Lars Josefsen Bryn's birth record from the original church records:

He is # 87 on this page
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524640626....

It seems he is on the 1865 census, running a farm owned by his father, with his sister.

http://www.rhd.uit.no/folketellinger/ftliste_e.aspx?ft=1865&...

Census year: 1865
Municipality: Voss
Municipality number: 1235
Name of domicile: Lid øvre
Number of persons in this domicile: 5

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Name Family status Marital status Occupation Birth year Place of birth Ethnicity
Lars Josephsen ug Bestyrer Faderens Gaard 1845 Voss Prgj.
Anne Josephsdatter ug bestyrer Faderens Husholdning 1844 Voss Prgj.
Ingeborg Gullaksdatter ug Lægdebarn 1850 Voss Prgj.
Ole Nielsen g Vilkaarsmand 1791 Voss Prgj.
Britha Bryngelsdatter hans Kone g 1813 Voss Prgj.

The older couple there may be the previous owners?

Information might be more easily gotten by contacting the Douglas County Historical Society directly at
historic@rea-alp.org

There is a fee, but it is worth it.

They may have a family file for this family.

Minnesota death certificate index - you can send for his death certificate, which might give the place of burial too.

http://people.mnhs.org/dci/Search.cfm?bhcp=1

BROWN, LEWIS J
Date of Birth: na
Place of Birth: na
Mother Maiden Name: na
certid# 1913-MN-003495
Date of Death: 21 Dec 1913
County of Death: DOUGLAS

My guess would be at that time, if you lived in either Alexandria, or Alexandria township, you might be buried in Kinkead Cemetery, near the town.

Kinkead Cemetery Assn
530 Agnes Blvd NW,
Alexandria, MN 56308

320-763-3328

They have records.

You have seen all the Browns on the 1880 census?

The Douglas county Album of the Ages, published about 1980, may have information about the Browns. The DCHS could tell you that. There were also some biography books published in 1902, 1904 and 1916 that might be worth looking into. I own 2 of them and might check later, but I don't have them with me on vacation. Remind me.

But I do have one little book called "How the Lakes Were Named, Alexandria, Minnesota" by Lorayne Larson, which mentions your ancestor, I believe. Lake Darling, just north of town, has a shoreline called Brown's Point. Here's what it says:

"Lake Darling"
"This lake received its name from Andreas A. Darling, who came in 1860. (1854 actually) Brown's Point, of course, was named for L.J. Brown, the prominent business man in Alexandria. However, in an old pamphlet belonging to Pat Robards, Mr. Brown had a real estate ad calling the Point, Point Delight. Most of the original cottages on this point remain. Many new ones have been built."
"From the Local Paper of Aug. 7, 1902 I quote the following:
Social Doings at Brown's Point
"Brown's point is socially the busiest section of Douglas County. There aer so many parties and so frequent that it makes the cottagers with for the quiet of St. Louis and Kansas City. Monday Evening Mrs. and Mrs. Mansur gave a card party at their cottage. Mr. Van Blarcum wonthe head prize, and L.J. Brown walked off with the other honors. Tuesday evening the social whirl continued on the Point when Mr. and Mrs. Brown entertained. Mr Isham was high and walked off with the whole cheese. Mr. Woodward won a stein. Then Mr. and Mrs. Tollef Jacobson christened their handsome new cottage with a ball. It was a swell affair. Music was furnished by the Twin City Mandolin Club and a Minneapolis caterer served the refreshments. They were assisted by Luella, Mabel and Florence Brown. It was the swellest resort function."

On page 18, it refers to the Three Havens area - now worth millions and millions of dollars of lakeshore real estate. Here is what it says:

Three Havens:
with only narrow bars of land separating Lake L'Homme Dieu from Lake Carlos, and Lake Carlos from Lake Darling (Big and Little), this area between these lakes has always been known as Three Havens. It was first platted by L.J. Brown, and probably named by him. HIs name appears on most deeds to the area. IN 1881 Mr. Brown built a castle like home for his family on Lake Winona near Alexandria. This homw was the social center of the town. The Browns entertained governors, and many VIP's when they visited Alexandria. The property is now occupied by Our Lady of Mercy Hospital." (Today called the Marian Building, on Cedar St. and 7th ave west.)

I am sort of a cemetery buff, and I do remember that there was quite a large above ground burial that said Brown on it, at the Kinkead Cemetery. I don't remember the first names. Now I'm curious and might stop there on my way into town tomorrow. There are two that stood out in the cemetery, striking me as graves that rich people of the time would have. One was the Brown gravesite.

Good luck, Taryn