John K. Brown

As printed in 1910

JOHN K. BROWN (1879), deceased. Among the men who entered prominently into the business and social life of Jackson mention must be made of John K. Brown, the founder of the first bank in the county.

John K. Brown was born in Canada in 1827, of Scotch, English and Dutch descent. He lived on a farm until eighteen years of ape and then moved to St. Thomas, where for four years he was a salesman in a retail store. He moved to London. Ontario, in IS.'il and engaged in the dry goods and millinery business. While a resident of that city he served as a member <if the city council. Mr. Brown moved to New York in 1860, was with Arnold, Constable & company one year, and then entered the freight office of the Rome & Watertown Railroad company. From 1865 to 1870 he was a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Montreal, his territory including parts of both the I'filed States and Canada.

In 1870 Mr. Brown located at LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where he entered the general office of the Southern Minnesota Railroad company and became assistant paymaster. A little later he entered the land department of the same road and served as land commissioner

Ton, LEwex ANt eight years. When the Southern Minnesota railroad was constructed to Jackson Mr. Brown gave up his position with the railroad company and in 1879 founded the Bank of Jackson, the first bank in the county. He was the head of that institution (later it become the Brown National Bank) until his death, which occurred April 16, 1908.

Mr. Brown was married in November, 1883, to Pluma if. Kimball. Two children were lion to this union; John K. Brown, Jr., and Cordon Brown.

As printed in An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.