The Brown Families of Henry County, Illinois

Constant Brown, pleasant and genial in manner and faithful to every trust reposed in him, is well qualified for the position which he is now filling as freight and ticket agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, at Geneseo. His life record began on the 20th of March, 1845, the place of his nativity being Canajoharie, Montgomery county. New York. He was named for his paternal grandfather, Constant Brown, Sr., who was also a native of the Empire state. He was prominent in community affairs there, served as sheriff of Montgomery county for several years and was also justice of the peace. He was likewise a soldier of the war of 1812, and his military record and his official career were alike creditable and honorable. He married Miss Phoebe Albertson, and they continued their residence in New York until called to their final rest, Mr. Brown passing away at the age of eighty-six years, while his wife died when sixty-eight years of age. They had two sons and two daughters: Julia, Eliza, Charles H. and Constant. The last named, however, was drowned when six years of age.

Oiarles H. Brown, the father of our subject, was born in New York and devoted his entire life to business as a merchant tailor. He wedded Susan H. Hees, who was likewise a native of the Empire state, as were her parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Lipe) Hees. Her father was for many years a farmer of Montgomery county, New York, and was of Holland-Dutch descent. He passed away when sixty-five years of age, while his wife lived to the advanced age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of eleven children, all of whom are now deceased. This number included Mrs. Susan H. Brown. For years after their marriage the parents of our subject remained in New York but when well advanced in years sought a home in Geneseo in 1889. Here the death of Mr. Brown occurred in 1903, when he was eighty-four years of age. His wife survived him and died in 1907 at the age of eighty-five years. Both were consistent Christian people and held membership in the Presbyterian church, and their upright lives won them the love and esteem of all who knew them. They were the parents of two sons and two daughters, three of whom reached years of maturity: Mary E., the deceased wife of J. E. H. Kelley; Constant; and Jacob H., who is living in Cleveland, Ohio.

Constant Brown spent the first eight years of his life in the place of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal from Montgomery county to Oneida county. New York, living in Rome and Utica until twenty years of age. He attended the public schools there and was graduated from the Rome Academy in 1862. He afterward taught school for two winters and one summer and in 1865 came west to Illinois. Through the succeeding winter he engaged in teaching in Bureau county and in the following summer was employed ai farm labor. On the 17th of October, 1866, he entered the service of the Rock Island Railway Company as agent of what was then called Pond Creek but is now Wyanet. There he continued until the ist of July, 1884, when he came to Geneseo and was made freight and ticket agent here, which position he has filled continuously since for a period of a quarter of a century.

On the 23d of August, 1866, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Annie M. Wilcox, a daughter of Oliver G. Wilcox. Mrs. Brown was born in Oswego county. New York, and her parents were also natives of that state. Arriving in Illinois in 1853 they settled at Princeton, where their remaining days were passed. The father was a soldier of the war of 1812. Mrs. Brown attended the first county fair held in Bureau county, over a half century ago, the place being in a schoolhouse, the exhibits being displayed on the school desks. She has lived to see many notable changes in this part of the state, as northern Illinois has put off the evidences of frontier life and taken on all the advantages of modern civilization.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born seven children. Charles H., who is now station agent at Marquette, Illinois, married Nelly O'Leary, and they have three daughters: Annie M., Beatrice and Helen. Constant, who married Matie Striker, is engaged in the grain and stock business at Wyanet.

Fred H., a grocer at Geneseo, married Jessie L. Sargent, and they have two children: Dorothy and Constant. Harry E. is a lawyer of Geneseo, who married Mabel Welton. Roy W., who married Grace McLean, is manager of the Globe Manufacturing Company, of Amsterdam, New York. Susan H., who married Elmer C. Wilcox, lives in Argentine, Kansas. And Leslie R. died at the age of nineteen years on board a hospital ship during the Spanish-American war and was buried at sea.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the Methodist church, interested in its work and active in various movements for its upbuilding. Mr. Brown is serving as one of the church trustees. He belongs to Stewart Lodge, No. 92, A. F. & A. M., and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. For three years he was a member of the board of education, and his work in behalf of the schools was far-reaching and effective. That he has remained with the railroad company in one position for twenty-five years is unmistakable proof of his ability and trustworthiness, and his manner is at once so courteous and ob- Uging as to make him a most popular official with the patrons of the road.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRED H. BROWN.

