The Brown Families of Washington County, Iowa

W. E. BROWN.

W. E. Brown, owning and operating a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, Jackson township, was born in New Jersey on the 24th of August, 1847, his parents being Jesse B. and Matilda (Cooper) Brown, likewise natives of New Jersey. In 1854 they removed to Marshall county, Illinois, where they remained for thirteen years, on the expiration of which period they came to Washington county, Iowa, in 1867. Here they resided until called to their final rest, the father passing away in 1877, while the mother of our subject died on the 23d of February, 1893. Their family numbered twelve children, namely: Isabelle, the wife of Elijah Camery, of Henry, Illinois: Elizabeth, the wife of Robert Clyde, of Washington, Iowa; W. E., of this review: and nine who are deceased.

W. E. Brown acquired his education in the common schools and remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority. During the next five years he rented the farm on which he now resides and then purchased eighty acres of the old homestead place, to which he subsequently added another tract of eighty acres, his holdings now embracing one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, Jackson township. Here he has erected an attractive and commodious residence and all necessary outbuildings and in his farming operations has met with a commendable and gratifying measure of success, the well tilled fields annually yielding golden harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestow upon them.

On the 13th of February, 1868. Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Martha C. Booth, whose birth occurred in Bureau county. Illinois, December 11, 1846, her parents being Joseph and Hannah (Cooper) Booth. Both her father and mother were natives of England, emigrating to the United States in 1843 taking up their above in Bureau county, Illinois, where they resided until death claimed them. Joseph Booth passed away on the 6th of May. 18S3. while the demise of his wife occurred Feliruary 3, 1892. Unto this worthy couple were born nine children, as follows: Susan, the wife of G. F. Walbridge, of Los Angeles, California; Elizabeth, born May 20, 1835, who is now the widow of C. J. Rhodes and makes her home in Bureau county, Illinois; Squire, who was born October 19, 1838, and is now a resident of Oberlin, Ohio; Collin N., who was born October 11, 1841, and resides in Henry county, Illinois; Walter, whose birth occurred September 24, 1844, and who is now living in Princeton, Illinois; Mrs. Brown; Hannah M., bom November 25, 1849, who is deceased; Melissa T., who has also passed away; and David, who was born October 28, 1855, "d is a resident of Bureau county, Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born three children: Effie May, whose birth occurred November 30, 1868, and who is now the wife of J. E. Wright, of Jackson township; Charles E., born August 24, 1871, who is also a resident of Jackson township; and Walter Scott, who was born July 22, 1878, and lives on the home farm. He wedded Miss Maud E. Chaffee, whose birth occurred in Greene county, Ohio, in 1881, and who came to Washington county, Iowa, with her parents when a maiden of thirteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Brown have a daughter, [name withheld], born March 10, 1907.

In his political affiliation Mr. Brown is a stanch democrat and has been an active worker in the local ranks of the party, serving both as trustee and clerk, while for twelve years he was school director and for twenty-two years capable discharged his official duties in the position of treasurer. Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest. Thev are highly esteemed in the community, their good qualities of heart and mind bringing to them the warm friendship of many with whom they have come in contact.

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

CHARLES E. BROWN.

Charles E. Brown, who is successfully and energetically carrying on farming and stock-raising on his well improved and attractive farm of eighty acres on section 24, Jackson township, was born in Washington county, Iowa, on the 24th of August, 1871, his parents being W. E. and Martha Brown. He attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education and remained at home with his parents until he had attained his majority. Subsequently he operated a rented farm for six years, at the end of which time, by careful expenditure and close economy, he had accumulated sufficient capital to enable him to purchase his present place of eighty acres on section 24, Jackson township. As the years have gone by he has brought the property under a high state of cultivation and improvement and in addition to growing the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, he makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock, both branches of his business proving a good source of remuneration to him.

On the 25th of March, 1896, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss Anna B. Pearson, whose birth occurred in Washington county, December 25, 1869, her parents being Abrani and Julia Pearson. A sketch of her father is given on another page of this volume. Mrs. Brown is a graduate of Washington Academy and prior to her marriage taught school for several years. She is now the mother of three children, namely: Lloyd P., who was born December 21, 1897; Donald E., whose birth occurred October 27, 1901; and Lois Hazel, whose natal day was March 10, 1903.

Mr. Brown gives his political allegiance to the democracy and is novs' serving as school treasurer. Fraternally he is connected with lodge No.

