William J Brown
aka John Brown
Biographical Sketches
Soldiers Album
William J Brown, of Marion, Wis., a member of the G.A.R. Post No 79, is a citizen of the United States by Adoption. He was born in Kingston, Canada, July 21 1832. He was interested from the firing of the first gun of the rebellion in the results to the land of his hopes and under the pressure of events following the first battle of Bull run, he determined to enlist and he enrolled as a soldier for the defense of the Union in the state of Pennsylvania, August 26 1851, in G Company, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry, and was discharged on account of physical disability, May 22, 1862. After his recovery, he again enlisted for a year in the 171st Pennsylvania Infantry and on the organization of Company B, was made 2nd Lieutenant. He came to Wisconsin on being released at the expiration of his time, and, September 21, 1864, enlisted in the 42nd Wisconsin Infantry at Madison, for three years. He was made First Lieutenant of G Company the day he enlisted. The regiment had been mustered in on the 7th day of the month and left the State the day Mr. Brown enrolled it its ranks. He received final discharge at Madison, July 25, 1865, and since enjoyed the privileges of citizenship in a united country, with the satisfaction of a true patriot who has risked the emergencies of the battle filed to secure them. During the period of his service in the army he fought at Winchester, Gettysburg, Newburn and Little Washington, N.C.
The 46th Pennsylvania was sent to Williamsport, Md., and thence to Hancock in the same state. The next change of base was to Martinsburg, Va., the regiment being all the time on picket guard.
From there the command went to Winchester, where Mr. Brown was on guard duty, going thence to Strasburg and to Stanton. In both the last named places there was heavy skirmishing. While a member of the 17th Pennsylvania he was in the hot fight at Gettysburg. He also participated in the actions at Newbern and Little Washington, N.C. The 42nd Wisconsin was raised to perform service as required at various points and its companies were distributed according to emergencies. Company G was sent to Marshall, Ill., on the border of Indiana to assist in the enforcement of the draft, where the soldiers were chiefly engaged in post and guard duty. Later, they were sent to Camp Butler, Ill., and thence to Cairo. The cessation of the hostilities having made their services no longer a necessity, the company was ordered to report at Madison for discharge.
Since the war, Mr. Brown has resided in Marion. He is a contractor and builder by profession and one of the reliable citizens of this portion of the Badger State.
William J Brown
William J Brown was born in Kingston, Canada Jul 21 1832. He enlisted as a soldier in the state of Pennsylvania, Aug 26 1861, in Co G 46th Pennsylvania Infantry, and was discharged on account of physical disability May 22 1862. After his recovery, he again enlisted for a year in the 171st Pennsylvania Infantry, and was made 2nd Lt of company B. he came to Wisconsin at the expiration of his time and Sep 21, 1864 enlisted in the 42nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry at Madison for three years. Was made 1st Lt of Co G, the day he enlisted. The regiment left the state the day Mr. Brown was enrolled. He received his final discharge at Madison, Jul 25 1865. During the period of his services, he fought at Winchester, Gettysburg, Newburn and Little Washington. Since that war Mr. Brown has been a resident of Marion, Wis. A good neighbor and a quiet inoffensive man.
He leaves a wife and two sons, R.C. Brown of Big Falls and Charles of Gratott, Wis. Funeral services from the M.E. church Friday afternoon. The cause of his death was a cancer on his right cheek. Mrs. H.W. Main a sister of Sioux Falls, SD was with him during his last illness.
Newspaper article published in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader around 1904
After Forty Years
A Woman Separated from Her Family for Forty Years is Located in this City
In the mails which arrived in this city Sunday, Post Master George Schlosser received the following letter;
Marion, Waupaca County, Wis.
