Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Brownback, Garret E. December 27, 1846 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson jpatter@epix.net February 12, 2026, 9:10 pm

Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

GARRET E. BROWNBACK is a descendant of two honored pioneer 
families of Pennsylvania. He was born in Vincent township, 
Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 27, 1846, near the 
old Bethel church on his father's farm, land originally 
settled by his great-great-grandfather, Gerhard Brumbaugh 
(as formerly spelled) in 1716. He attended the public 
schools of the vicinity, later the Guldin School at 
Pughtown, and the State Normal School at Millersville. He is 
the son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Christman) Brownback, of 
Chester county. Jesse was born March 18, 1807. Elizabeth was 
a daughter of Jacob Christman, the family being of German 
descent.

Jacob Christman was a large land owner and prominent 
citizen. During the days of general musters he was prominent 
in military affairs.

He was a member of the Lutheran church. His children: Jacob; 
Henry; Susan; Elizabeth (mother of Mr. Brownback). Jesse 
Brownback was born March 18, 1807, and died at the 
homestead, August 3, 1899. His wife died in 1853. Jesse 
Brownback was a practical and successful farmer. He had ten 
children, nine of whom are yet living, as follows Penrose 
W., of Linfield; Clementine (Mrs. S. B. Stauffer); Anna 
(Mrs. F. Stauffer); Garret E., subject of this sketch; 
Martha (Mrs. P. W. Beerbower); Frederick, residing in 
Montana; Jacob C., who served in the rebellion and resides 
in Chester county; Edith (Mrs. N. Yeager); Margaret, (Mrs. 
W. F. Setzeler, deceased); Lewis C., of Chester county.

Garret E. Brownback's generation is the fifth of the family 
in America, the family line being Garret, Jesse, Peter, 
Henry and Gerhard, the last named being the immigrant. 
Gerhard Brumbaugh and wife were the parents of two sons and 
five daughters: the sons, Benjamin and Henry Brownback.

Gerhard Brumbaugh (the name being anglicized later into 
Garret Brownback) was born in Europe in 1662, coming from 
Germany to America about 1683. He settled at Germantown when 
only one house had been erected in that place. He married 
Mary Papn about 1716. She was born in 1695 and died at the 
homestead in Chester county. She was the daughter of Heivert 
(Howard) Papn, who married Elizabeth, daughter of William 
Rittenhouse, who carne from Holland in 1688. About 1720, 
Gerhard Brownback removed and settled in Vincent township, 
Chester county, where he took up about one thousand acres of 
land, erecting log buildings and making permanent settlement 
about 1736. He had a tavern license granted hint, the first 
in that part of the country. At that time an Indian village 
was within a few miles of his settlement. He made friends 
with the Indians and gave them provisions in exchange for 
labors. He was obliged to go to Valley Forge to get his plow 
irons sharpened, which was about ten miles from his home. He 
was the founder of the German Reformed church, known as 
Brownback's church, giving the land on which the church is 
erected and also the land for burial ground. The first 
building was erected in 1741; the first preacher was from 
Germany, his name being Peter Minicus.
 
Gerhard (Garret) Brownback had two sons and five daughters 
as follows: Benjamin; Henry; Mary; Magdalene; Catharine; 
Elizabeth; and Anna M.

Gerhard Brownback built a saw mill in Chester county and 
owned a half interest in a grist mill. He died in 1757. 
Benjamin Brownback succeeded his father in the hotel 
business and later served in the war of the Revolution. He 
replaced the log house with a commodious stone house.

Henry (great-grandfather) married and reared a family and 
died in Coventry township, Chester county. Among his 
children was Peter Brownback (grandfather), who, on March 
29, 1803, married Susan Defrain, widow of Edward Brownback, 
by whom he had two sons, Jesse (father) and John, both 
deceased.

William Rittenhouse was born 1644, near Mulheim. Later he 
resided in Holland, whence he came to America in 1688 and 
about 1690 erected the first paper mill in America, near 
Germantown. He died in 1708, at the age of sixty-four years, 
and was buried at Germantown in the Mennonite church yard. 
He founded this church and was the first Mennonite bishop in 
America. He brought with him three children, Nicholas, 
Gerhard and Elizabeth. By his will, Nicholas succeeded his 
father at the paper mill, and, by Nicholas' will, his son 
William inherited the property. He died intestate, and the 
property was divided equally among his children, Nicholas, 
William, Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, John, Mary, Susan, Margaret 
and Barbara. William was born at the paper mill property in 
1691. The Rittenhouse forefathers had long carried on the 
paper manufacture business at Arnheim, Holland. Nicholas 
Rittenhouse succeeded to the Germantown paper mill and was 
the father of Matthias Rittenhouse, who was the father of 
David Rittenhouse, the greatest astronomical and 
mathematical genius of his age.

Garret E. Brownback was reared in Chester county, near the 
old Brownback's church. After receiving a liberal education 
he entered on a business career. He was employed one year as 
clerk in Jesse Reinhart's store and formed a partnership 
with his brother, Penrose, in 1867, becoming a dealer in 
general merchandise at Linfield. After three years of 
successful experience, he built a commodious block for store 
purposes, where Penrose remains in business. The firm 
continued until 1876, when Garret carried on business alone, 
but later closed out to Penrose, retiring from mercantile 
business in 1887, engaging in what has led to his present 
occupation. He commenced attending Philadelphia market in a 
small way, with butter made by himself and bought from his 
neighbors.

