This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: ELLIOTT, BROWN, COOK, McKINLEY, HAMER, HARDING, MURRAY, THOMPSON, KUNKLE, GREENLEE, MYERS Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/JhU.2ACEB/4640 Message Board Post: William Elliott BROWN (March 16, 1912 - June 6, 2006) William Elliott BROWN William Elliott Brown, age 94 of Centerville Boro died Tuesday, June 6, 2006 in Sphar's Personal Care Home, Belle Vernon, PA following a lengthy illness. He was born in Jefferson Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on March 16, 1912. He was the son of the late Jesse Richard BROWN, and the late Margaret Estella ELLIOTT BROWN. He was their only child. He was born at the farm of his grandparents, William Forsythe Elliott, and Anna Laura COOK ELLIOTT, near Fayette City, Pennsylvania. Mr. Brown's grandmother, Anna Laura COOK ELLIOTT, was a second cousin to former United States President William McKINLEY. This made Mr. BROWN a second cousin, twice removed, to the former President. Mr. BROWN undertook the genealogy research, himself, after his retirement. He, also, researched the genealogy of both the BROWN and ELLIOTT Families, two hundred years backward in history. Mr. Brown spent his early years in the town of Fayette City, Pennsylvania. He lived with his parents, on Fayette! City Hill. His father, and uncle, Guy W. BROWN, were bank officials with the Fayette City Bank. Mr. Brown enjoyed playing football and baseball, swimming in the Monongahela River, and shooting pool at "Seedy's" pool hall. Mr. James HAMER, who, later in his life, became an NFL referee, coached him in football. In 1918, Mr. BROWN, and his parents, came down with the influenza virus. This was the year that there was a severe worldwide epidemic of influenza. All three were very sick, and it was feared that Mr. BROWN's parents would perish. But, they all were blessed with eventual recovery. In 1922, Mr. BROWN, and his parents, met United States President Warren G. HARDING, and Mrs. HARDING, at the Summit Inn Hotel, on the mountain above Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The HARDING's were holding a reception there for the local citizens. Mr. BROWN was ten years of age at the time. In 1926, Mr. BROWN, and his parents, moved to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of Brookline, Pennsylvani! a. William spent four high school years at South Hills High School. He played starting center, each of those years, on their renowned football team. He graduated from this school, in 1930. William enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, studying mechanical engineering. He graduated, in 1934, with his Bachelor of Science degree. How he managed to stay in college, during the hardest years of the Great Depression, is amazing to the family to this day. While attending college, William met Miss Sarah Helen MURRAY, who was attending Carnegie Institute of Technology. They were married on July 18, 1936. When Mrs. BROWN passed away, on February 18, 2001, they had celebrated sixty-four years and seven months of marriage. William worked for the United States Steel Corporation, at their Edgar THOMPSON works in Braddock, Pennsylvania, from 1934 until 1947. He commenced work with the Pittsburgh Steel Company, at their Allenport works, in 1947. In 1953, he was advanced to Plant Engineer of the Allenport mill. In 1956, he was named Plant Engineer of the Mon! essen mill. Maintaining his office at Monessen, in 1961, he was promoted to Assistant Chief Engineer of the Pittsburgh Steel Company. At the same location, he was named as Chief Engineer in 1964. With the merger of Wheeling Steel Company and Pittsburgh Steel Company, in 1969, William was promoted to Chief Engineer of the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, with his office in Wheeling, West Virginia. He continued in this position until his retirement, in 1972. After his retirement, William accepted the position of Supervising Project Engineer, for the addition that was built onto the old Monongahela Valley Hospital. After this, he retired to his farm that he had purchased in 1946. He raised large gardens, and did some small scale farming, with his wife, and son, Richard. He and Richard studied Civil War history. He enjoyed listening to talk radio shows, and completing crossword puzzles. He also enjoyed watching westerns on television. Some highlights of William's career w! ere the following. In 1968, he made a trip to England, France, and the surrounding countries, to study their innovative steel-making practices, and report back to his employer. In 1972, William testified before the United States House of Representatives and Senate, regarding the benefits of the proposed Rowlesburg Dam, in West Virginia, that his company wanted to see built. It was thought that the dam would control flooding in the Mon Valley river towns. Mr. BROWN will be remembered as a professional engineer, who derived great satisfaction from his career. In addition to his parents, William was predeceased by his wife, Sarah Helen BROWN in 2001, beloved cousins, aunts and uncles. Surviving are two sons, William Murray BROWN, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Richard Elliott BROWN, at home. Additionally, he is survived by four grandchildren - Jeffrey William BROWN of the country of Costa Rica, David Mitchell BROWN, Andrew Timothy BROWN, and Susan Gail BROWN KUNKLE, all of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area, and a great-granddaughter, Riley Eliz! abeth KUNKLE of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. Additionally, beloved cousins survive him. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the John B. GREENLEE Funeral Home, 2830 Main St., Beallsville where services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, June 11, 2006 with the Rev. Edd MYERS officiating. Interment will be in Redstone Cemetery, Brownsville, PA. The family suggests donations may be made to the: Little Redstone Presbyterian Church, RD 1 Fayette City, PA or the University of Pittsburgh, School of Engineering, call 412-624-5691. == Wish we could see his genealogy research! Judy