A luncheon to celebrate the completion of our first phase of restoration and to share and exchange Brown family genealogy was held on Thursday May 25.

We were fortunate to have two of Charles Brown's great-granddaughters, Nancy Brunquist and Deborah Reis, join us. Liz Carpenter, wife of great-grandson Ted Carpenter, also attended. Other guests included neighbor Ted Reavey, Kas Anderson from the Clark County Historical Museum, Clark County Genealogical Society President Diana Cruz, Dean Baker from the Columbian, prior Vancouver long range planner Derek Chisholm, and attorney James Gregg and wife Barbara. Stahancyk, Kent, Johnson and Hook representatives were Teresa Foster, Shantel Bray, Jade Bunker, Leah Rivas and Vince Roman.

The luncheon was a success and all enjoyed sharing information and stories. The guests were all impressed with the result of the restoration. Thursday May 25th was a very rewarding day for all involved.

Vince Roman, in tie, beginning tour of house.


Nancy Brunquist, Kas Anderson, Diana Cruz.


Sharing stories during lunch.


Charles Brown descendants Deborah Reis, Nancy Brunquist and Liz Carpenter.


Charles Brown House

Harriet May Brown was born May 22, 1875 in Vancouver, Washington to Charles and Rebecca Slocum Brown. She married Edward Laramie Carpenter and together they had two children, E.L. II born in 1900 and Elizabeth Frances born in 1905. Harriet passed away on January 25, 1964 in Seattle, Washington. According to her granddaughters Nancy Brunquist and Deborah Reis, Harriet loved to wear elaborate clothing and hats up until her death. Harriet also belonged to the DAR or Daughters of the American Revolution and the Women's Century Club of Seattle, the latter organized for the intellectual and cultural development of its members and for social service.

Our Charles Brown House is featured on the Home Sweet Home, Residential Architecture in Washington State poster celebrating National Historic Preservation Month-May 2006. Our Charles Brown House is the oldest house featured on the poster and the only addition from the Vancouver area. The picture of the house is on the far right-hand side five photographs down from the top and highlights the house's Second Empire style architecture.

Stahancyk, Kent, Johnson & Hook, P.C., the current owners of Charles Brown House, just finished phase one of the restoration of the Charles Brown House, carefully restoring the original paint color and restoring the first section of the house down to every last detail with period light fixtures, wallpaper, and furniture.

SKJ&H is a family law and estate planning law firm. Visit www.washington-divorce.com for more information.

Richard Brown DuBois was born September 17, 1903 in Vancouver to Floy Miles Brown and William Bedford DuBois. He is the grandson of Charles and Rebecca Brown and brother to Rebecca Alice DuBois, who is profiled in the previous post. Richard attended Vancouver High School graduating in 1922. Some of Richard's high school activities included football, basketball, baseball and Senior Class Play. Richard married Marguerite East and together they had two children, William Richard and Julie DuBois. Pictured here are three photographs from the 1922 Vancouver High School Yearbook, the Alki. Richard is to the far right in the basketball picture and in the Senior Play photo he is the taller of the two men in the center of the picture. Richard passed away June 4, 1983 in California.

Rebecca "Becky" Alice DuBois was born February 20, 1913 in Vancouver, Washington to Floy Miles Brown and William Bedford DuBois. She is the granddaughter of Charles Brown. Becky grew up in Vancouver and attended high school in Vancouver when there was still just one high school, graduating in 1931. Becky was very active at Vancouver High School as she was in the Latin Club, French Club, Golf Club, and sang soprano in the Music Club. Other school activities included being librarian of the Girls' Glee Club and a member of the junior play. All this on top of being an honor student. Becky would go on to marry William Taylor Dorsey and together they had one child, Anne DuBois Dorsey born in New York, N.Y. in 1940. Here is Becky's senior picture and also a picture of the Girls' Glee Club of 1931. Becky is in the back row fifth from the left.

One of nine children born to George and Martha Hubbard on January 15, 1866 in Georgetown, Michigan, Alice Hubbard would eventually move to Vancouver, Washington in 1901 and become a key person in the early Vancouver public education system. She was a teacher for many years at Central School and then became principal of that same school for 15 years, which was located on the site of the present Clark County Courthouse. She was also the main supervisor of the Vancouver city schools for many years. A deed dated September 12, 1925 shows the transfer of property at 400 W. 11th Street from the heirs of Rebecca A. Brown to Alice Hubbard. Miss Hubbard died in the house April 3, 1935. Her obituary below was taken from the Columbian, dated April 4, 1935. Please click to enlarge.

Dr. Alonzo Gerry Cook, born May 13, 1839, died November 11, 1932. Born in Maine, Alonzo would eventually attend Ohio State University and then go on to Union Law School, now Northwestern University. Isabella Webster became his bride in 1861 and the couple would have one child, a daughter they named Marabell. Alonzo and Bell would eventually live in several different states, one of the being Washington. An 1874 deed shows the transfer of the current Stahancyk, Kent, Johnson and Hook property from Alonzo and Bell Cook to Charles Brown. After leaving Vancouver, Alonzo moved to California and became the founder of the City of Garden Grove, California. I would like to thank Beulah Miller, President of the Garden Grove Historical Society, for sending me a copy of the only photograph she has on file of Alonzo Cook. Also posted here is a short biography of Alonzo Cook taken from the early Thurston County, Washington reminiscences section of Ancestry.com. Please click on the text to enlarge and read.