James Renwick Brown was born in Edinburgh, Scotland March 5, 1831. At the age of 14 he enlisted in the 71st Highland Light Infantry and spent eleven years in this service. He came to Canada with his troop at the age of 16 and was stationed in Quebec City and Montreal. He went back to Europe to fight in the Crimean War, and then returned to Edinburgh where he married Elizabeth Oswald on April 27, 1847. He then returned to Canada and settled in Oshawa, where he joined the 34th Battalion and saw action during the Fenian Raids. He worked as a factory inspector for the Province of Ontario for seventeen years. He married Annie Riggs May 28, 1892 and together they had one son. James died November 18, 1909 and is interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

Annie Riggs was born to Mary McLaughlin and William Riggs of Ireland. She married William Best September 6, 1883, James Renwick Brown May 28, 1892 and William Reddick June 9, 1913. In 1904 she was appointed as a Female Inspector of Factories, the second such woman in Ontario. She became involved with issues related to child labour, factory and store wages, and other labour welfare movements. She retired from the position in 1925. She had one son, Arthur Frederick Best, who married Elma Sophia Hamel January 9, 1909. Annie died August 30, 1939 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.