James Brown

BROWN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/13/2010 at 16:41:12

Farming interests have claimed the attention of James Brown since reaching man’s estate, and he is today numbered among the leading agriculturists of Jackson township, his home being on section 27. He was born in Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio November 13, 1844, and on both the paternal and maternal sides is of Irish extraction. His paternal great grandfather, Josias Brown, came to this country form Ireland at an early day and died in Virginia. His son, Alexander Brown resided in Ohio county, West Virginia for some year and then removed with his family in 1815 to Monroe county, Ohio, settling what is now Summit township, along Sunfish creek, where he owned large tracts of land entered from the government. There he spent his remaining days. He firs married a Miss McCoy, and after her death he wedded Elizabeth Whitman. He reared a large family in which were nine sons and several daughters.
The oldest of these was Josias Brown, the father of our subject. He as born in Ohio county, West Virginia, in 1803, and throughout life followed the occupation of farming his last days being spent in Boone county, Iowa. He wedded Mary Daly, whose ancestors also came for the Emerald Isle and settled in Virginia. They too, removed to Monroe county, Ohio and made their home on Willis creek, twenty miles for the Brown homestead. John Daly our subject’s fraternal grandfather was a hunter and trapper in Ohio at a very early day ad was an expert at that business. He frequently made trips to Wheeling, West Virginia to sell his firs, and he manufactured many of the shoes and other articles of clothing worn by the fail form the hides to the animals which he trapped His daughter, Mrs Brown died in Boone county at the age of ninety years, having been born in 1808. She was the mother of the following children: Benjamin W a farmer who died in West Virginia, Joseph O who died in infancy, Nancy the wife of William Smyth of Des Moines, Ruth who married Samuel Hunter and died in Manning, Iowa, Maria, the wife of Anthony Hunter of Monroe county, Ohio, Josias, who makes his home on section 26, Jackson township, this county, John D who served in the One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war and died Salem, Kansas, James of this review, Wilbur F a resident of Boone, Absalom who died at the age of twelve years, Mary a who died in infancy, and Vincent who is living retired in Boone, Iowa.
During his boyhood James Brown passed his education in a old fashioned log schoolhouse near his home and as opportunity afforded continued to attend school until the age of twenty-one years, after which he engaged in teaching for two terms in Monroe county, Ohio. It was in 1869 that he accompanied his brother, Wilbur F Brown on his removal to Boone county, Iowa and here he has since made his home, his time and attention being devoted to agricultural pursuits. After his marriage he located upon his present farm on section 27, Jackson township, and to its further improvement and cultivation he has since devoted his energies, He had purchased the land on fist coming to Iowa.
On May 2, 1886, Mr Brown was united in marriage to Mrs Juliette (Briely) Fezler, widow of H N Fezler and a daughter of Elisha and Mary (Foster) Briely. they old membership in the Prairie Center Methodist Episcopal church and devout Christian people who are held in the highest esteem by all who know them Mr Brown is serving as trustee of his church and substantially aided in the building of is house of worship. His political support is given to the republican party, and he served as justice of the peace for one term. He is well known throughout the community and is regarded as one of its leading citizens.

1914 Boone County History Book