Simon Brown , a 1834 settler, was the first cabinet-maker and undertaker in Cuyahoga Falls. He also ran an apprentice shop for cabinet makers.
Simon Brown built the old homestead on Broad Boulevard two years after his arrival and set up his furniture business on Front Street under the name Simon Brown Furniture Store. After serving in the war Simon’s son Josiah returned to the Falls and worked in the woodworking department at the Turner, Vaughn and Taylor company. He then took over his fathers furniture and undertaking businesses. Upon Josiah’s retirement, the furniture business was passed on to his son-in-law Charles Horton Whipple.
Charles’ wife Byrdana Whipple continued living in the old homestead on Broad along with her daughter Carol for many years while knitting upscale ladies clothing that was well-known nationwide.
Byrdana Whipple operated her business, Byrdana’s Hand Knitted Apparel, out of a shop in her home on Broad. Ms. Whipple was known professionally as Madam Byrdana. Her husband C. Horton Whipple operated Whipple Furniture Company on Front Street. Both enterprises were very popular and well-known.
The Whipple residence was originally built in 1836 by Josiah Brown and stood at 227 Broad Boulevard. Carol Whipple spent her later years attempting to save her ancestral home from being demolished. She hoped that it would one day be a museum. However, it was unable to be saved and it was razed in 1999. Byrdana’s hand knitted dresses, artifacts and documents from the home are located both in the Cuyahoga Falls Library’s Local History Room and at the Cuyahoga Falls Historical Society Museum.
Carol may not have succeeded in her last goal but we remember her for her efforts and her hope to preserve history.
Family Line
Simon Brown (1811-1895) & Elizabeth Pontious Brown (1817-1901)
Josiah Brown (1839- ) & Lucy Warner Brown (1841- )
Byrdana Brown Whipple (1877-1964) & Charles Horton Whipple (1880-1959)
Carol B. Whipple (1913-1998)
** Both photos of the Whipple home are noted as such however, they look very different.
http://www.ohio.com/news/local/retired-history-teacher-collects-artifacts-stories-from-civil-war-1.363558?ot=akron.PhotoGalleryResponsive.ot&s=1.363557
On the third photo of the article above shows Josiah Brown and some other memorabilia.
My name is Jon Takacs. From 1959 to 1967 when I was a young boy I lived behind Miss Carol Whipple. My parents and I became very good friends with her. I spent a lot of time with her and her mother who lived out behind the main house in a little cabin. I used to play in her back yard and loved all the flowers and eat the fruit of the trees, bushes and vines. I eventually helped her work in her flower gardens and yard. She loved working in her yard especially with the flowers. My favorite chore was helping her care for her goldfish pond in the back yard. I eventually was strong enough to use her gas lawn mower and I would cut her grass. I did other chores for her around the house. She used to make lunch for me with a slice of her fresh home made pies which she would sell and give away as gifts along with her knitted works. One of my chores was to load the food, pies and knitted works in her car. I remember her mother sitting by the window in the house knitting and all of us talking while I would eat, drink or take a break from chores. Our family moved away when they bought our house – land to build the new library. I still came back to visit her often. I moved to Texas in 1978 and every time I would come to Cuyahoga Falls I would visit her. She always would ask me to buy her house and fix it up as it was deteriorating. She wanted it to be a historical home and site. She had a vast quantity of antiques some of which were priceless. It was like a museum in itself. Carol would not see me the last time I came to visit due to her being very sick. I can still remember she yelled out the back upstairs window “Jon I am not taking any callers today, I am sick and dying and I don’t want you to see me, please go.” She died soon after. She never married that I know of. She treated me like the child she never had. It was a great relationship. I wish I could have saved it all for her wishes and for everyone to see the history of her home and family.