Boyd, my 1st cousin 1 x removed, is the son of Lyndon Middaugh Brown who is the son of my great-grandmother Minnie Minton Middaugh Brown Paterno whose second husband was my grandfather Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno.
Boyd Paterno Brown, a very compassionate, northern gentleman, passed away April 22, 2003, at the age of 87. He was born in Syracuse, New York and graduated from Riverdale Private School. Spending most of his adult life as President of Premier Beef Cattle Co., Boyd was a lover of nature and north woods. He retired to Ft. Myers in 1990, along with his beloved wife of 32 years, Rose Weber Brown.
He is survived by his wife, Rose Weber Brown, one son Boyd Jr., 6 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, 2 sisters and 3 step children.
A memorial service will be held in Millinocket, Maine.
Boyd, Jr., my 2nd cousin, is the son of Boyd Paterno Brown Sr. who is the son of Lyndon Middaugh Brown who is the son of my great-grandmother Minnie Minton Middaugh Brown Paterno whose second husband was my grandfather Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno.
SCARBOROUGH – Boyd P. Brown Jr., 72, passed away Sunday, June 16, 2013, at Maine Veteran’s Home, Scarborough. He was born Dec. 31, 1940, in Port Chester, N.Y.
Boyd along with his former wife, Marguerite “Bonnie” Brown, raised their family in Augusta. He remained in the central Maine area, then retired to his beloved home, “Journey’s End,” on Millinocket Lake.
Boyd graduated from Loomis Chaffe High School in 1958, and from Yale University in 1962. He served in the U.S. Navy, and had one tour of duty in Vietnam as an Operations Officer. After this he served in the Navy Reserves as a Lieutenant Commander. He relocated his family from Newport R.I., to Augusta in 1972 where he began a long career as a salesman. He worked for many years selling real estate in Maine and was a member of Maine Board of Realtors. Later, Boyd worked in computer technical support for Occupational Health Research, Skowhegan.
An avid outdoorsman, Boyd loved to spend time at his camps on Millinocket Lake, “The most beautiful place on earth,” according to Boyd. He loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing with family and friends, and he became a Registered Maine Guide. In 2001, he completed his first leg of a through-hike of the Appalachian Trail with his son, and he later returned to finish the final half in 2003 with friends.
Boyd was predeceased by his parents, Boyd P. Brown Sr. and Marion “Sally” Safford; brother, Gary Brown; and half brother, Keith Brown. He is survived by his two children, Beverly Lawrence of North Yarmouth and Boyd Brown III of Ashford, Conn.; and four grandchildren.
Boyd’s family would like to thank the staff at Maine Veteran’s Home, Scarborough, for the care and comfort that they provided him over the last several years. They would also like to thank VNA Home Health Hospice for their time and support during Boyd’s final days.
A memorial service will be held later this summer in Millinocket. Arrangements are under the care of Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. Donations may be made in Boyd’s memory to Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org. For additional information and to sign Boyd’s online guestbook, please visit jonesrichandhutchins.com. To plant a tree in memory of Boyd Brown Jr., please visit Tribute Store.
Please add your memories of Boyd below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Boyd’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.
Marilyn, my 1st cousin 1 x removed, is the daughter of Lyndon Middaugh Brown who is the son of my great-grandmother Minnie Minton Middaugh Brown Paterno whose second husband was my grandfather Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno.
Marilyn B. Smith, devoted wife of Bob Smith passed away on Sept. 25, 2007. Marilyn lived a very active life starting in Rye, N.Y. from where she commuted to New York City to be a fashion model. Marilyn raised four children and as the children grew, finished school and got married, she was able to spend more time pursuing her favorite sports-tennis and golf. This was made easier when Bob and Marilyn moved to Vero Beach and joined the Moorings Club where Marilyn made her name on the tennis court. They lived in the Moorings for 25 years before moving into Regency Park, an assisted living area in Vero Beach.
Marilyn served as one of the auxiliaries at IRMC for more than 10 years and was a member of the DAR. Marilyn joined her husband in the love of the sea. Together they made ten round trips on their trawler “Bolyn” between their Northern home in Westport, CT. and Vero Beach.
Marilyn is survived by her husband Bob of 44 years, four children and one step-daughter, Christopher Murray, Didi Nydick, Brooke Guiney, Allison Boender and Wayne Murray. These five children presented her with 15 grandchildren.
In lieu flowers a memorial contribution to VNA Hospice would be greatly appreciated. There will be a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church on Thurs., September 27th at 3:00pm. Following the service there will be a gathering of family and friends.
