JOHN BROWN

BROWN

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 17:39:04

JOHN BROWN resides on section 12, Nodaway township, where he settled in 1874. His farm, which is on sections 11 and 14, contains 125 acres. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in February, 1826, the son of John H. and Mary (McPheren) Brown, the former a native of Seneca county, New York, and the latter of Pennsylvania, and both were settlers of Muskingum county, Ohio. The father was of Scotch descent, and the son of Alexander Brown, a native of Scotland. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was George McPheren, a native of Ireland.

John Brown, our subject, has been three times married. His first wife was Levina Libbie. The second was Mary James, who died in Nodaway township in April, 1875. His present wife was Mrs. Sarah E. Myers; her maiden name was Sarah E. Purdum. She was born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1841, and is the daughter of Levi B. and Sarah (Harrison) Purdum. Sarah Purdum was the daughter of Nathan and Mary Harrison, natives of England. The paternal grand parents were natives of Wales. Mr. Brown is the father of twelve living children, and the brother of James H. Brown, of Jasper township.

Samuel G. Brown, a well and favorably known farmer of section 28, Nodaway township, was born in Highland county, Ohio, near Hillsboro, the county seat, December 5, 1855, the son of Rev. Thomas D. Brown, a highly esteemed, early settler, who did much for the cause of Christianity. He married Mary E. Williams, a native of Virginia, of which her father was also a native. Rev. Thomas D. Brown was a native of Virginia, a son of John Brown, who served in the war of 1812. He was in early life a saddler and harness- maker; at length he came to Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his days farming and preaching the Gospel. The Brown family lived in Ohio until 1866, when they came to Adams county, Iowa, and in 1872 to the place where they still reside, near the subject of this sketch. They had twelve children - six sons and six daughters. One son, John, was a member of Company A, Eighty-Ninth Ohio Volunnteer Infantry, in the late war, and is now a dentist at Clarinda, this State. Another son, James, was the Recorder for Page county for eight years.

Mr. Samuel G. Brown, whose name introduces this sketch, was the youngest child in the above large family. He grew up to manhood on the farm near here, remaining with his parents until his marriage. He first bought, in 1887, forty acres of land, of Samuel Kennedy, and has purchased more since then, so that he now owns 180 acres. It is rich land and well improved. His dwelling is 15 x 30, with an L 12 x 14. The yards and premises generally are neat and well equipped. Mr. Brown devotes his attention to general farming and stock-raising. On national questions he is a Republican, but never aspired to office. Both himself and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are active in its Sunday- school.

He was married in this county, in December, 1878, to Miss Hattie Larison, a well-cultured lady from Ohio. Their three children are Wilma E., Jesse B. and Ray W.