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

Edwin Brown, a farmer whose ice cream is well known in this section of the country, was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, November 3, 1849, the son of John P. and Annis (Bacon) Brown. The mother was a native of Hartford county, the Bacons being one of the oldest families, dating back to colonial days. John Brown, on the other hand, was of English birth and came to the United States in his early manhood. In the country of his birth he had learned designing for carpet weaving and on his advent in Connecticut became one of the designers of patterns for the Hartford Carpet Company, a firm which is still in existence and has one of the largest manufacturing plants of its kind in the world. John Brown worked for the company for many years, until the first strike, when he was one of the men who walked out and refused to return. For a time subsequent to this he engaged in the butcher business, both wholesale and retail, in Hartford county, but in 1872, with three sons and one daughter, he came to Washington county, Iowa. Here he secured a farm in Lime Creek township, the one now owned by his daughter. Mrs. Eunice Brown, upon which he lived until his death, in 1891, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-three years.

Edwin Brown, the subject of this sketch, was one of the sons who came with the father to Washington county in 1872, but in the fall of the same year he went to Chicago, where he was employed as meter inspector by the water works department of that city. He held this position for eight years and in 1880 returned to Washington county, locating on a farm of eighty

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

In 1874 Mr. Brown married Miss Emma Sperry. of Wan Buren county. Michigan, and became the father of five children: Frank E.. a farmer of Lime Creek town.ship; Grace E.. the wife of Ernest Gabriel, of the same township; Anna B.. the wife of Ralph Foster, also of Lime Creek township; George L., associated with the father in farming and the ice cream manufacturing business: and Arthur.' deceased. The family are members of the Wellman Baptit church and are regular in the performance nf their religious duties.

When occasion requires the exercise of his franchise, Mr. Brown votes with the Republican party, but though he has ever been interested in the welfare of the community and in good government he has never been an office seeker. And yet he has for twenty years been a member of the school board, and in this capacity has rendered valuable service to the citizens and has proved how well founded was the trust reposed in his powers by those who have repeatedly elected him to this position. He is a man highly esteemed among those who know him, for he is possessed of sterling qualities.

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

Charles Brown is one of the representative citizens of Lime Creek township who is worthy to be classed among the self-made men of the community. Left an orphan at a very tender age, he has, by his indefatigable industry, untiring energy and unfaltering determination, risen from a comparatively humble position to a place of prominence among his fellow citizens. He was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, June 30, 1835, a son of William and Lucy J. (Smith) Brown, natives of the same state, where their entire lives were spent. In their family were four children, of whom Charles, of this review, and Margaret of Connecticut, are the only surviving members.

At the usual age Charles Brown entered the common schools in the acquirement of an education, but when only seven years old he lost both parents and he was then bound out until seventeen years of age. At the e.expiration of this period he became an apprentice to the clock business, and was thus engaged for six or seven years. In 1860 he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he secured employment in the Illinois Central car shops. Subsequently he was employed by the board of public works to manage the city water works of Chicago, in which capacity he served for fourteen years, and while discharging his duties in this connection he manifested much administrative ability and executive control. In September, 1879, however, he withdrew from this institution and came to Washington county, Iowa, locating on the farm which is now his home, having purchased the property five or six years prior to his arrival in this county. It is an excellent farm of one hundred and four acres situated on section 20, Lime Creek township, and with characteristic energy and perseverance he set about improving and cultivating his fields with the result that today the property is a valuable one, returning to its owner rich annual harvests. He has devoted considerable attention to the dairy business, keeping Jersey cows for that purpose and for a time shipped his butter direct to Chicago but has not done any shipping for the past five years.

On the /th of June, 1865, Mr. Brown was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Eunice E. Brown, a daughter of John P. and Annie (Bacon) Brown, natives of England and Connecticut, respectively. This union was blessed with five children, namely: William J., residing in Lime Creek township: Harry, at home; Eunice J., of Chicago; and Emma H. and Charles J., both at home. Mrs. Brown holds membership in the Episcopal church, and takes an active interest in all the phases of the church work.

In politics Mr. Brown is a republican and stands loyally by the principles of that party, while during the Civil war he was a member of the Union League. He has been called to office by his fellow citizens, having served as school director for six years and as supervisor for eight years. With no favoring advantages at the outset of his career, he has. throughout the intervening years, overcome all obstacles and difficulties that lay in his path to progress and he stands today as one of the representative citizens of the community in which he lives, his life having been one of continuous activity in which has been accorded due recognition of labor.

