The Brown Families of Madison County, Iowa

In the demise of John Brown, Madison county lost one of its well known pioneer farmers and stockmen. He was born in Morrow county, Ohio, January 28, 1826, the oldest child of Jacob and Elizabeth (Dillon) Brown, both of whom were of German lineage. His grandfathers were Robert Dillon and Luther Brown.

Mr. Brown was reared upon a farm and received the usual training of farm boys, assisting his father with the cultivation of the fields and the care of the stock and attending the district schools in the acquirement of an education. When he had attained his majority he began farming on his own account and in 1854 removed to this county, purchasing three hundred and twenty acres of land in Madison township. He proved an excellent farmer and stockman and gave considerable attention to the raising of cattle and sheep. He brought his land to such a high state of cultivation and made such good improvements upon the place that when it was sold he received the sum of ten thousand dollars for it. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Lincoln township, adjoining the corporate limits of Winterset, and there resided for a number of years. He was among the leaders in the movement to improve the stock in the county and kept the best breeds of cattle and horses. About 1885 he retired from active life and rented his farm. He took up his above in Winterset and resided there until his death, which occurred on the loth of April, 191 1, when he was eighty-five years of age. As his life had been lived in harmony with the laws of health he was active and hearty until a short time before his demise.

On the ist of November, 1857, Mr. Brown married Miss Nancy M. Powell, who was born in Marion county, Indiana, on the 3d of May, 1839, a daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Conger) Powell. Her father was born in Brown county, Pennsylvania, in 1796, of Welsh descent, and her mother in Essex county, New Jersey, in 1801. Mr. Powell was a farmer and became a pioneer resident of Madison county. In 1852 he removed from Indiana to Oquawka, Illinois, but in the spring of 1834 came to this county and purchased twelve hundred acres of land. He passed away in 1868 and was survived by his wife until 1881: her death occurring when she was eighty-eight years of age. They had twelve children, six of whom died in Indiana. Mrs. Brown is the only one now living. Her father gave her two hundred acres of land in Douglas township. After she and Mr. Brown were married they began housekeeping in a little log cabin fourteen feet square and lived in the simplest manner, as did all of the pioneers. Four years later they had prospered so that Mr. Brown was able to build a good stone house, the first on Coon divide. To their union was born a daughter, Elizabeth Olive, whose birth occurred on the 7th of April, 1859.

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

Mahlon Brown is a representative agriculturist and respected citizen of Madison county, owning a well improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 30, Scott township. His birth occurred in Belmont county, Ohio, on the 8th of August, 1847, his parents being Austin G. and I'pleasant (West) Brown, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Ohio, in which state their marriage was celebrated. Mrs. Brown inherited a farm from her father and on this they lived until called to their final rest, the mother passing away during the early boyhood of our subject. The property was subsequently sold and divided among the children, a record of whom follows: John joined the Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry at the time of the Civil war and at the end of three years' service reenlisted. He was wounded in the leg and honorably discharged, but on leaving the hospital to come home he was seized with pneumonia and died. His remains were interred at Cleveland, Ohio. Enos, who also served in the Civil war as a member of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, came to Madison county in 1867 and here passed away. Margaret Ann, who was her father's housekeeper after her mother's death and who reared her brother Mahlon, is now the widow of Jehu Moore and makes her home in Winterset. Martha, twin sister of Enos, gave her hand in marriage to Enoch Felby and in an early day removed to O'Brien county, Iowa, where her demise occurred. Harriet died when a young lady. Annis passed away in childhood. By his second wife Austin G. Brown had three sons and a daughter, namely: William, Alvin, Osborn and Emma, all of whom are deceased.

