Descendants of William Brown

Compiled by Mallory David Smith

 

The history of the William Brown family relates to several Monroe County families.  John Brown was a brother-in-law of Jasper Benjamin Mallory whose family tree is also found on this website.  John Brown's siblings married a number of Monroe County citizens....including David Ruble.  The material that follows is early historical and frequently hard-to-find information about these and related families.

 

Biographical Sketch of John Brown (1811 living in 1888)
Taken from a Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1888

JOHN BROWN The history of the Brown Family dates back in this country to one William Brown, who came to the United States from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania. His father, supposed to be of Scotch ancestry, lived and died in Ireland.
It was to avoid being persecuted by the Catholics in the North of Ireland that William Brown and his brother Matthew came to America, here to enjoy the privileges of religious freedom. William Brown, after locating in Pennsylvania, married Miss Mary Daily, who had also come from Ireland, at the age of fourteen, while her husband at the time of his arrival was eighteen years old. Some years after their marriage they went to Greene County, Pa., which became their home. It was very wild there then; Indians were present in the county, and it was to the redskins that William Brown owed his early death. Together with his oldest son and two other men, he was helping to move a family to the fort when the Indians waylaid them and killed all but the son, who escaped by swimming a stream, fell exhausted, and was under medical treatment for the next seven years, having been shot through the back, the bullet passing out at the fifth rib. He lived to be an old man and reared a large family. After the Indian troubles of which we speak he went to Kentucky, and later settled in what is now Brown County, Ohio, so named in his honor. In his latter days he went to Indiana, and died in the western part of that State.
The grandmother of our subject, Mrs. William Brown, in later live removed to Belmont County, Ohio, with some of her children, after she had reared them to manhood and womanhood in Pennsylvania, and she died advanced in years in Ohio. The Family of William Brown, Sr., is as follows: William J., Sally, Nancy, Vincent; John, Sr., who is the father of our subject; Mary, James, Katharine and Matthew. They all reared families, and are now all deceased.
John Brown, Sr., the father of our subject, a farmer by occupation, was born in Pennsylvania, was reared there and married Jane Hurley. She was a native of Maryland and came of Irish parentage. Her mother’s maiden name was Sally Stump. The parents lived for a time in Pennsylvania, but later went to Ohio, and died in the western part of that State on the Miami River. In religion they were Baptists. The parents of our subject were early settlers of Green County, Pa where they reared most of their children whose births occurred in the following order: Mary, who is deceased, lived to rear a family; Zachariah died at the age of eighteen months; Sarah, who is yet living in Vernon County, Mo, is the wife of Thomas Hathaway (Thomas Jefferson Hathaway, their son, married Susan Rowray, widow of James C Mallory who died in the Civil War); Nancy is the wife of farmer David Rubel (Ruble), and resides in Monroe County, Ohio; Nellie (Eleanor), who is deceased, was the wife of DeW.C. Mallory, who is living in Vernon County, Mo.; William is living at the Soldiers Home in Milwaaukee, Wis; he served in the Black Hawk War and in the late Rebellion, and was wounded at Pittsburg Landing, being shot through the hips.
Our subject, John Brown, was born June 30, 1811, in Greene County, Pa.; James, residing in Cresco, Iowa, is a carpenter by trade, and married Malinda Huckens; Cornelius, who married Mary Effingham, is, with his wife, deceased; Catharine (Catherine Mallory married Richard Earl) widow of Richard Earl, lives in Fayette County, Iowa; Mr. E. was a general mechanic. Jane is the wife of M. Henthorne, who is a farmer in Cass County, Mo. 

