Brown, William R.

BROWN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 12:01:42

William R. Brown
born June 26, 1836, Indiana

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.437)
WILLIAM R. BROWN, who owns 264 acres of land on section 36, Garner Township, came to Pottawattamie County in 1862. He was born in Indiana, June 26, 1836, son of John and Rachel (PETERSON) BROWN, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter a descendant of old Virginia families. They were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter. William R. BROWN was but a babe when his parents moved to Marion County Indiana, about six miles south of Indianapolis, and at 12 years of age his mother removed to Cass County, Indiana, where he remained until our subject was matured, having passed his youth on a farm. At the age of 19 years, William R. came west and arrived at Omaha on May 15, 1862, when it was but a small village of about 1,000 inhabitants. He first engaged in teaming, then in working a stone quarry, in which he bought an interest and remained two years. He then sold out and engaged in freighting to Denver, Colorado, for one year; and then engaged in carpentering, a trade which he had followed in Indiana. In 1867 he went to work in the Union Pacific Railroad shops where he remained until 1877 when he rented some land east of Fort Omaha and engaged in farming one year. He next went on the KUNCE place, now in Omaha, where he resided six years. Here he bought 160 acres of land near Fort Omaha which he kept two and a half years, then sold it at a good advance. He then returned to Des Moines, and bought a carload of horses, which he sold, and bought the SCOFIELD farm of 160 1/4 acres, which he owned nine months, and then sold at an advance of $40. Mr. Brown then purchased his present farm, in October 1887, which was known as the VAN SILVER farm, or the WHITE farm; it is well watered by Pony Creek, which flows through it.

He was married in Warren County, Iowa, near Fort Hartford in 1861, to Miss Margaret L. LEWIN who was born in the eastern part of Iowa, the daughter of Washington LEWIN, who came to Omaha in 1856. They have five sons and four daughters, viz.: Charles, who is married and resides in Omaha; James, a commercial traveler residing in Galesburg, Illinois; Mary, wife of J.K. HAZARD of Omaha; Albert who resides in Omaha; Dolly living at home; Nellie, Bennie, Delphia, Salome and Oscar. They have lost five children by death in childhood. Politically Mr Brown is a Republican; he is a member of the I.O.O.F., Council Bluffs Lodge No. 49.