Fred H. Brown is a leading grocer of Geneseo with a large establishment and a fine stock of goods, and his success has resulted from his progressive methods. A native of Illinois, he was born at Wyanet, August 6, 1870, and is a son of Constant and Annie M. (Wilcox) Brown, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. He remained a resident of Wyanet until thirteen years of age and during that period attended the public schools. In the summer of 1884 he came to Geneseo and was graduated from the high school of this city with the class of 1887. His education completed he began clerking in the grocery store of George T. Wilkinson and afterward entered the employ of the Rock Island Railroad Company, which he served in various departments, acting as a fireman for several years, or until 1897, when he purchased a half interest in the Ramsey grocery store of Geneseo, forming a partnership with William Lowes. This association was maintained with mutual pleasure and profit until 1905, when Mr. Brown purchased his partner's interest and has since been sole proprietor of the store. He has developed a fine business, employing several clerks, while his stock is always fresh and contains a full line of staple and fancy groceries. His store, too, is neat and tasteful in its arrangement and judicious advertising is also a feature of his business.

On the 20th of June, 1894, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Sargent, a native of Geneseo and a daughter of Daniel F. and Abra (Dunning) Sargent. Mr. and Mrs. Brown now have two children, Dorothy and Constant. The parents and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The. family occupies a pleasant home on Stewart avenue, which is the above of hospitality, its doors being ever open for the cordial reception of their many friends.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HARRY E. BROWN.

There is no profession in which advancement depends more surely upon individual effort than in the law. It is a calling in which wealth or influence avail little or naught toward the attainment of success but where close application, earnest purpose and intellectual strength constitute the foundation on which prosperity is built. Mr. Brown now practicing at the Geneseo bar, has made a creditable record in connection with the work of the courts. He was born at Wyanet, Bureau county, Illinois, April 22, 1872, and is a son of Constant and Annie M. (Wilcox) Brown, both of whom were natives of the Empire state, and are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. It was also in New York that Charles H. Brown, the grandfather, was born and reared. He was of English lineage and a descendant of Peter Brown, who crossed the Atlantic in the Mayflower during the formative period of our nation's history. Charles H. Brown belonged to the state militia of New York and while residing there engaged in business as a merchant tailor. He married Susan H. Hees and after living for many years in the east they removed to Geneseo, where Mr. Brown died when well advanced in years. His widow afterward went to Cleveland, Ohio, where her last days were passed. In their family were two sons and two daughters: Mary, who became the wife of J. E. H. Kelley; Helen, who died when a young lady; Constant, the father of our subject; and Jacob H., of Cleveland, Ohio.

In the material line Harry E. Brown can trace his ancestral history back to Joshua and Mollie Wilcox, the great-grandparents. The former served as a valiant soldier of the American army in the Revolutionary war. His son, Oliver G. Wilcox, was born in New York, October 27, 1795, and having arrived at years of maturity was married April 25, 1819, to Elizabeth Hees. He made farming his life work and died August 9, 1887, having for more than twenty-eight years survived his wife who died June 12, 1859. They were the parents of ten children: Josiah, Henrietta, Jerome, Clinton, Eveline, John J., William Henry, Oliver J., George W. and Annie M. The last named became the wife of Constant Brown and they are now residents of Geneseo.

Harry E. Brown resided in Bureau county, Illinois, until twelve years of age and during the period attended the Wyanet public schools. His early educational advantages were afterward supplemented by study in Geneseo where in 1889 he completed the high-school course. After determining upon the practice of law as a life work he became a student in the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, was graduated in 1895 and the same year was admitted to the bar. He then formed a partnership with Emery C. Graves, who is now a judge of the circuit court and for six years they practiced together. Since that time Mr. Brown has been alone and occupies beautiful offices over the Central

Trust and Savings Bank. His clientage is extensive and of a distinctively representative character. He is regarded as a wise counselor and able advocate and in the presentation of his cause before the court seldom fails to win the verdict desired.

