Jonas F. Brown

As printed in 1910

JONAS F. BROWN.

The visitor to the old Brown homestead, or more properly, plantation in the historic Blue Grass state of nearly a century ago found there the true hospitality and characteristic freedom of the premises of which so much has been said and written of those early days in the old South, and, coming down through two generations or more, many of the admirable qualities of head and heart of the Browns of those days are found outcropping in the character of Jonas F. Brown, a Nodaway county farmer, who is a native of Rock Castle county, Kentucky, born there on July 27, 1864, the son of Daniel Brown. The father was also born in that place, June 10, 1833, being the son of Stephen and Barbara Brown. He remained in Rock Castle county until after Lee's surrender in the spring of 1865. He married Ruthie Watson, a native of Pulaski county, Kentucky, and eleven children were born to them. At the close of the Civil war. Daniel Brown moved to Blinois and lived there four years, then, in November, 1869, came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and located two miles west and one mile north of Skidmore where he remained until 1902, having bought forty acres of land when he arrived here. Afterwards a spell of sickness, which lasted eighteen months, reduced him almost to poverty; but when he recovered he resumed work on his forty acres, only a part of which had been paid for. But he had a team and about six months’ provisions, and in time he paid his debts and was enabled to buy more land, from time to time, until he owned a total of four hundred and forty acres, which he farmer successfully. He sold out about 1900 and moved into Skidmore, where he has since resided.

Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Brown; one, named Andrew, died when four years old in Kentucky; all the others grew to maturity and are living; Rhoda Ann married J. C. Collins and lives about three lese miles northwest of Skidmore, and of the five children born to her, three are living; George Marion lives three miles southeast of Burlington Junction, married Etta Wiles and has eleven children living and two deceased; he has three hundred and twenty acres in a farm there; Jonas Fountain lives on his father’s old home place in the west half of Monroe township; he married Julia Gwin and they have six children; he owns three hundred and sixty acres of land; Charles Willard lives on a part of the old home place and owns two hundred acres well improved; he married Stallie Ruddell, daughter of William Ruddell; of the four children born to them, two are living, two having died in infancy; he has a fine, modern home; Barbara married Clyde Gilliland and lives in Texas; they have two children; Betty Jane, who married Robert E. Singleton, lives in Randolph county, Missouri, and has four children; Hattie May, who married R. E. Bender, lives in Texas and of her three children, one is deceased; Carrie married Thomas Martin and lives in Bedford, Iowa; of six children born to them, five are living; John Franklin is farming in Texas and is unmarried; Nettie Belle is at home with her father. Mr. Brown and all his daughters belong to the Christian church. Mrs. Brown's death occurred on April 1, 1896.

When Jonas F. Brown, of this review, was twenty-one years of age he began life for himself, having at that age finished a select school at Quitman, a select school at Skidmore-and two terms of school in the college at Tarkio, having left the school room in 1891.

On March 9, 1892, Mr. Brown married Julia E. Gwin, daughter of Theodore Gwin and wife. She was born in Wisconsin, and she attended select school at Skidmore for two terms, also the Maryville Seminary. Although successfully passing the teachers' examination, she never engaged in teaching.

Two years after his marriage, Mr. Brown sold the farm he previously owned and bought a quarter-section near Quitman; five years later he sold that and moved back to the old home neighborhood, bought a farm on which he has lived continuously ever since — eleven years in August, 1910. He now owns an excellent farm of three hundred and sixty acres, all in the northwestern part of Monroe township all adjoining, and here he carries on farm ing and stock raising very successfully.

Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, named as follows: Cecil Austin, Cora Mildred, Ethel Elizabeth, Myrtle Lois, Gladys Allene and Blanche Bernice. Mr. Brown is a very sociable man, and is well liked by all who know him. He has a pleasant home and delights in entertaining visitors.

As printed in Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.