John C. Brown

As printed in 1881

JOHN C. BROWN.

John C. Brown was born near Richmond, Ray county, Missouri, January 29, A. D. 1835. His father, William, was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, October 6, 1809, and was raised and educated in the county of his nativity, and emigrated to Missouri with his parents in 1829, living on a farm during his life. He was a Baptist of the old school type; never desired office at the hands of the people, but has been content to live the life of a farmer, and a Christian gentleman. He was married to Miss Sarah J. Ralph, in 1832. She was born in Guilford county, North Carolina, January 6, 1813, and came with her parents to Ray county, at an early day. By the marriage of William Brown to Miss Ralph, there were born seven children, one of whom died in infancy; James H. went to Oregon, and died there in 1873; Mary F. died at sixteen years of age; Isaac R.

resides in Carrollton, Missouri, and is clerk of the circuit court in the seventeenth judicial district; Charles W., salesman with McWilliams, Crooke & Co., wholesale hats and caps; Jennie, married to Samuel V. Endsley, of Ray county. John C. the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm, and finished his course of study at Carrollton, Missouri, in 1856, acquiring a good English education and some knowledge of the Latin. He left school, and followed teaching in Carroll, Saline and Ray counties, always giving satisfaction as a teacher. In April, 1857, he was employed as salesman in the store of Messrs. Hill & Ely, of Carrollton, Missouri, and left in the spring of 1861, with the confidence and approval of his employers; went to farming and dealing in stock till 1872. In November, 1872, he was elected sheriff of Ray county, and having filled the office to the satisfaction of the people, was in November, 1874, re-elected by an increased majority, receiving the largest vote cast for any candidate at that election. At the end of his second term, December, 1876, he retired from the office of sheriff, and commenced the practice of law in partnership with Judge Wm. A. Donaldson, having been admitted to the bar in February, 1877. He was married September 27, 1860, to Miss Hattie A. George, of Caldwell county, Missouri, who is a native of Anderson county, Kentucky, and was born November 22, 1842; and emigrated to Caldwell county with her father, David George, and died August 24, 1872. To this union were born six children, one of whom died in infancy. Of the others, Wm. D. was born July2 7, 1861; Eugenie, August 5, 1864; Anna Bell, March 4, 1866; John Dudley, January 23, 1868, and Charles Oscar, April 29, 1871. On May 6, 1874, Mr. Brown was married to his second wife, Miss Olive E., daughter of Felix G. Miller, Esq., of Ray county, born November 2, 1851. With his father's consent, Mr. Brown left home when seventeen years of age, and without means, principally educated himself, as his parents were unable to give him much pecuniary aid. He attributes his success to the prompt manner in which he always met each and every engagement. Through life he has made it his determined aim to come promptly to time, thus proving the truth of the adage, " punctuality is the soul of business success. " Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a Royal Arch Mason; he is also a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and contributes liberally to the building of churches, and to the support of the ministry. In politics he is an unswerving democrat, and has been so from his early manhood. He is at present engaged in the mercantile business in Richmond, where he is respected and esteemed by every one.

As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.