Brown, John S.

BROWN, MC NABB, HELPHREY, WARNER, ROWLES, ASHLEY, BISHOP, WILSON, POWERS, ALLEN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/27/2009 at 11:47:40

Brown, John S.

Among those citizens of Jasper County whose long residence therein entitled them to special mention is John S. Brown. Mr. Brown was born in Logan County, Illinois, April 8, 1849, his father being Leroy Brown, a native of Tennessee and his mother, also a native of Tennessee, being Jane (Mc Nabb) Brown. The father died in 1881 at Newton, Iowa, aged sixty-four. The mother died at Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois. It was in about the year 1840 that Mr. Brown's father came from his native state to Illinois, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In the fall of 1865 he came to Jasper County, Iowa, settling in Newton, where he worked at the carpenter trade. Afterwards he was elected city marshal of Newton, serving about seven years up until the time of his death.

Mr. Brown, the subject of this sketch, is one of two living children. His brother, Carl Brown, who was born in Logan County, Illinois, in 1847, resides at this writing in Calistoga, California. He is the editor of that unique western publication, The Cactus, which is known all over the United States. He is the same Carl Brown of Coxey's Army fame, and is also a cartoonist of ability.

The military record of Mr. Brown's father is of special interest. He was a soldier in the Mexican war, serving with distinction and bravery in the battle of Cerra Gorda and other prominent engagements of that war. Then, when the great civil conflict broke out, he again answered his country's call serving all through the war, coming out as captain of a regiment. He was a member of Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army, at Newton.

After coming to Newton, the subject of our sketch engaged in the painting business, afterwards taking up the business of farming. On April 27, 1870, he was married to Catherine Helphrey, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Warner) Helphrey. The father was a native of Virginia and the mother was a native of Maryland. Mrs. Brown's parents came first to Ohio, where they were married, afterwards emigrating to Newton, Iowa, in 1850, where they purchased several hundred acres of land from the government at one dollar and a. half per acre. Some of this land is now within the city limits of Newton. Mrs. Brown's father followed farming and stock raising until his death, which occurred in 1880, at the age of eighty-one. Her mother died in 1892 in Newton, at the age of eighty-nine years. Mrs. Brown is one of ten children, seven of whom are living: David Helphrey, who died in Jasper County, Iowa, at the age of fifty years; Charlotte Rowles, widow of Nicholas Rowles, residing in Colfax, Iowa, aged eighty years; Miranda Ashley, widow of Riley Ashley, residing in Jasper County; Mrs. Ella Bishop, widow of John Bishop, resides in Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Wilson, widow of J. W. Wilson, resides in Newton, aged sixty-four years; Mrs. Lew J. Powers, wife of J. W. Powers, resides in San Antonio, Texas, her husband, a Union soldier who lost an arm in the service, being superintendent in the national cemetery there; Eva Helphrey, who died in infancy; Mrs. John S. Brown, born July 2, 1848; Samuel Helphrey died in the army in 1863; Thomas J. Helphrey resides in Chicago, and is engaged in the sewing machine business.

To Mr. and Mrs. Brown has been born one child, a son, Carl L. Brown, born March 10, 1871, who resides with his parents on the farm. He is married, his wife being Maude (Allen) Brown. They have one child, a bright little fellow of five years. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Christian Church at Newton. In politics Mr. Brown is a Democrat. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1027.