Brown, John

BROWN, HAWKINS, BAILEY, KIRKPATRICK

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 8/7/2020 at 14:35:02

John Brown, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 35, English River Township, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, May 4, 1837, and is the son of Manley and Rebecca (Hawkins) Brown, the father a native of Virginia, and the mother of Delaware. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom our subject was the first in order of birth, and following him was Thomas, a member of the 13th Iowa Infantry, who died while in the service; Nancy J., deceased, was the wife of Samuel Kanouse, a resident of Louisa County; Mary A. is the wife of D. C. Troup, a farmer in Washington County, Kan.; Ellen is the wife of Fletcher Haigler, and resides in Junction County, Kan.; William, a merchant in Manhattan, Riley Co., Kan.; Henry died in infancy; Charles and George, both deceased; Willson, a resident of Manhattan, Kan.; Clara, wife of A. J. Singmaster, a farmer in Dutch Creek Township; Ira, a yardmaster at Wamego, Kan.

The family lived upon a farm in Ohio until the year 1849, when they emigrated to Des Moines County, Iowa, and remained in that county about two years, then removed to Appanoose County, and again bought land and improved eighty acres, where they lived the true and tried life of a pioneer. Here the wolves were more plentiful than the necessaries of life, and often when going to mill the team would be stopped ty the animals and while some member of the family was gone for flour the children at home were crying for bread. The children attended school at an old log school-house, with cracks between the logs for windows. This was a trying period in the history of this family, but about 1851 they sold the farm and came to Washington County, and bought eighty acres, which they improved, and afterward sold the same. Mr. Brown owned a number of farms in this county at different times, and now owns a fine farm of eighty acres of prairie and twenty acres of timber, which is managed by his sons. He is now living a retired life, takes a great interest in all public matters, and is one of the highly respected citizens of Washington County. Mrs. Brown died in 1862. She was a kind mother and a good Christian woman. Mr. Brown is now a well-preserved man of seventy-four years.

The subject of this sketch, John Brown, made his home with his parents upon the farm and in attendance on the common schools, until he reached the age of twenty-one, or on Oct. 6, 1858, when he was united in marriage with Hannah Bailey, a daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Kirkpatrick) Bailey. She was born May 22, 1836. Her parents were pioneers of Ohio, and emigrated to Iowa at a very early day, and have witnessed the many changes brought about by the pioneers of the different States.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of five children: Sarah A., at home; Albert died in infancy; Ida, at home; Henry and Charles. They have given their children a good common-school education. Mr. Brown owns eighty acres of fine farming land on section 28, of this township, all in good condition, with substantial farm buildings. For the last twelve years, and until the spring of 1886, he rented 240 acres of land on section 35, his sons helping him to manage and operate the farms. All that he now has he acquired by his own hard work, assisted by his wife, each doing all they could to provide a home for their old age. Politically he is a Democrat.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of John Brown, pages 541-542.