In 1888, to make himself master of the business, he took a 
course in pharmacy, in Philadelphia, with special reference 
to the analysis of milk, and thus prepared himself for the 
work he has since done in his creamery. Mr. Brownback having 
made himself master of the butter business, erected his 
first creamery at Linfield in 1888, since which time he has 
added to his holdings from time to time until he owns ten 
creameries, his daily output of butter being thirty-two 
hundred pounds, while he buys a thousand or more of other 
manufacturers. He finds a ready market for his product in 
Philadelphia, where he sells mostly to consumers and to the 
grocery trade. To facilitate trade in butter he has eight 
stalls in Ridge Avenue Market, using a dozen delivery 
wagons, for the purpose of supplying customers with butter, 
chickens, eggs, and other produce. He also, has two teams at 
Atlantic City, which are engaged in supplying his trade. He 
offers to his patrons the purest creamery products on the 
market, and, delivers orders to all parts of Philadelphia, 
selling more butter than any other retail dealer. Mr. 
Brownback's creameries are fitted out with the most improved 
facilities for butter-making, including separators and other 
machinery, all operated by steam, and all being the best of 
their kind, and combining the latest results of progress in 
butter-making. He also operates an extensive ice plant, 
using the product in his business.
 
In his business management, Mr. Brownback is thoroughly 
progressive, employing every attainable improvement. His 
offices are equipped, with the best typewriters, desks, 
safes, and other appliances, and telephone connection 
supplies facilities for the prompt and successful 
transaction of business. He is the recognized authority on 
all matters connected with the operation and management of 
creameries. In addition to his creamery holdings, Mr. 
Brownback owns five fine farms, comprising in all five 
hundred acres. Two Chester county farms contain two hundred 
and twenty acres of land that has not been out of the 
Brownback name since the time of William' Penn, there being 
only one deed between the present owner and the proprietor 
of Pennsylvania: Mr. Brownback is a stockholder and 
treasurer of the cold storage plant at Linfield; he is also 
a director of the Industrial Savings Fund, of Royersford; 
vice president of the Home National Bank of Royersford; vice 
president of the Royersford Trust Company; and a director of 
the Ridge Avenue Market Company; treasurer not the Linfield 
Plough Company; and owns and operates the Linfield Steam 
Grist Mill

In 1897 Mr. Brownback erected a palatial residence at 
Linfield, constructed of stone of modern architecture. The 
grounds are extensive and all the surroundings beautiful. He 
also owns much other Linfield property.

On January 20, 1874, Mr. Brownback married Miss Emma Evans, 
who was born August 30, 1848. Mrs. Brownback is the daughter 
of Thomas B. and Mary A. (Schwenk) Evans. Thomas was a son 
of Owen Evans, and he a son of David, whose ancestor came 
from Wales to Pennsylvania several generations ago. The 
family have long been prominent in that section in 
Montgomery county. Owen Evans reared the following family: 
Robert; Mathew; David; John and Thomas B.

Thomas B. Evans received a good elementary education and was 
a successful business man, filling many positions of honor 
and trust in his community. He was commissioners' clerk for 
ten years, and was also clerk of the board of poor directors 
a number of years.

He was justice of the peace for several terms. Politically 
he was a Democrat. He retired from active business and lived 
generally at Linfield, where he died at the age of 
fifty-four years. The Evans family were Lutherans. Thomas B. 
Evans's wife survived him and died August 12, 1899, at the 
age of eighty-seven years. She was the daughter of Daniel 
Schwenk, Daniel being a son of John Schwenk. John Schwenk 
came with five brothers to America from Germany at an early 
date, all settling in Pennsylvania. Daniel Schwenk was 
reared in Frederick. He was a tanner by trade and also a 
farmer, and was well known and highly respected. His 
children were: Mary (Mrs. Thomas B. Evans); Harriet, died 
unmarried; Amelia (Mrs. William Herb); Elizabeth (Mrs. I. 
Stetter); Charlotte, died unmarried; Ephraim, died 
unmarried. The parents and family were Lutherans.

The children of Thomas B. and Mary Ann Evans: R. Brooke, a 
well known business man, now deceased; Mary E. (Mrs. B. F. 
Saylor); Charlotte, deceased; Emma E., wife of Mr. 
Brownback; Montgomery, one of the best known and most 
prominent members of the Norristown bar.

The children of Garret E. and Emma Brownback: Mary 
Elizabeth; Caroline; Charlotte Evans; Garrett Arthur; Jesse 
Evans, and John Kenneth. The daughters are all highly 
educated, being graduates of college and highly accomplished 
in music and art, also in languages. Garrett A., is a 
graduate of Yale College (1904), where he stood well in his 
class. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society; Jesse 
attended the Hill School at Pottstown and entered Yale 
Sheffield School, in September, 1904; John K. is attending 
the Hill School in Pottstown.

Mr. and Mrs. Brownback are church members; he of the 
Reformed church and she of the Lutheran. He is a Republican 
in politics.

This file has been created by a form at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pafiles/

File size: 11.7 Kb