Please add your memories of Marilyn below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Marilyn’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.
Ruth, my 1st cousin 1 x removed, is the daughter of Lyndon Middaugh Brown who is the son of my great-grandmother Minnie Minton Middaugh Brown Paterno whose second husband was my grandfather Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno.
L to R: Charles Stuart, Ruth Marie Welsh, Ruth Middaugh, Marilyn Gertrude Middaugh, and Lyndon Middaugh Brown
LAWRENCE Ruth Middaugh Brown Lawrence passed away July 2, 2009. Born in NYC July 30, 1924; brought up in Rye, NY; graduated Edgewood High School, Greenwich, CT; attended Washington School for secretaries NYC; married Bill Lawrence in Rye Presbyterian Church, Rye, NY, May 12, 1945 traveled with her Navy husband during WWII; raised 4 children in Armonk, NY.
Ruth worked many years at W.E. Lawrence, Inc. in Rye Brook, NY. They belonged to Tamarack CC in Greenwich, CT. They moved to Severna Park, MD in 1972 where she was active in church, bridge, and Chartwell Golf Club. They retired to Ponte Vedra in 1988; active member of Palms Presbyterian Church, P.V. Chapter D.A.R., Sawgrass Women’s Club and Golf member till recently.
Ruth and Bill loved to dance, golf and walk on the beach. Ruth also loved to swim and do needle work. She leaves behind her very loving husband of 64 years, Bill; sons, William E. Lawrence III (Barbara) of San Diego, CA and Michael C. Lawrence, of Sparks, MD; daughters, Sherill, of Millersville, MD and Barbara (Kevin) of Suffern, NY; and ten grandchildren, Kelly, Billy, Christine, Derrick, Ryan, Travis, Chelsea, Michael B., Andrew and Brittany; and five great-grandchildren, Taylor, Ashton, William E. V, Lucas and Kalyn.
A Special Celebration of Ruth’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, July 31, 2009 at the Sawgrass Beach Club with music and refreshments. Please RSVP by July 24th to ruthandbillL @comcast.net. Please visit our online Tribute at www.quinn-shalz.com . Services under the care and direction of: Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com
Please add your memories of Ruth below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Ruth’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.
Ruth Middaugh Brown (30 Jul 1924 – 2 Jul 2009) was the eldest daughter of Lyndon Middaugh Brown (1892-1977) and Ruth Marie Welsh (1898-1952) and is my 1st cousin one time removed. These are her wonderful recollections provided to me by her son William “Bill” Effingham Lawrence III, my second cousin and steward of so many special family mementoes.
L to R: Charles Stuart Brown, Ruth Marie Welsh Brown (seated), Ruth Middaugh Brown (author of these written memories), Marilyn Gertrude Middaugh Brown (sitting on floor), and Lyndon Middaugh Brown who was the son of Minnie Minton Middaugh and her first husband Rufus Lincoln Brown. Minnie later married Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno.
“I was born at home – 26 Haven Avenue, New York City – in an apartment house that had to be torn down in order to build the George Washington Bridge that spans the Hudson River.
My mom and dad and I moved when I was one year old to a brand new stretched out apartment in a very modern apartment complex overlooking “The Castle” and the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades. The apartment complex was called “Hudson View Gardens” and was built by my grandfather Dr. Charles V. Paterno [1878-1946]. There were a dozen apartments attached with cellar ways connecting so one could walk from one to another in bad weather. An A&P drug store, restaurant and radio station were in the complex. Also a large rose garden and a separate children’s park with a sand box large enough for all the children to play in.
Hudson View Gardens left (6-story) and center (4-story) with The Paterno Castle on the right.
Our apartment was designed for us – two apartments connected. It was stretched out with the large dining room in the center, a kitchen (with dishwasher and other appliances) and a large laundry room, the same size as the kitchen were to the side. A foyer ran along the back of the apartment where the front door was (we were a flight below street level) with a telephone in the outer foyer of the building for security. At one end of the dining room was the living room and beyond that a large bedroom and bath and just the opposite on the other side of the dining room was a “nursery” (like a family room) with a murphy bed. A large master bedroom and bath were at this end and screened porch and path, garden and stairs going down to the street below. It was a wonderful apartment with beautiful views from all the window (large foot deep window sills). There was a second murphy bed under the large tapestry in the living room. We had a grand player piano in the living room where our parents entertained frequently.
My sister Marilyn [Gertrude Middaugh Brown 1927-2007] arrived three years after me and then brother Charles three years later.
Our grandparents living across the street in the Castle. It was wonderful having them so near and being invited for Sunday dinner almost every Sunday.
