Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 559
LAFAYETTE BROWN

Lafayette BROWN, an attorney at law, practicing at Missouri Valley, came to the place in 1875, having graduated the year before, at the law department of the Iowa State University.

He was born February 17, 1845, in Jackson County, Ohio. His parents are Samuel and Charlotte (SMITH) BROWN natives of Carroll County, Ohio. The ancestors on the father's side were very early settlers in Ohio, while on the mother's side they were from Pennsylvania. Great-grandfather William BROWN, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and during one of the fierce struggles of that conflict lost an arm.

Our subject was the fourth child of a family of ten--six sons and four daughters. Of the ten there are five sons and one daughter living. The family came to Iowa by the way of Ohio and Mississippi rivers, landing at Centreville, Appanoose County in 1853, and entered a farm there. In 1875 they traded the farm for a grist mill in Centreville, and after running this fro a few years made a change, by going to Missouri. Our subject's mother died May 1, 1891, in Missouri Valley.

His early education was obtained in Appanoose County, Iowa. He assisted his father on the farm until twenty five years of age and then attended the Normal School at Warrensburg Mo., and from there went to Iowa City, and graduated in law, in July 1874. The following winter he taught school in Appanoose County, coming to Missouri Valley the following year.

Politically he votes the straight Democratic ticket and has held the office of City Attorney for one term and is the present incumbent, and has been a member of the School Board at various times and is one of the present members.

Fannie MANNING became his life companion December 29, 1830. They were married in Wayne County Iowa, her parents being very early pioneers in the Hawkeye State. The father died while she was yet quite small and her mother passed from the scenes of this life, at Missouri Valley in 1883. Our subject and his wife are the parents of one child, Verne S., born November 30, 1883.

Of Mrs. BROWN, it may be said that she is an exemplary Christian lady and a member of the Presbyterian Church at Missouri Valley.

Of Mr. BROWN's brothers, two are in Oregon, one in North Dakota, and one in South Dakota; three are farmers and stock-raisers. A sister lives in South Dakota, the wife of John RANDS; Allen L. one of the brothers living in Oregon is extensively engaged in raising stock, principally horses. He was Sheriff of Baker County at one time.

When our subject came to Missouri Valley, he was a poor man having used all of his early earnings, in gaining an education. But by strict attention to his business in his line, he has built up a lucrative practice, and now owns a good business property on Erie Street, besides a good residence property in another part of Missouri Valley.

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