John H. Brown (1836-1923)

BROWN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/3/2022 at 22:02:44

John H. Brown
(April 11, 1836 – January 8, 1923)

Every land on the face of the globe has added to the American citizenship, but no country has sent a more loyal and valuable class to the United States than has Scotland, whose sturdy, determined, courageous and upright sons have contributed to improvement and progress in every section of the country in which they have located. Mr. Brown, who is now living in Lake City,
came from the land of hills and heather, his birth having occurred in Glasgow, April 11, 1836. His parents were John and Catherine (Williams) Brown, in whose family were four sons; Alexander, now deceased; John; Benjamin W.; and George, who has also passed away. The mother died about 1846, and in 1850 the father came with his children to the new world. For ten years he had been an officer in the English navy and resigning his position he crossed the Atlantic. The vessel in which he sailed was shipwrecked off the coast of the Bahama Islands, and there, after three days, a good many passengers and sailors were rescued. The following day the vessel was swept out to sea and lost. John Brown, the father, went to Nassau. New Providence, and after three weeks proceeded by schooner to New Orleans, where he remained for a short time, going thence to Peoria, Illinois. On the expiration of a year he removed to McLean County, Illinois, settling near Bloomington, where he purchased a farm. Three years later, however, the old home was
broken up, the father going to La Salle. Illinois, where he died about 1858. The brother of our subject was a soldier of the Civil war, joining Company E, Eighth Illinois Infantry, and was wounded in the battle of Fort Donelson. He built the first business block in Sabine, Texas, and is now serving as postmaster in that place. Our subject was a youth of fourteen when, with his father, he said good-by to his native land and sailed for the new world. He well remembers the incidents of that perilous voyage. He accompanied his father on his various removals until 1857 when he went to La Salle, Illinois, but remained there only a short time, returning to McLean County, where he worked on a farm until after the inauguration of the Civil war. Aroused by a spirit of patriotism lie enlisted in defense of his adopted land, on the 1st of August, 1862, becoming a member of Company H, Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry, under the command of Captain Orme, joining the regiment at Bloomington, in McLean County, where it was organized, under Colonel Orme, and in ten days was sent to the front. At this time John McNulta was lieutenant-colonel. At the promotion of Colonel Orme to brigadier-general. Mr. McNulta was promoted to colonel, having charge of the regiment throughout the remainder of the war. The command was sent to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, and then attached to the Army of the Frontier, participating in the engagements at Prairie Grove, the Van Buren campaign and the siege of Vicksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg the division ascended the Yazoo River and captured Yazoo city. On their return to Vicksburg they were transferred to the
Department of the Gulf, under General Banks, and went down the river to Port Hudson, hut took no active part in the engagement, the surrender there having occurred shortly before the arrival of this division. Next the troops proceeded to New Orleans and participated in the battle of Morganza Bend. At that time General Banks was organizing an expedition to invade Texas, and the Ninety-fourth Illinois was called to take part, sailing from New Orleans across the gulf of Mexico, to Brazos, Santiago, landing near where the Rio Grande empties into the gulf. They marched to Brownsville and the city surrendered to the regiment, which then raised the stars and stripes. It might be said that this regiment helped to establish two republics, that of the United States and of Mexico, for Maximillian was then trying to establish an empire in Mexico. Afterward our subject recrossed the gulf of Mexico and took part in the Mobile campaign, going with General Farragut to reduce the forts at the entrance of Mobile bay. Thus it was that Mr. Brown took part in the battle of Mobile bay and the siege of Spanish Fort. His regiment was there stationed when the war practically came to an end, but it was sent to Galveston, Texas, where it remained for some time, the troops being mustered out there July 19, 1865. In August, following, Mr. Brown received an honorable discharge, at Springfield, Illinois, and returned thence to Bloomington. In the fall of 1865 he crossed the Atlantic once more and for a short time visited in his native land, viewing the scenes of childhood and renewing the friendships of his youth. When he again came to the United States, he engaged in farming near Bloomington, Illinois, for a year and in the spring of 1868 he went to Washington County, Iowa, where he purchased a tract of land, continuing its cultivation until 1875, when he came to Calhoun County. Here for twenty-seven years he had made his home and for twenty-three years he resided upon his farm in Lake Creek township. He still owns this property but in 1898 he removed to Lake City, where he has since resided, but he still owns his farm and derives therefrom a good income. Mr. Brown was married in New Lanark, near the falls of Clyde, in Scotland, on the 16th of January, 1866, the lady of his choice being Elizabeth Dickson, a daughter of George Dickson, also of New Lanark. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born the following named: Ella May. deceased; Douglas, a moulder of New Bedford, Massachusetts; Ada. the wife of Henry Knisely, of Sac City, Iowa; Arthur, a resident farmer of Calhoun County; Catherine, now married and living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Walter, who is engaged in the laundry business in Ida Grove, Iowa; George, who is with his parents; Donald, who died in infancy: and Jeanie Belle, who resides with her parents. In his political affiliations Mr. Brown has been a stanch Republican since casting his first residential vote for Abraham Lincoln and has never wavered in his advocacy to the principles of the party, which preserved the Union in the dark days of the Civil war and which has ever stood for advancement, progress and the protection of all American institutions. He belongs to Landar Post. No. 156. G. A. R., and thus maintains pleasant relationship with his old army comrades. In the years of his active business career he made the most of his opportunities, and his thrift, enterprise and diligence enabled him to overcome all obstacles in his path and advance steadily to the plane of success, so that he is now enabled to live retired in the enjoyment of a well earned rest and the fruits of his former toil. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S.J. Clarke, 1902, p.427]