Ariah Coates Brower

Ariah Coates Brower was born Jan 13, 1817 in Phelps, New York to John J. and Fannie Coates Brower. Ariah served as the 5th Mayor of Richmond.

Early Life

"The early part of my life was spent in the place of my nativity in helping my father in the pursuits of agriculture, in connection with my two brothers, Joseph and William. The opportunity which I had for obtaining an education was very limited." In 1830, the Brower family moved to Huntsburg, Ohio where Fannie Brower died in 1831. "Not being altogether satisfied with my home situation, and being desirous to learn something of the world, and upon seeing a notice in the newspaper for an apprentice, I resolved to learn the art of printing which I accordingly commenced on the 17th day of May 1833, with Eber D. Howe, publisher of the Painesville Telegraph, in Geanga County, Ohio. When I left home, my father gave me all the money he had which was 43 cents, to bear my expense, which I gladly received, (it is the most I had ever had before, I felt quite rich) and started."1

Ariah worked until we became sick in the fall and returned home to live with his family for the winter. While there, he proposed to Margaret Elizabeth Hussey. One spring, Ariah worked for a period of a few years in Detroit, Michigan to get enough money to move west. Finally, On July 4, 1838, Ariah obtained the expenses he needed to move to Illinois where his family was now living. He joined a stage company, then rode on horse to reach his families home July 12-13, 1838.1

Life in Illinois

The reason that the Bower family moved to Illinois was to live near the Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which Ariah was not a member of yet. He married Margaret Elizabeth Hussey on Sep 7, 1838 in Spring Point, Illinois. Soon after their marriage, John fell sick to chills and died Oct 3, 1838. Ariah and Margaret had many different jobs and worked in about a year from housekeeping, team driver, and corn shucker.1

In April of 1839, Ariah obtained a job in Indianapolis, Indiana, and moved Margaret and her mother, Mary Ann Johnson, to live with them.1

Conversion

While in Indiana, Ariah began his conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Here it was, then Elder Hyde and Page passed on their mission to Jerusalem, that I became fully convinced that the doctrine preached by the Latter-day Saints was correct; notwithstanding, the opportunities which I had during my apprenticeship, of making myself acquainted with the doctrine of the church. The wife of my old boss being a Mormon and Painsville being situated 9 miles from Kirtland, I was often invited to drive the horse and buggy to meeting with her, which gave me quite an opportunity for information but being untrained as well as quite young, did not fancy to acquaint myself, thoroughly with the principles of the Gospel, but was perfectly satisfied that if the Mormons were not right, there were no right upon the earth."1

"After Elder Hyde and Page left, I could not rest satisfied; I closed up my business, and on the 12th day of July 1840, I started for Illinois." Araih was able to get a piece of land and gained a pre-emption claim. "In February 1842, there came into our midst an Elder Simeon Carter, who obtained a house, gave out an appointment and preached. The house was well filled, The second or third sermon, he gave out volunteers to be baptized, Ten came forward of which I was the first one who was baptized. The was the 24th day of the month. The next day, Sunday, I was ordained a Priest; other offices were also ordained and a branch was organized. Noah M. Faunce was the presiding Elder. About one week from this time, my wife was rebaptized..."1

Life in Nauvoo

"In June I made a visit to Nauvoo in order to see if I could get a situation at the printing business, I returned home on the 4th of July, determined to sell out and move to Nauvoo at the earliest opportunity, which I accordingly accomplished in June 1843 which was one year from the time I first went to Nauvoo."1

After a ruff and difficult journey to Nauvoo and enough work and determination, the Brower family were finally able to obtain a small parcel of land in the city.1

After the assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, their bodies were taken to the George Q. Cannon home where they were prepared for burial. Just before their burial, Cannon and Ariah made the now famous Joseph and Hyrum Smith Death Masks, the only indication of what the men look like as there are no photos of them.

Crossing the Plains and Life in Salt Lake City.

The Brower family joined the John Taylor Company in 1847, one of the first companies to move west. After moving the Salt Lake, he was appointed as foreman of the Deseret News. He held the position until 1864 when he moved to Grantsville, Utah. A year later, after surveying Cache and Bear Lake Valleys to find a place to live, the Brower family moved to Richmond.2

Life in Richmond

The Brower family first moved and built a home on 100 East and 200 South. They were able to purchase the land where the Old Fort resided and built their home where it once stood.2

Mayoral Term (1880 - 1883)

Araih C. Brower served as the 5th Mayor of Richmond from 1880-1883 after Alvin F. Stewart stepped down as Mayor to move to Arizona. Due to pore recording, not much information was preserved about Araih Brower's Mayoral Term.

Ariah C. Brower was succeeded by John C. Whittle Sr.

Family

Ariah married Margaret Elizabeth Hussey Sep 7, 1838 in Spring Point, Illinois where they had 11 children. Ariah would enter the practice of polygamy when he married Ruth Calvert Feb 17, 1851; Margaret Thomson, Feb 6, 1853; Mary Jane Humphrey, March 5, 1854; Hannah Thomson, Jan 7, 1865; Elizabeth Tabitha Luckock Mason, March 21, 1868; Anna Sofia Olsdotter, April 7, 1884.

Ariah married seven women and had 30 children with them.

Epilogue