Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 269
WILLIAM BROWNNAWELL, a farmer and stock-raiser of Sweetland Township, is the owner of 140 acres of land on section 36. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Harrisburg, Jan. 14, 1841, and is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Springer ) Brownnawell, who were the parents of nine children : George; John ; William, of this sketch; Sabina, wife of John Blauer; Peter; Mary M., wife of Jacob Doman; Elizabeth, wedded Fred Blauer; Katie, who married John Kurtz, a resident of Keokuk County, Iowa; and Agnes, wife of Edward Stanley.

The boyhood days of our subject were spent in his native State, but he emigrated to Muscatine County during the early days of its history, when the settlements were few, and the red men were almost as numerous as the pale faces. Oxen were used for plowing, and the plow was very imperfect compared with one of the present day. When the war broke out, and the President called for troops to put down the Rebellion, Mr. Brownnawell enlisted in 1862, becoming a member of Company B, of the 35th Iowa Infantry. For three years he remained on the Southern battle-fields, participating in all the important angagements of his regiment. When shot and shell were flying thick and fast at the battle of Pleasant Hill, Mr. Brownnawell was wounded, but his courage and will power sustained him. Taking out his pipe, he smoked a few minutes to allay the pain, and then again took up his gun, gallantly fighting until the end of the battle. His brother Greg (George) was killed in the battle of Tupelo, Miss., the only battle of the war in which any members of Company B were killed.

Returning to his home after receiving his discharge, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Isabella Goodheart, the ceremony being performed on the 1st of July, 1869. The lady is a daughter of Jacob and Julia ( Ferguson ) Goodheart. Her father was a native of Ohio, and when but a small boy went to Bloomington, Ill. About 1840 he removed to Keokuk County, Iowa, making the journey from Bloomington, Ill., with an ox-team. He was one of the pioneers of Keokuk County, and was there engaged in milling for a number of years, and met his death from an accident in his gristmill, June 4, 1857. Five children graced their union : Lizzie M., who was born Jan. 21, 1872; William Walter, born March 16, 1874, died at the age of two years, seven months and eleven days; Julia Belle. born Sept. 8, 1877; Lorena Pearl,May 7, 1879; and Mabel, Aug. 11, 1888.

In his political views Mr. Brownnawell is a Republican. He has always taken an active part in promoting the interests of the public schools. He has a pleasant home of 140 acres of land on section 36,Sweetland Township, and is one of the leading farmers in the vicinity.

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