In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1832
From The History of Muscatine county, Iowa (1879)
THOMAS M. BROWN, farmer. Sec. 34; P. 0. Letts; born in Indiana in 1832; his parents, Matthew and Julia F. Brown, came to Muscatine Co. in 1838, and settled in Cedar Tp.; his father had been engaged in surveying Government land in this part of the State for several years previous to that time; he died in June, 1842; his mother is still living and resides with Thomas. He married in 1856 Sophia Ferry, a native of the State of New York; has six children — Horace, Myra, Julia, Hugh, Vesta and an infant. Mr. Brown enlisted in 1862 in the 35th I. V. I.; was First Sergeant of his company; served over three years; was at the seine of Vicksburg, battle of Nashville, etc.; was in Banks' Red River expedition; was wounded at the battle of Mobile, from the effects of which he still suffers. His farm contains 240 acres.
As printed in The History of Muscatine county, Iowa (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Thomas M. Brown: Hugh P. Brown (b. 1835)
The printed record stops around 1879. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.