Postmaster, Sioux Falls, S.D. -- Dear Sir: I am trying to find a long lost sister, and take the liberty of asking your assistance. I got a letter today from a nephew and he told me that he had heard that this sister was living at Sioux Falls. My sister's maiden name was Rebeckah Brown, and she married a man named David Main. Her mother's name was Hannah Brown. I am the missing woman's youngest brother, and I have not seen my sister since 1864. If my sister is living she and I are the only remaining members of our family of eight children. (Signed) W. J. Brown
While the postmaster receives many letters of inquiry regarding lost relatives, there was something about this appeal for aid that struck Mr. Schlosser as out of the unusual and he called the attaches of the office together and after reading to them the letter he asked them to give the matter especial attention. He further asked if any of the carriers had a woman by the name of Rebeckah or Mrs. David Main on their route. After some thinking James Buell who has a route which covers a portion of the Galesburg section of the city, said that there was a woman by the name of Main on his route, but he had never had any ail for her and did not know her first name. The fact that this woman did not receive any mail was significant and Mr. Buell started out to make an investigation.
He went to No. 319 East Fourteenth street, where Mrs., Main lived and after a short conversation he learned that Mrs. Main was the woman who was being looked for.
Mr. Buell in telling of his experience said that he never saw a person so completely overcome by joy as was Mrs. Main when she learned that she had a brother living. For years she had thought that she was alone in the world, and when the letter from her brother was read to her she nearly collapsed.
In the letter to Postmaster Schlosser Mr. Brown had also enclosed a short letter to be delivered to his sister in case she was located in Sioux Falls. When the woman read this letter she said that there was no question whatever but that she and Mr., Brown were brother and sister, and she at once wrote a letter to her brother. Postmaster Schlosser has also sent a letter to Mr. Brown at his home in Wisconsin.
Thus through a small effort on the part of the post office force a brother and sister who have been for years each believing that they were the only surviving member of a once large family are given a chance to be reunited and made happy.
Excerpt taken from "Standard History of Waupaca County, Wisconsin"
By John M Ware 1917
William J Brown and Dolly (Webster) Brown. William J Brown was born in Canada of French descent, but was married in Pennsylvania. In the mid 1860's the family came to Waupaca County. Here he bought a tract of eighty acres of wild timbered land adjoin the present town site of Marion in Dupont township. The entire district was a wilderness, but William J Brown had the courage and instincts of the pioneer and was willing to undergo hardships and privations in order that he might secure and build a home. He and his wife lived in a log house, and for several years a yoke of oxen furnished the motive power for working the land. After clearing up part of his farm he accepted an opportunity to trade for another place in Shawano County. That was also a comparatively unsettled district, and for years the Browns had no close neighbors. The first crops were planted among the stumps and for years stumps and brush and trees interfered with regular cultivation. After a time William J Brown had the farm well improved, and finally sold out and moved to Bear Creek Township in Waupaca County and a short time later to Marion. After that he worked at his trade as a carpenter until his death in 1908, His only living children are Roe Brown and Charles Brown. Three children are deceased; Jennie, Fred and one that died in infancy.
William John Brown
1st Enlistment as Pvt 46 Pen Inf Co G on 13 Sep 191
Disability Discharge on 22 May 1962 age 29
Time Served 8m 9d
2nd Enlistment 2nd Lt 171 Pen Inf Co B
Mustered out as 2nd Lt 171 Pen Inf Co B
Time served 8m 26d
3rd Enlistment Pvt 42 Wis Inf Co G on 22 Aug 1864 at Marion
Promoted to 1st Lt on 12 Sep 1864
Mustered out 1st Lt 42 Wis Inf Co G on 20 Jun 1865
Time Served 9m 29d
Born 21 Jul 1832 in Fontence, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Parents Elijah Brown and Hannah Stafford
Spouse Dolly C Webster married about 1858 (Divorced before 1891) 1838-1906
Children Malcomb Cicero (Roe), Frederick, Jenny, Charles and an infant
Spouse Mary Jane Pickering Geer married on 15 Feb 1891 at Marion, Waupaca County, Wisconsin
Step-children John Geer, Clara Geer and Edith Geer
Died 17 Feb 1907 Grant Township, Shawano County
Buried Greenleaf Cemetery, Marion
Pension
