Six Degrees of Reverend Nelson (Warren Pennsylvania Notables and the Homes They Lived In)

Location:  319 Liberty Street

Warren, Pennsylvania

Architectural style:  Second Empire

Year constructed:  1868

Original owner:  William D. Brown

16 rooms

William D. Brown was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1863-65.   He served as the Second President Judge of the 37th Judicial District from 1880 to 1890.

Excerpt from The History of the 37th Judicial District:  Hon. William D. Brown was born in Sugar Grove in 1823. After availing himself of such educational advantages as the public and private schools of Sugar Grove and the Warren Academy afforded, he studies law in the office of Johnson & Brown and was admitted to practice in 1847. In 1849 he was elected justice of the peace for Warren borough but resigned a short time later. In the fall of 1850 he was elected district attorney and held the office for three years. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1863-1965 and elected to the bench as President Judge in the fall of 1880. 

From 1851 to the time of his election as judge, he was actively and quite successfully engaged. A lifelong resident of Warren County, Judge Brown was the son of Hon. David Brown, the first Representative from Warren County to the Pennsylvania House.

The house remained in the Brown family until 1934, when it was sold to Adam Yerg.  The most notable renovation at this time was the removal of the tower.

Adam Yerg was born in 1879 and died in 1943.  His wife, who first name is not used in this obituary, continued to live in the house on Liberty Street until her death in 1962.   The ownership of the house then passed to her son Dr. A. F. Yerg.

Robert Robison Yerg, 1958 Warren High School graduate, is the son of Dr. and Mrs. A. F. Yerg.

1958 Warren High School Dragon yearbook

Six degrees of Reverand Nelson:

1. Judge William D. Brown
2. Adam Yerg
3. Mrs. Adam Yerg
4. Dr. A. F. Yerg
5. Robert Robison Yerg
6. Beverly Johnson, member of  St. Paul's Lutheran Church and East Third Avenue neighbor.

From the Warren County Observer, 1/25/1962.  (bold added)

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was the setting June 24 at 2:30 p.m. for the marriage of Miss Beverly Jeanne Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Walter Johnson, 5 E. Third ave., to Robert Robison Yerg, son of Dr. and Mrs. A. Follmer Yerg, 16 Fourth ave. The double-ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Carl E. R. Nelson of St. Paul’s, with the Rev. Donald H. Spencer of First Presbyterian Church assisting.

All 319 Liberty Street photo credits:  Retiring Guy (October 2008)

Related posts:

The Physicians' Building.  (12/30/2013)

C. W. Stone.  (12/28/2013)