Daniel W. Brown

As printed in 1914

DANIEL WESLEY BROWN.

Having never been seized Avith the roaming desires that have led many of Randolph county's young men to other fields of endeavor and other states, where they have sought their fortunes, Daniel Wesley Brown, farmer of Jackson township, has been content to remain in his native community and here direct his efforts; and he has met with encouraging success in his chosen vocation and has at the same time so conducted himself before his fellow men as to gain their respect and confidence. He is a noted breeder of fancy Duroc-Jersey hogs.

Mr. Brown was born in this county, April 26, 1857. He is a son of Joseph Brown, who was born in Maryland. After spending his boyhood in the East he came west where he spent the rest of his life, being among the early settlers in Randolph county. Indiana, and here he developed a good farm and died in October, 1901; his wife, who was known in her maidenhood as Nancy Harshman, passing to the life beyond February 4, 1895. To these parents were born six sons and two daughters, namely: William S., whose death occurred in February, 1913; ilar A., who married Ira Porter, died in January, 1907; Lilly C. married Harvey Haley and they live at Ridgeville; Abraham, when last heard from, was living in Iowa; Isaac E. died October 13, 1885: Frank is a carpenter in Union City, this county; Albert died in 1895; and Daniel W., of this sketch.

Daniel W. Brown grew to manhood on the home farm, and he received his education in the common schools. He took up farming when but a boy and has always followed this line of work, commencing business for himself when twenty-five years of age, first buying the twenty acres where he now resides, and on this made good improvements, later buying ten acres more, then bought sixteen acres, finally secured fifty-one and one-half acres additional, and his father left him forty, making him in all one hundred and thirty-seven and one-half acres of fine land, all of which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and is carrying on general farming successfully, also is making a specialty of breeding thoroughbred hogs — Duroc Jerseys, which business he has carried on most successfully for a period of thirty-three years, and is regarded as one of the best hog raisers in the county, his fine stock finding a very ready market, owing to their superior quality. He has a good dwelling and numerous large outbuildings on his place. He has taken many premiums with his fine hogs at the Indiana state fair, at Indianapolis. At the fair of 19 1 3 the following premiums were awarded his exhibits, he having very strong competition by the best breeders of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky: First premium on aged boar, first and third under one year boar, first on under year sow, first on under year herd, first on get of boar, first on produce of sow, champion on under year boar, champion on under year sow; American specials, first, under year herd; national special, first on under year herd, and silver trophy on under year herd. Mr. Brown has judged swine four times at the Indiana state fairs of the past, three times at the Ohio state fair, and once at the Kentucky state fair, also once at the International Live Stock Exhibition in Chicago, and many county fairs. No better judge of hogs is to be found in the middle west, and Mr. Brown is widely known among the leading stock men of the county. He and his son raise and sell about seventy-five head of hogs annually for breeding purposes, their shipments going to all parts of the United States and Canada, and one shipment went to Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. They are in position to fill orders for their fine stock at all times, at prices and quality to suit the customers. Theirs is all registered stock. While a great deal of their attention is thus claimed by their hogs, they raise large numbers of fine draft horses and carry on a general farming business.

Mr. Brown was married October 18, 1881 to Ida Nofifsinger, who was born in Bond county, Illinois, October i8, 1862. She is a daughter of Eli P. Noffsinger, whose death occurred August 6, 1910. Her mother, Mrs. Martha Noffsinger, lives with Dr. Noffsinger in Union City. Mrs. Brown had five brothers and three sisters, one of the brothers being now deceased. The Noffsinger children were named as follows: Henry is a practicing physician at Union City; Ida, wife of Mr. Brown; Elizabeth died when six years old; Noah lives in Union City; Joseph resides in Ohio; Edward died in 1893; Clara Jane died in 1908; Ora A. lives in Ohio.

To Mr. and Mrs. Brown the following children have been born: Glee, born July 13, 1884, was educated at North Manchester, Indiana, married Jessie M. Richer, and they reside in South Whitley, Indiana, where he is practicing dentistry; Joseph E., born July 27, 1887, also educated at North Manchester, is unmarried, and is at home, being a third partner with his father in the Hvestock and farming business; Vera, born December 28, 1888, a graduate at North Manchester, later spent one term at the State University at Bloomington; she married Elmer E. Jones, a professor in the University, and they reside in Bloomington. Mr. Brown has no grandchildren. Politically, he is a Democrat, but is no politician preferring to devote his attention exclusively to his large livestock and farming business. He is a man whose word is regarded by those who know him as being as good as the bond of most men, and he is a genial, obliging gentleman.

As printed in Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.