On the 28th of April, 1904, occurred the marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss Mabel Welton, a native of Cambridge, Illinois, and a daughter of Frank G. and Ella M. (Clark) Welton. Her mother was born at Rockford, Illinois, while her father was a native of Connecticut. They were early settlers of Henry county, this state, the father coming here in his boyhood days in 185 1. He died August 8, 1907, at the age of sixty-four years. He was a soldier of the Civil war, serving in Company B, Forty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was equally loyal to his country in days of peace and for thirty-two years was county clerk, filling that position at the time of his death. His wife, who was born December 13, 1849, is still living in Cambridge, Illinois. They were the parents of six children: Albert D.; Clarence W.; Kate C, the wife of Judge B. M. Smith, of Chicago; Mabel E., now Mrs. Brown; Susan B., the wife of Loring R. Sheppard; and Thomas, of Cambridge. There is also definite information to be had concerning the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Brown — Albert Welton. He was a native of Connecticut and in the east married Susan E. Bidwell. In 1851 they came to Henry county, Illinois, and were farming people here. His death occurred in Greenwood, Nebraska, in 1902, while his wife passed away in 1906. They were the parents of four children: Frank G., Mary E., George W. and Clarence W.

In his political views Mr. Brown has been an earnest republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise but the honors and emoluments of office have little attraction for him. He is a member of the Methodist church while his wife belonged to the Episcopal church and they occupy a pleasant and attractive home on Main street, which is the above of warm-hearted and generous hospitality. Mr. Brown is appreciative of the social amenities of life and his genial qualities have won him many friends but his attention is preeminently given to his professional duties, his devotion to his clients' interests being proverbial.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

THOMAS SCOTT BROWN.

Reared amid pioneer environments in Illinois, serving as a soldier in the Union army in the Civil war, and since that time devoting his attention to farming interests in Henry county — such in brief is the life history of Thomas Scott Brown, who is now living retired in Osco township, where for the past thirty-five years he has maintained his home. He was born in Fulton county, Illinois, June 7, 1835, when the work of progress and development had scarcely been begun in this section of the state. Much of the land was still unclaimed and uncultivated, comparatively few roads had been laid out and the railroads had not yet been built. In fact only three years before had the Black Hawk war occurred and there were still many evidences of Indian occupancy in this part of Illinois. The native timber was uncut and but few furrows had been turned on the prairies. Many of the homes were log cabins and others were primitive frame structures with comparatively few conveniences or modern improvements.

The parents of Mr. Brown were John and Sarah (Kirkpatrick) Brown, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. The former was a weaver by trade and in 1835 came to Illinois, settling in Fulton county, where he and his brother, Cunningham Brown, had each purchased a quarter section of land. He transformed the raw prairie into productive fields and lived there for many years, but in the early '70s removed to Henry county and settled in Osco township, where he died in 1880 at the age of eighty-three years and nine months. His wife survived him for six or eight years and was eighty-three years and four months of age at the time of her demise. Their lives were actuated by Christian faith and they were long consistent members of the Presbyterian church. They had a family of five sons and one daughter: Thomas Scott, of this review; John G., of Marshalltown, Iowa; and Mary, the wife of Walker L. Hitchcock, of Orion, Illinois. George C, James M. and an infant son are deceased.

Thomas Scott Brown spent his youthful days amid the conditions which existed during the pioneer epoch in the history of Illinois, pursuing his education in one of the old time log schoolhouses where, seated on a slab bench, he conned his lessons. The curriculum, however, consisted of little more than the "three R's: reading, 'itin, and 'arithmetic." As the years have passed, however, varied experiences have broadened his knowledge and made up for the deficiency of the primitive schools. He remained at home until he had attained his majority, when he started out in life for himself by renting land. In that way he carried on farming until he was able to purchase property. At the time of the Civil war.

.\3Vi "" however, he put aside all business and personal considerations and offered his services to the government, enlisting on the 9th of August, 1862, as a member of Company G, One Hundred and Third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He remained with the regiment until honorably discharged on the 24th of June, 1865. He was wounded near Columbia, South Carolina, and lost his right arm February 15. 1865. He participated in all of the important battles from Chattanooga to the sea, seeing active duty under General Logan in the Fifteenth Army Corps. When he lost his arm he was hauled from Columbia, South Carolina, to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where on the 12th of March, 1865, he took a boat that went by way of the Cape Fear river to Wilmington, Delaware. He was then taken to Grant's Hospital on Long Island, and was honorably discharged on the 24th of June, following, holding at the time the rank of first sergeant.

