Daniel Brownson, one of the prominent citizens of Clayton County, was a son of John Lewis and Polly (Wood) Brownson, who were natives of Nova Scotia and settled in Vermont at an early day. They removed to New York, where they resided a number of years, and in 1848 came to Iowa. Polly died in Minnesota and John in Farmersburg Township. The subject of this notice was born in New York on Nov. 26, 1813; he came to Clayton County, Iowa, in 1846, and bought his present farm of 635 acres of fine prairie, and timber land on sections 22 and 23, and has made farming a financial success. He makes a specialty of breeding fine stock, and has imported the best Norman horses in the State direct from France, having spent some time there in selecting his stock, which he shipped to America at a heavy expense. His yard of colts is one of the wonders of fine horse flesh. He sold several thousand dollars worth of stock this spring, and his herd now numbers fifty, of various ages and value. He was married in 1839 to Asenath, daughter of Joseph and Mehitable (Ladd) Taylor, natives of Vermont, and among the settlers of Clayton County in 1850. To them have been born six children-- Murray, born Sept. 4, 1840, is married and living in Nebraska; Freeman, born July 7, 1843, is married and living on the old homestead; Almed C., born Oct. 20, 1845, married E. Brandt, of Mason City (she died Aug. 12, 1874); Alzada, born Oct. 25, 1847, is now the wife of Eugene Flannigan; Almira, born Jan. 12, 1851, died July 16, 1852, and Almira M., born Jan. 31, 1857, died March 27, 1873. Mr. Brownson votes the Democratic ticket. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 771-72 |