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

HON. B. F. BROWN.

When the history of Washington county and its representative citizen shall be written it will contain the name of no man more worthy of representation in the volume than Hon. B. F. Brown, who for fifty-two years has resided here and throughout the entire period has been identified with its agricultural life and its public interests. His influence has always been on the side of progress, reform and improvement and in business circles he has made steady advancement along honorable lines. He resides in Cedar township where he owns a good farm property. He was born in Knox county, Ohio, on the 3d of May, 1833. His parents were Joseph and Rachel (Hood) Brown, natives of Brooke county, West Virginia, and of Baltimore county, Maryland, respectively. Following their marriage they established their home in Knox county, Ohio, where they lived for a number of years and then removed to Brooke county, West 'virginia, where they resided until 1863. Thev removed westward to Washington county, Iowa, settling in Marion township where the mother died in 1871. There the father lived until his death which occurred in 1882 and in his passing the life of a good man was ended. For over a half century he had been a devoted, faithful and loyal member of the Methodist Episcopal church and had guided his life by its teachings. He ever endeavored to do unto others as he would have them do unto him and as the years passed his honesty of purpose and sterling worth won him the respect of all with whom he came in contact. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, of whom nine were sons, the daughter being Mary Ann, now the widow of David Counselman and a resident of Howard county, Iowa.

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

JESSE BROWN, section 24, Dutch Creek Township, is a farmer and stock-raiser. He was born in Richmond (Jounty, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1 834, and is the son of Jesse and Susan (Tetter) Brown, who were natives of Pennsylvania. When but about eleven j'ears old, his father and mother died, and he then lived with Jacob Barringer for four years, after which he worked for different persons and attended the district schools as the opportunity was afforded him. In 185.') he came to Iowa and entered 120 acres of land in Benton County, which he traded in 1861, for a farm on Davis Creek, in W.washington County. On the ist of January, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret A. Cahill, a native of Iowa, born in Iowa City in 1844, and daughter of Thomas Cahill. Six children were born unto then): James, born Dec. 10, 1861, is a traveling salesman and h.as in the discharge of his duty, traveled in almost every State in the Union, and also in Can.ada; while in the latter country he lost an arm in a railroad accident. Ada, born July 21. 1866; Fraukie, born July 10, 1869, was killed May 15, 1880, by a mule, and is buried in the New Haven church cemetery; Jessie I., born July 1, 1870; William, bom July 10, 1875; Thomas Homer, born Sept. 25, 1880.

'JL'hear for the ITnion being in progress Mr.. Bravu left his young bride, and Aug. 15, 1861, enlisted in the loth Iowa Infantry, and actively participated in all the engagements and campaigns of the regiment, including the battle of Corinth, Lookout iMountain, and the famous march to the sea. At Lookout Mountain he received a slight flesh wound, (going into the service with the intention of remaining until the Rebellion was suppressed or until his life should have been offered up, in the fall of 1863 he re-enlisted as a veteran for three years more, and served in all four years and two months. The regiment was in the grand review at Washington City, from which place it was onlered to Little Rock, Ark., was there mustered out, and sent to Davenport, Iowa, where they were discharged. Although in the ranks Mr. Brown performed his duty as a soldier in a faithful manner. On receiving his discharge at Davenport he returned to his home in Iowa Township, Washinton Co\inty. and resumed the old occupation of farming. In l.s76 he traded his farm in Davis Creek, Iowa Township, for eighty acres of fine land under good improvement in Dutch Creek Township. On the 7lh of March, 1886, Mr. Brown was bereft of his wife. She was a member of the Ba)list Church, a most excellent Christian woman, one who exemplified in lier daily life the teachings of the Savior of men. In the education of his children Mr. Brown has taken a si)ecial pride.

Although the war has long since been over, Mr. Brown has lost none of the patriotic ardor of his T

THE NiV\' YORK

ASTOft, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATFONS youth; he 'still believes in,the ohrflag, believes that the North was right, and the South wrong in that great. struggle. As one who served more than four years to preserve the Union from dismemberment, he believes in rigidly maintaining all the rights, won by that struggle. He is one of that large number of old soldiers forming the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of Washington Post, No. lOiS.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.