One of the most successful merchants in Wayne County history was John Brown, a native of Cornwall, England. Born in 1826, he came to Honesdale in 1842, learned the chair-making trade from A. B. Miller and in 1850 purchased the business, at that time located on Main Street near the current location of the Borough Hall. In 1859 he moved the furniture business to Park Street, where his building still stands, next to the Hotel Wayne. In 1885, Brown’s son, J. Samuel Brown, learned embalming and became the funeral director of the company. As was customary at the time and even into the present day, the two businesses—furniture and undertaking—were generally combined. The establishment was proud of its reputation for safety on the road; John Brown, who died in 1897, made it a point to buy only gentle horses and hire reliable, conscientious drivers and never suffered damaged furniture or disrupted funerals due to careless driving.

From the collection of the Wayne County Historical Society 810 Main St., Honesdale, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information visit WayneHistoryPA.org or call 570/253-3240.