Paterno Castle
The Castle was built of white marble set on 20 acres high above the Hudson with a three-foot thick grey stone supporting wall all along the side above the river. The front side had a decorative iron fence with three automobile entrances and three pedestrian entrances spaced along Northern Avenue. At the end of the property were the seven garages which housed the limousines and above which the two chauffeurs and families lived in their own apartments. The driveways ran so that it would be convenient for the cars to leave the garages, drive out onto Northern Avenue up the street to the third entrance and drive down the driveway and stop at the front door of the Castle under the porte-cochere.
Paterno Castle in foreground with retaining wall overlooking Riverside Drive (was Boulevard Lafayette), Fort Washington Park, and Henry Hudson Parkway along the river. Note three driveways for castle along Northern Avenue (now Cabrini Boulevard). The Hudson View Gardens apartment buildings are on on the far side of Northern Avenue (one row of four story buildings and behind them, a row of six-story buildings).close up
The front door had red carpeting running out under the double grill covered glass doors down the two steps to the driveway. Inside the foyer were two “knights of armor” and chairs and tables of Italian design. On the right side was the Japanese room. All done in Japanese style with a constantly glaring ember fire in a Japanese hibachi. Further down the foyer one entered an octagonal shaped center room in the middle of the castle with a fountain and goldfish pond in the middle with Italian furniture on the outer walls. To the left was the dining room very formal done in dark wood to the left of that the large pantry. Off the dining room doors opened into a long tiled floor (heated) three sectioned green house with flowers growing on each side at waist level. At the end of this one entered a huge solarium with a glass roof, carpets over tile floors, a large stone fireplace and a dozen hanging bird cages with canaries and potted plants everywhere. This was a favorite room to entertain in always bright compared especially to the darker rooms of the castle.
Note Paterno crest on mantle detail. For more castle images, visit MyInwood.net
Off of this room one opened double glass doors and went down three steps into the billiard room which was fitted out with a very heavy pool table, dome lights, cues, racks, etc. and high stools to watch the game. Once again another set of glass doors and you walked down three steps into a series of greenhouses one after the other [rows?] of flowers but specializing in different kinds of orchids. Our grandmother [Minnie Minton Middaugh Paterno 1868-1943] wore a fresh orchid everyday on mink, sable or chinchilla coats. The greenhouses ended at the engineers house which faced houses for some of the servants.
Back again in the billiard room a small stairway led to the exercise room with a large mechanical horse and another one called the elephant. These exercise machines were great fun for us children. They went from slow, medium to fast.
A dozen steps down from this room was the pool. The pool was surrounded by rattan furniture along one long windowed wall and the other wall had goldfish set in four glass aquariums in the wall. The pool had a diving board at one end, ropes for swinging on in the middle overhead and had a beautiful blue tile bottom.
Beyond the pool there were dressing rooms on each side, six for the ladies and six for the men with an assortment of bathing suits for their use. Bathrooms for each of course and beyond this a very large health room with Turkish bath, massage table and water hoses all supervised by the engineer Mr. Tagalieri.
Now we go back upstairs to the grand octagonal foyer. And turn left after we come out of the dining room. We go into the library. The library has a circular glass window at one end and in front of the furniture lies the head and body of a beautiful tiger stretched out on the floor. An open area with long windows separates the library from the music room. Here the grand piano, the French furniture and the beautiful lion on this floor.
We leave this room and turn left. Walk past the grand staircase and further left to a ladies sitting room and adjoining powder room which is next to the Japanese room. Turn back to the grand staircase and you will see that you can look straight up to the glass roof. The second story has a red velvet balustrade running around the entire second floor and also the third floor. Back to the stairway you walk up three red carpeted stairs and continue as the stairs turn right for the full flight to the second floor or else take the elevator up to the second or third floor. As we reach the second floor we will notice organ pipes in the left corner. We walk to the first door and we enter a large foyer. A closet on the left houses my grandmothers shoes – dozens of them in all colors. The next door in the foyer area leads into my grandfather’s room – dark masculine with a large fireplace. Leaving that room and going into the doorway across from the foyer door is a very large white bathroom with sunbathing deck outside which is above the porte-cochere. All of the commodes in the bathrooms in the castle are covered with white wicker chairs.
