978.
This is an example of a pioneer Indiana home, a two story log house on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River just west of Laughery Island
. It was built in the block-house end method of log construction, from yellow poplar logs (average height 18", average thickness 10"). The logs are hand hewn on the inner and outer surfaces and the bark is intact on top and bottom. The space between the logs was chinked with log chips and stones for filler held in place by a daubing of lime mortar. When the home was rediscovered in 1971, most of the daubing was lost due to age and the shrinkage of the logs.
Originally this home was two rooms, one on top of another, 17' by 20', with a full field stone cellar below. The interior consisted of a stairway to the south, opposite the chimney, on the north side of the interior. Since "by 1800 iron foundries in the Ohio Valley were capable of casting stores" this allowed for a chimney to be held within the structure. Additionally, there were two movable glazed sash windows in each room on the east side and two doors: one facing the river
to the east and one opening to the west (or rear) of the home.
According to oral histories of the 19th century, the log house was altered. A shed kitchen was added to the rear (west side) of the house, later a four room two story addition was added to the north side, with door openings cut from the original structure on the first and second floors. At some point, clapboard siding was added to the exterior giving the home a typical frame farm house look.
Abandoned in the early 1900s, the house was rediscovered in 1971 (after the construction of an adjacent home). It was totally vine covered and dilapidated. Early thoughts were to raze the structure. The exterior siding was intact with the exception of a few clapboards on the eastern side of the home; it was then that the existence of the log structure was discovered. At that point restoration began. The addition was removed and a new frame two story addition measuring 12' by 30' was constructed.
This helped to maintain the original profile of the home. The new addition has modern conveniences which include a full bath and small but modern kitchen. Since these modern upgrades are contained in the addition, the original integrity of the home is unaltered.
The David Brown House is one of few log structures in the vicinity and is believed to be the oldest existing example of pioneer architecture in Ohio County, Indiana. It is associated with a prominent pioneer family giving it major significance to the history of Ohio County. Ethan Allen Brown
purchased several thousand acres of land surrounding the Rising Sun
region in 1802. His father and brothers emigrated to the area over the next 12 years. Ethan
sold the property to David Brown(Ethan's older brother) in 1820. David, a Lieutenant and Revolutionary War Veteran, had a hand in building the home.
The property was inherited by David's only surviving child, Caroline Brown Moore, wife of Archibald Moore. Archibald is one of the "venerable pioneers of Rising Sun
who is chiefly instrumental in giving prosperity and character to the town; and who took deep interest in founding and fostering schools and laying foundations of steady and solid growth to the place."
There is slight risk to the structure if the Federal Highway Commission chooses to widen State Road 56 in Indiana.
The Structure is privately owned by the Lake-Hanford Family of Aurora, Indiana and is not open to the public.
Rising Sun, Indiana
Rising Sun is a city in Randolph Township, Ohio County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,304 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Ohio County.-History:...
and approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Laughery Creek
Lochry's Defeat
Lochry's Defeat, also known as the Lochry massacre, was a battle fought on August 24, 1781, near present-day Aurora, Indiana, in the United States...
. The log home
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
was placed on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures
Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures
The Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures was created in 1981 by the Indiana General Assembly. The Survey and Registration Section of the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology oversees this state register. All places within Indiana that are listed on the National...
on October 25, 1978.
This is an example of a pioneer Indiana home, a two story log house on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River just west of Laughery Island
Laughery Island
Laughery Island, also called Laughery's Island, is a privately owned alluvial island in the Ohio River in Boone County, Kentucky. The island is named after Archibald Lochry, the leader of an ill-fated group of Pennsylvania militiamen who were attacked near the island by Native Americans in 1781...
. It was built in the block-house end method of log construction, from yellow poplar logs (average height 18", average thickness 10"). The logs are hand hewn on the inner and outer surfaces and the bark is intact on top and bottom. The space between the logs was chinked with log chips and stones for filler held in place by a daubing of lime mortar. When the home was rediscovered in 1971, most of the daubing was lost due to age and the shrinkage of the logs.
Originally this home was two rooms, one on top of another, 17' by 20', with a full field stone cellar below. The interior consisted of a stairway to the south, opposite the chimney, on the north side of the interior. Since "by 1800 iron foundries in the Ohio Valley were capable of casting stores" this allowed for a chimney to be held within the structure. Additionally, there were two movable glazed sash windows in each room on the east side and two doors: one facing the river
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to the east and one opening to the west (or rear) of the home.
According to oral histories of the 19th century, the log house was altered. A shed kitchen was added to the rear (west side) of the house, later a four room two story addition was added to the north side, with door openings cut from the original structure on the first and second floors. At some point, clapboard siding was added to the exterior giving the home a typical frame farm house look.
Abandoned in the early 1900s, the house was rediscovered in 1971 (after the construction of an adjacent home). It was totally vine covered and dilapidated. Early thoughts were to raze the structure. The exterior siding was intact with the exception of a few clapboards on the eastern side of the home; it was then that the existence of the log structure was discovered. At that point restoration began. The addition was removed and a new frame two story addition measuring 12' by 30' was constructed.
This helped to maintain the original profile of the home. The new addition has modern conveniences which include a full bath and small but modern kitchen. Since these modern upgrades are contained in the addition, the original integrity of the home is unaltered.
The David Brown House is one of few log structures in the vicinity and is believed to be the oldest existing example of pioneer architecture in Ohio County, Indiana. It is associated with a prominent pioneer family giving it major significance to the history of Ohio County. Ethan Allen Brown
Ethan Allen Brown
Ethan Allen Brown was a Democratic-Republican politician. He served as the seventh Governor of Ohio.Brown was born in Darien, Connecticut to a Revolutionary War veteran. He moved near Cincinnati, Ohio in 1803. He was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1810 and was re-elected in 1817...
purchased several thousand acres of land surrounding the Rising Sun
Rising Sun, Indiana
Rising Sun is a city in Randolph Township, Ohio County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,304 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Ohio County.-History:...
region in 1802. His father and brothers emigrated to the area over the next 12 years. Ethan
Ethan Allen Brown
Ethan Allen Brown was a Democratic-Republican politician. He served as the seventh Governor of Ohio.Brown was born in Darien, Connecticut to a Revolutionary War veteran. He moved near Cincinnati, Ohio in 1803. He was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1810 and was re-elected in 1817...
sold the property to David Brown(Ethan's older brother) in 1820. David, a Lieutenant and Revolutionary War Veteran, had a hand in building the home.
The property was inherited by David's only surviving child, Caroline Brown Moore, wife of Archibald Moore. Archibald is one of the "venerable pioneers of Rising Sun
Rising Sun, Indiana
Rising Sun is a city in Randolph Township, Ohio County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,304 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Ohio County.-History:...
who is chiefly instrumental in giving prosperity and character to the town; and who took deep interest in founding and fostering schools and laying foundations of steady and solid growth to the place."
There is slight risk to the structure if the Federal Highway Commission chooses to widen State Road 56 in Indiana.
The Structure is privately owned by the Lake-Hanford Family of Aurora, Indiana and is not open to the public.