Brown, Jacob

Passed: 1942-05-25

Age: 83

Source: Jackson Herald

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1942-05-29

Information: The church bell will ring at Simpson Chapel in Grant district again this Sunday morning, but persons in that community will be reminded that the man who rang that bell for more than half a century is no more, and that a new sexton and steward has taken his place, because they will tell you that ""Uncle Jake"", the man who held that position year in and year out for more than fifty years is dead.  The bell tolled for ""Uncle Jake"" Tuesday afternoon just as he had for more than fifty years tolled it for other of his friends and neighbors as their bodies were being borne to the church for final rites.  Death came to the 83-year old sexton, Jacob Brown, known far and wide as ""Uncle Jake"", last Sunday night.  He had been ill for a long time and the final summons had been expected.  Last winter he spent considrable time in a Ripley hospital.  There was little hope because of his age and the malady from which he suffered that he would survive for long.  At the same time, Mrs. Brown was ill in a hospital and she died four weeks ago and ""Uncle Jake"" remarked that he would follow before long and he did.  A large crowd of his friends and neighbors, because he had no relatives except those by marriage, gathered at Simpson Tuesday afternoon to hear Rev. George Caltrider, the pastor of the church, pay final tribute to ""Uncle Jake"" and then his body was taken to the cemetery nearby for interment.  He had come to this section of Jackson County from Noble County, Ohio, like many of his neighbors.  He was a young man then and spent the remainder of his life there.  His first wife, Betty Stallings Brown, was a church worker also, and more than a decade ago while on her way to the Simpson Church one Sunday evening where a program was to be given in which she was to have a part, she suffered a severe heart attack and died suddenly.  That was a shock to the community.  Something like five years ago, ""Uncle Jake"" married again and his second wife preceded him in death.  No children survive either marriage. Additional info from 06/12/1942 obituary - Jacob Brown, son of Jaohn and Mary Brown, was born March 7, 1859 in Monroe County, Ohio.  In March 1887, he united in marriage to Mary Ann Stallings who preceded him in death June 19, 1927.  In later years, he married Jessie Irene Willis, who preceded hime in death April 17, 1942.  He had five sisters, Barbara Blair, Catherine Robbins, Nancy Etta Stallings, Sarah Elizabeth Williams and Hester Ann Brown, who have passed and he leaves four brother-in-laws. (Obituaries provided through Betty Kessel McIntyre and Clement Matheny collection)