The next room off the foyer area is my grandmother’s “boudoir.” With bed, day bed, chairs, small piano, fireplace and a room for the family to gather in. And for me to sleep on the day bed whenever I spent the night when I was little. A second door from the boudoir led into a little hall with a back stairway going down to the pantry. And through the hall was a good sized sewing room. Beyond that a large bathroom belonging to my Uncle Carlo [Carlo Middaugh Paterno 1907-1995] and then his room which had a circular area surrounded by glass windows. This room also had entrance by a door from around the second floor balcony. We walk a little further to a large walk-in cedar closet and then a few feet further, open the door into a small foyer area. And there are two guest rooms with small fireplaces, a bath to share, all lovely with balconies overlooking the Hudson.
We now leave the second floor and go up to the third floor. We now enter the grand ballroom area with grand piano. The ceiling and walls covered with al frescos and velvet chairs and mirrors covering the sides of the rooms. Besides the ballroom there is a full dining room, kitchen and powder rooms.
We go back downstairs to the pantry and see the dumb waiter that brings the food up from the kitchen and can also bring food up to the send or third floor if necessary. There are heating ovens, china cabinets, sink, etc. with a door to outside and terrace.
We take the back servant’s stairway and go downstairs all underground to the kitchen, servants lounge, servant dining room and servant sleeping quarters all. Beyond these bedrooms do have windows. [Not certain of transcription on last sentence.]
Once as a teenager my cousin Gladys [Gladys Middaugh Hazeltine 1897-1994] and her daughter who was my age, cousin Harriett [Harriet Hazeltine 1924-1989] from Pasadena, California, came to visit. My grandmother’s chauffeur Glen [Glenn Lybarger] took us down through the servants quarters to a secret door. There we went through on unfinished part of the cellar where we walked on gang planks and walked out to the stone wall overhanging Riverside Drive and looked out over the small cars below. It was very scary. Above the stone wall was a white pergola which ran the length of the property.
The castle was built in [1907] by my grandfather whom we always called “Doctor.” He came to the United States as a small boy. [This sentence is crossed out in the original.]
Carlo, Minnie/Nana, and Charles/Doctor at the pergola overlooking Riverside Drive. For more castle images, visit MyInwood.net
My grandmother “Nana” was very blonde, tall, and statuesque, while my grandfather “Doctor” was shorter in height and he had a waxed mustache and goatee. They were wonderful grandparents. I have many memories of going with them in the chauffeured driver Rolls Royce covered with five blankets and not feeling too well. They had two chauffeurs Glen and Albert, two cooks, three or four house maids, a personal maid, butler, etc. When they entertained they needed extra help. Old Glen and Albert’s wives would pitch in from the time I was a baby.
In the summer Nana and Doctor would go to their farm in North Castle, New York. They would bring all the servants with them and the chauffeurs would take turns.
The barns were mostly down by the road running along Route 22. The bull was tied with a chain through his nose near the barns and as I walked down to the barns from the Big House through the arbor, the bull was always there. I was petrified of him and had been told never to wear a red dress because then he would go crazy and try to break loose. It was in the area where they butchered the chickens, etc.
There was a 9-hole golf course across the street from the Big House and tennis courts down by the barns and an ice house plus several other houses on the property.
When I was about 8 years old and “they” did over the farm: built beautiful barns and stables and cottages way in the back of the Big House. An enormous garden the size of a football field, a polo field, a very large artificial lake with boat house and dressing rooms and bathrooms attached. And upstair was the living room. There were seven artificial lakes and windmills to pump the water if needed. The farm was renamed “Windmill Manor.” [Later to be called Windmill Farm.]
There were miles of bridle paths and large deer pens in the woods. There were ten horses, four work horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, my pony named “Mickey” and several peacocks.
There was a dairy where they made the cream and butter. This farm supplied everything: meat, fish (the lakes were full of fish), vegetables and fruits from the garden, eggs, butter, milk, etc. from the dairy.
With the new farm they did away with the golf course and the tennis courts.
I had a lovely play yard with play horse, swing, wading pool, roller coaster, etc.
I was also given a pony “Mickey” and pony cart besides having “Laddie” my old circus horse to ride.
My grandmother rode her horse “Gloria” every day side saddle. The groom would bring the horses up to the Big House every morning. A permanent mount was always there to help one get on the horses.”
Thank you Ruth for capturing your memories and thank you Bill for preserving and sharing your mother’s delightful writing.
This amazing piece of family history was provided to me by my second cousin William “Bill” Effingham Lawrence III (1946-) whose mother Ruth Middaugh Brown (30 Jul 1924 – 2 Jul 2009) was the daughter of Lyndon Middaugh Brown (11 May 1892 – 18 Apr 1977). Orville Wright certified Lyndon as a pilot when he was 37 years old.