Mahlon Brown left home when nineteen years of age and began working as a farm hand, giving his father seventy-five dollars in lieu of his services until he attained his majority. He came to Iowa in 1867, traveling by train to Monroe, by stage to Des Moines and on to Winterset and reaching Madison county on the 4th of March with but seventy-five cents in his pocket. That same night he encountered some relatives and friends at a spelling school. He secured employment as a farm hand at a wage of twenty dollars per month and was thus engaged for nine months, losing less than two days of the entire period. Subsequently he bought a tract of ninety-one acres in Adams county, Iowa, and there carried on farming for ten years, on the expiration of which period he returned to Madison county, purchasing his present place of one hundred and twenty acres in Scott township. The property was fenced but otherwise entirely unimproved. He has erected substantial and commodious buildings thereon and now has a valuable and productive farm which yields him a gratifying annual income, although the work of the fields devolves upon his son Frank, for his health has become impaired.

In 1869, in Madison county, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Alice Bellis, who was born in Indiana on the 8th of September, 1850, her parents being James and Rachel (Bordman) Bellis, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. Mr. Bellis passed away in Missouri and his widow afterward came to this county, here spending the remainder of her life. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have seven children, as follows: William E., residing in New Mexico, who is married and has three children; Emma, the wife of C. C. Bowlsby, of Des Moines, by whom she has three children; Elva, who is the wife of H. C. Frederickson, of Minnesota, and has one child; Carrie May, who gave her hand in marriage to P. T. Brusnahan, of Des Moines, and has one child; Mamie, the wife of Walter Holmes of this county, by whom she has two children; Frank, operating his father's farm, who wedded Miss Ada Armstrong and has one child; and Nellie, wife of Cecil Sanders of Sandborn, Indiana.

In politics ]\Mr. Brown has always been a stanch republican, casting his first presidential ballot for General Grant. The period of his residence in this part of the state covers nearly a half century and he has long been numbered among the esteemed and representative citizens of his community.

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

HOMER D. BROWN.

Homer D. Brown, a well known jeweler of Truro, who was serving as postmaster at the time of his demise, was born in Madison county on the 9th of February, 1873, of the marriage of J. Rush and Arminda (Cassidy) Brown. The father, who was born in Laporte county, Indiana, on the 22d of March, 1837, was a merchant and farmer but in 1861 put aside all personal considerations and enlisted in Company G, Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining in the military service of the United States until 1865, when he was mustered out. At Clinton, Iowa, in 1866, he married Mrs. Arminda Cassidy Schaffer, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, in 1840. Some time after their marriage they removed to Prole. Iowa, and later to Indianola, where they resided for several years, after which they became residents of Truro, where both passed away, the father on the 13th of March, 1902, and the mother in March, 1909.

Homer D. Brown after attending the public schools of Indianola was a student in the high school there and later in Simpson College at that place. Upon putting aside his textbooks he learned the jeweler's trade at St. Charles, Iowa, under Mr. Wise and in 1898 came to Truro, where he engaged in that business. He opened a store which was well patronized, as he carried a line of jewelry that was attractive and in excellent taste and also moderate in price. He was appointed postmaster under President Roosevelt and was still the incumbent in that office when he passed away on the 28th of December, 19T3, his long tenure of office being indubitable proof of his efficiency and courtesy.

On the 25th of June. 1902, Mr. Brown married Miss Bradie J. Creger, a daughter of Samuel M. and Rebecca J. (Reed) Creger, an account of whose lives is given in the sketches of two of Mrs. Brown's brothers, which appear elsewhere in this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown was born a son, Samuel Kenneth, whose natal day was the 19th of March, 1903, and who is now a student in the Truro high school.

Mr. Brown was a republican in politics and took the interest of a good citizen in everything relating to the public welfare. He was successful as a business man and as postmaster was efficient and systematic in the management of the affairs of the office and all who knew him respected him highly. At the time of his death his wife was assistant postmaster and after serving out the unexpired term she was appointed postmistress by President Wilson, her retention in the office by the new administration proving her popularity and capability. She understands thoroughly the routine work and as she is energetic and systematic the mails are handled quickly and accurately. Her business ability commands the respect of her fellow citizens and her fine womanly traits of character bind her many friends to her with strong ties of affection.

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