The Allen-Brown House

Believed to be one of the oldest structures in Belton, the Allen-Brown House was built in 1878 of native stone and horsehair mortar, and through the years, had many owners. Each owner left his or her mark on the home. In the mid-1970s the house was purchased by Marsha Pickens Brewer who discovered a treasure trove of artifacts in a trunk in the attic. The written and photographic documentation reveals much about this historic Belton home.

A ledger revealed the names of thirty-one families who traveled from Tennessee and Missouri to find new homes on the Texas frontier. Among this group were the Bighams, the Scotts, and the Allens who settled on the Leon River in the newly-formed Bell County in late 1851 or early 1852. They named the settlement Tennessee Valley. (Tennessee Valley was one of the lost communities covered by the waters of Lake Belton).

One of the pioneer children was Martha Scott who later married John Quincy Allen. They made their home in Belton and were prominent citizens, both economically and socially. John Allen was vice-president of Belton National Bank and operated several businesses as well as managed a large farm. They purchased the house on Main Street in 1882. A deed indicated three previous owners of the house.

The grand entry hall had Williamsburg molding, a cut-glass chandelier, and a beautiful winding stairway. Beneath the stairway was a closet with a secret door leading to an underground passageway and cellar. Stories claim this was a hideaway for runaway slaves. In the John Quincy Allen days, the dining room was used as a ballroom. The house had two parlors, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. The gentlemen’s parlor had a large mantle with a “smoking rail” where guests conversed while smoking their pipes and cigars. Martha Allen and her friends often played bridge in the side yard, sipping lemonade under tall oaks. Two cooling windows kept eggs, butter, and milk chilled. In the winter months, pies, cakes, and bread were cooled there. A servants quarters called Mount Zion faced Pearl Street. A carriage house occupied one corner of the property. The large front porch had an original porch swing, front door, and screen. A sun porch above it offered a pleasing view of Main Street.

One of the Allen’s daughters, Allie, married William Henry Brown, Sr., a dashing Canadian with a handlebar mustache and an adventurous spirit. For many years, he was senior partner of a large business establishment called Brown and Harris. He was engaged in the banana trade as manager of two steamship companies: the Caribbean Fruit & Steamship Company and the Bluefields Steamship Company. One of his adventures involved mining for gold in Nicaragua where he organized the Topaz Mining Company. It was in Nicaragua that a daughter, Bessie Bonita, was born. The Browns’ son, Harry, and his wife were the next occupants of Allen House, and Bessie Bonita lived next door with her husband, Henry Ghent, who was a member of a prominent pioneer Belton family. Harry Brown worked as an electrical engineer, contracting with the nearby military base, Fort Hood. The Browns had no children of their own, and Harry lived there until his death in 1975.

Today the Alllen-Brown House is a bed and breakfast inn called Bryn Oaks.

"Henry Brown Dead: Prominent Figure in Atlantic Coast History Passes Away in Belton, Texas." in [Allie Brown Journal]. July 3, 1921.

Nygren, Justine D. “When Old Homes Talk.” Heritage, Summer, 1987.