John Brown

As printed in 1912

JOHN BROWN.

It is the pride of the inhabitants of this country that when the great Civil war closed all the vast army of citizen soldiers quietly laid down their arms and returned to the pursuits of peace. It was predicted by the governments of Europe, not only that the country would be divided, but that after the war an enormous army would be kept up and a military dictatorship be established on the fragments of perhaps every state Foreign nations did not understand the spirit of the people of this country, that is, the spirit of the people in all of the free states. They could not understand how we had come to love the name of liberty and be willing to sacrifice blood and treasure to save a country founded upon the rock of freedom. In view of these misguided ideas, the most of the foreign nations stood ready to ounce upon the fragments when the smoke of war had rolled away. But they beheld a splendid spectacle instead; they saw the great armies melt away, saw a reunited country in which liberty was a fact as well as a name, and saw the soldiers return to their farms, mills, shops and various other vocations.

One of the gallant boys in blue thus to return was John Brown, for many years a well known farmer of Wayne township, Knox county. He was born on June 17, 1844, on Jamaica Island, near Falmouth. His parents were Andrew and Catherine (Dexter) Brown, the father of Scotch blood and the mother of English descent, her father having been Captain William Dexter, of the English army. The subject's father went to Jamaica as a young man, having been employed there by an English company, and while there he was married and for many years engaged in operating a plantation. In January, 1855, he came to the United States with his family, landing at Baltimore, Maryland, from there proceeding to Wayne township, Knox county, some friends having preceded them to this locality from Jamaica.

The father purchased a farm two miles southwest of Fredericktown and engaged in farming, his place consisting of over one hundred acres. He was a sturdy Scot, honest, industrious, and of decided convictions and firm opinions. His death occurred in February, 1876, his widow surviving until in June, 1882; both are buried at Fredericktown. They were the parents of five sons and two daughters, namely: John, of this review; William, of

Black River, New York; Robert lives in Fredericktown; James lives in Wayne township; Thomas lives in Arkansas; Sarah is deceased; Catherine lives in Fredericktown.

John Brown, of this sketch, was sent, with his brother, William, when the former was eight years of age, to Scotland for school privileges; these brothers remained in Scotland several years, finally coming to America to join their parents in Knox county, Ohio, and after coming here John attended the district schools and the schools of Fredericktown. He assisted his father on the home place. In May, 1864, he proved his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and he served very faithfully for one hundred days, until in September. 1864, under General Butler on the James river, seeing considerable active service during that brief period. Returning home from the army, he remained on the farm until the spring of 1870, when he moved to Vernon county, Missouri, where he engaged in farming, remaining there until 1882, and during that period was married, in April, 1875, t0 Alice Heskett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Heskett In 1882 he returned to Wayne township, Knox county, Ohio, and here he has remained to the present time, successfully engaged in farming. His wife died in October, 1882, soon after coming to Ohio. Two children, a son and a daughter, were born to this union, Catherine, who married William Galiagaugher, lives on the farm with Mr. Brown; Clarence lives in New York City.

Mr. Brown owns a well-improved and very productive farm of one hundred and five acres one and one-half miles southwest of Fredericktown, where he carries on general farming and stock raising. He has a good home and his place is well stocked.

Politically, Mr. Brown is a Republican and he has long been active in public affairs. He has served as constable of Wayne township and for seven years was trustee of this township, and after an interval of five years he was re-elected to that office and again re-elected in the fall of 1911, being still the incumbent of the same. While in Missouri he was a member of the board of education in his district. He is regarded as a most able and conscientious public servant. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and has filled all the offices of the local post, taking much interest in the same. He is a member of the Fredericktown Presbyterian church. Fie is a man of exemplary character and stands high with those who know him.

As printed in Past and present of Knox County, Ohio (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.