Ebenezer Cooley “Ben” Brown lived an interesting, varied life. The Louisiana native wore many hats during his tenure in the Honey Lake Valley, a rancher, shop keeper, tugboat captain, to name a few.
Orphaned at an early age, in 1874 he left his native Louisiana for Baker City, Oregon to work on a ranch, save some money and further his education. His brother, Rutherford Brown had come to California in 1861, first working in mines, and later became an attorney. Ben followed in his brother’s footsteps, at least with the mining portion and for eight years prospected various places in the West, with not much success. His brother, Rutherford came to his aid. In 1884, he purchased the Hamilton Ranch in the Honey Lake Valley from Pheobe Masten Hamilton Slater for $12,000. (The property is known today as the Fleming Unit of the Honey Lake Wildlife Area.)
When the Amedee boom came along in 1892, the restless Ben decided to open a general store there and his brother, then leased the ranch to John T. Long. However, two years later Ben went bankrupt, and his brother, stepped up to the plate once again, and Long’s lease was not renewed, and Ben returned to the ranch. However, in a few years, Ben would not be able to rely upon for assistance, when Rutherford passed away. In 1898, when Rutherford’s estate was settled he left his brother with $2,500, while his widow, Ellen retained ownership of the Honey Lake ranch, in addition to other properties.
Ben Brown fell back on his mining experiences, but this time in the early 1900s hit pay dirt at Goldfield, Nevada. He was prudent and took his money when times were good, probably no doubt influenced what he experienced at Amedee. In 1905, he purchased a store and creamery at Spoonville, and made that his home for over a decade.
In the near future we will examine Brown’s Lassen Mill & Lumber Company operation and that of the Pacific Coast Bear Club, both headquartered at Spoonville.
E.C.”Ben” Brown was my grandfather and I heard many stories of him and my dad’s family that lived on the ranch in Honey Lake, Ca. My dad was one of 7 children that lived and worked in and around the ranch at the turn of the 1900’s. According to my dad and his brothers and sisters, (my aunts and uncles) they told me about some of the property’s, stores and other things that he owned while living in Lassen County, Ca. E.C. Brown died at an early age which caused most of the family to relocate to Oakland, Ca while my dad was in his teens. I have talked to Tim Purdy on occasion about my families history in Lassen County and what he has written in one of his books, “SAGEBRUSH REFLECTIONS”, history of Amedee and Honey Lake. I have many cousins that still live in the area and I see them from time to time as I have relocated to Reno, NV. R.G.Brown