When the war was over Mr. Brown returned to his home in Fulton county, Illinois, and although handicapped by the loss of his arm, he resumed farming and has attained success which many a man sound in every limb might well envy. In 1868 he removed to Henry county and broke the prairie upon his farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Osco township. He divided his time between his farming interests in Henry and Fulton counties for several years and has made his home in Henry county for the past thirty-five years, living in Osco township. He now owns one of the best improved farms in the county, comprising two hundred and eighty acres, and in addition to that he at one time owned six hundred and forty acres in Nebraska. This he afterward sold but he still owns his two hundred and eighty acre farm, for which he paid thirty thousand dollars and which has constantly increased in value. For many years he also engaged in loaning money. While in Nebraska he sustained a severe injury by being thrown from a broncho and since that time has lived practically retired, but he still supervises his business interests.

In his political views Mr. Brown is a stalwart republican and his fellow townsmen have called him to fill local offices. He has served as supervisor and assessor for a number of years and was also collector for two terms. He is numbered among the valued citizens of Henry county and highly respected by all and well known for his benevolences and deeds of charity, giving freely and generously of his means to those in need. He has a host of warm friends and well deserves mention in this volume.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ROY SCOTT BROWN.

Roy Scott Brown, an enterprising and progressive agriculturist and stockman of Osco township, has been actively engaged in the operation of a farm of two hundred and eighty acres on section 13 since 1904. He is numbered among the worthy native sons of Henry county, having been born on the old family homestead on section 15, Osco township, on the 5th of January, 1881, a son of James Monroe and Martha E. (Myers) Brown. He was reared to manhood on the home farm and supplemented his preliminary education by attendance at the Geneseo Collegiate Institute during one fall and two winter seasons. In 1904 he took charge of his uncle's farm of two hundred and eighty acres on section 13, Osco township, and has since devoted his time and energies to its operation with excellent success. In addition to cultivating the various cereals best adapted to soil and climate he also devotes some attention to the feeding and shipping of cattle and is a young man of good business ability and sound judgment. In August, 1908, he bought a Reo automobile, his brother having purchased one of these cars in the previous October. In 1909 the brothers began selling the machine and disposed of seven during the summer of that year.

On the 16th of January, 1907, in Cambridge, Mr. Brown was joined in wedlock to Miss Elnora Hornecker, a native of Edford township, this county, and a daughter of Martin and Martha (Schumaker) Hornecker. Their union has been blessed with one child, Marjorie, whose birth occurred on the 31st of August, 1908. Mr. Brown is a stanch republican in his political views and cast his first presidential vote for Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Both he and his wife are well known and highly esteemed throughout the county in which they have spent their entire lives and have an extensive circle of warm friends who entertain for them the kindHest regard.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DAVID SEYMOUR BROWN.

David Seymour Brown, who owns and cultivates the northwest quarter of section 5, Munson township, his farm being improved according to the most modern methods of agriculture, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1862, and is a son of William T. and Mary (Neal) Brown. The parents came to Henry county when their son David was but two years of age and for a number of years afterward Mr. Brown cultivated a rented farm, while subsequently he lived for a time in Geneseo township. He afterward purchased eighty acres of land in Osco township, where he spent the remainder of his days. His entire life was devoted to general agricultural pursuits and he was a man of industry and perseverance, whose success was attributable entirely to his own labors. In the family were two children, but the elder, Margaret, died at the age of two years.

David Seymour Brown is indebted to the public school system of the county for the educational privileges which he enjoyed. Through the periods of vacation he worked in the fields and after his school days were over he devoted his entire time and attention to the improvement of the home farm until about thirty years of age. He was then married, on the 28th of January, 1892, to Miss Lora Gilbert, a daughter of Nathaniel C. and Francelia (Amsden) Gilbert. Her father was born near Richmond, Ontario county. New York, while the mother's birth occurred near Rochester, Vermont.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.