The early life of our subject was spent at home. He was only five years old when his father went to Belmont County, Ohio, and he was there educated. He married after coming to Illinois, and located in Vermilion County as early as 1827; later he participated in the Black Hawk War, and after its close returned to Vermilion County, and there took up farming pursuits. He had come to this State with his parents, and in a few months his father was killed by being thrown from a vicious stallion, dislocating his neck in the fall. The mother lived in Vermilion County some years, and then came to this county and died in Rock Run Township. Mr. Brown was married Nov. 22, 1834 in Vermilion County, to Miss Mary A. Hickman a native of Brown County, Ohio, born 1815. She is the daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Okewood) Hickman, natives of the Old Dominion. Her husband was of German descent, and died in Vermilion Counthy, Ill. The family were farmers, and in religion were Methodists.
Mrs. Brown was young when she came to this State, and lived at home until her marriage. She is the mother of eleven children, one of whom is deceased. Clark J., Sarah and Mary, all live at home; Martha is the wife of Frank Walker, and lives on a farm in Dakota Township; John H. married Catherine Young; his biographical sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Vennette married Harry Milliken, who is the Claim Agent for the C., M. & St. P. R. R., to Marion, Iowa; James C. married Anna Brown, who is no relation, however, and resides on a farm in Clay County, Iowa; Vincent D. married Miss Mattie Young, now deceased, and lives in Dakota; Allen lives at home and cares for the homestead, and with him also lives his eldest sister; Florence E. is the wife of farmer F.W. Mack, residing in Clay County, Iowa. The deceased child, Caroline, died at the age of four years.
After marriage Mr. Brown farmed some time in Vermilion County, and in 1834 made his first visit to Stephenson County, and engaged in breaking prairie about Freeport, turning the first furrow in that section. He was one of the first settlers of the county, and bought his farm here in 1837. He occupied himself in breaking prairie land for sixteen years, and plowed much of the wild land in this county. He prospered and became owner of more than 1,000 acres of land in this county. He now has 700 acres and other good property in this township, besides about 5 acres in Dakota, and is largely interested in the elevator at this place. He is a very worthy member of the community, a consistent Methodist religiously, and a Republican in politics. His wife and some of his children are also Methodists.

Biography of John Brown Jr., son John Henry Brown:

 JOHN H. BROWN, Postal Clerk on the Chicago, Forreston & Dubuque Railroad, United States Mail Service, owns a good property on section 14, Lancaster Township, including 220 acres, and in connection with this has charge of about 100 acres additional, of which he has the supervision and keeps well stocked with good grades of domestic animals, including horses, cattle and Poland-China hogs, and making a specialty of the latter. His land is under a good state of cultivation and supplied with convenient farm buildings, including a handsome and commodious residence which is finely located and occupying a rise of ground commanding a fine view of the surrounding country for eighteen miles away.

Mr. Brown has been in possession of his present farm since 1882. He also owns a section of land in Lincoln County, Dak., a part of which is under cultivation, and is becoming quite valuable. He became connected with the mail service in 1872, his first route being on the Chicago & Northwestern, where he was a trusted employe (sic) for a period of seven years, and in 1879 was proffered his present position.

Mr. Brown was born in Rock Run Township, this county, June 5, 1843. His early studies were conducted in the common school, and he subsequently took a course at the Bryant & Stratton Business College in Chicago. The coming on of the Civil War interfered considerably with his first plans in life, as he considered it his duty to assist in the preservation of the Union, and accordingly enlisted in the 144th Illinois Infantry and marched with his comrades to the scene of conflict. Going down into Tennessee, they were first engaged in the attempted capture of Gen. Price, who, however, escaped that time. Our subject served his term of enlistment, and although meeting the enemy at different times and places, was neither wounded nor taken prisoner, and his health was preserved to such an extent that he was always able to report for duty. After retiring from the service he engaged as a general merchant in Dakota Village, and began to lay his plans for the establishment of a permanent home. One of the first important steps was his marriage with Miss Sarah C. Young, which took place at the home of the bride’s parents in Silver Creek Township, Dec. 31, 1867. Mrs. Brown is the daughter of Capt. William and Sarah Ann (Reitzell) Young, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Illinois in the pioneer days. She was born in Lancaster Township, Oct. 19, 1845, and completed her education at Rockford Seminary. Afterward she engaged in teaching. Of her marriage with our subject there were born six children, namely, Nellie C., William Y., Hattie J., Ada H., Mattie E. and Clark J.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown after their marriage located in Rock Run, Dak., and then in this county, and became connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which they still continue. They enjoy the society and friendship of a large circle of acquaintances, and are numbered among the best residents of this county. Mr. Brown votes the straight Republican ticket, is a man prompt to meet his obligations, and fulfills in all respects the duties of an influential and responsible member of the community.

Provided by Mallory David Smith

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