Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 640
CAPT. JOHN D. BROWN

One of the most interesting men in Missouri Valley, Iowa, is Capt. John D. BROWN, who has been a resident of that city since 1867. Born and reared in Massachusetts he served throughout the Civil War and made a notable record in that conflict. After the close of the war he came west and settled at Missouri Valley, when it was but a straggling village and became an employee of the railway company which was constructing a line through that city. He has been as closely identified with the growth of Missouri Valley as any other man, and it is probable that he has a better knowledge of the history of the city than any other man now living. He engaged in the real estate business for many years and is yet connected with the business. Since 1896 he has had a drug store in Missouri Valley and is now associated with his son in this line of business. Captain BROWN has held numerous public offices during his long career in this city and has never failed to give universal satisfaction to all concerned in the administration of the various duties connected with the offices which he has held.

Capt. John D. BROWN, the son of Pemberton and Paulina (WHITMORE) BROWN, was born October 14, 1842, at Uxbridge, Worcester county, Massachusetts. His father was born October 11, 1801, in the same village and his mother was born in Grafton, Massachusetts.

Pemberton Brown was a son of Elihu BROWN, who was born August 16, 1761, and died October 25, 1840. Elihu BROWN enlisted for service in the Revolutionary War when he was fourteen years of age and enlisted no less than three different times before the war was over. Elihu BROWN was a blacksmith by trade and lived at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The maternal grandmother of Captain BROWN was Sallie SIBLEY, a sister of former President TAFT's grandmother.

Pemberton BROWN was a blacksmith by trade and captain of the Uxbridge militia company for several years. He died in Massachusetts, March 30, 1870. His wife, Paulina WHITMORE, was born April 19, 1807, and died February 24, 1874, at the home of her son, Captain BROWN, in Missouri Valley. Pemberton BROWN and wife were the parents of four children, H. H., of San Francisco, California; P. W., the purchasing agent of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway Company, at Marquette, Michigan; one who died in infancy, and Capt. John D., of Missouri Valley. Pemberton BROWN had been previously married to Abba Eliza MURDOCK, and to this marriage several children were born, Tarissa G., born October 3, 1828, died October 12, 1914, at Providence, Rhode Island; Josephine, who died January 15, 1895, at the age of sixty-five; Aden B., who was born November 14, 1831, and died April 19, 1880, was a soldier in the Civil War in the Second Regiment Connecticut Heavy Artillery; Abba E., born June 30, 1833, and died October 19, 1914, at Malden, Massachusetts; Henry H., born June 26, 1840, who served in the Civil War as sergeant of Company B, Eighteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and as captain of the Twenty-ninth Regiment Connecticut Colored Infantry, and Pemberton W., born January 18, 1845.

Capt. John D. BROWN left Uxbridge, Massachusetts, where he was born, at the age of three years, and removed with his parents to Northbridge and later to Mulberry, Massachusetts. When he was eight years of age his parents located in New Boston, where John D. completed his education in the public schools. His father managed a hotel in New Boston and later engaged in agricultural pursuits. As a young man Captain BROWN followed various occupations and in December, 1860, went to Holyoke, Massachusetts, to learn the machinist's trade, and was living in that city when the Civil War opened.

Captain BROWN enlisted August 8, 1862, in Company B, Eighteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry and was discharged April 15, 1864. He was appointed captain of Company B., Forty-third United States colored troops and served until October 22, 1865, when he was finally discharged from the service. He served under Generals MILROY, BUTLER and BURNSIDE, in the Army of the Potomac, and was in the Wilderness campaign and the siege of Vicksburg, Petersburg and Richmond. He was wounded June 30, 1864, by the premature explosion of a mine before Petersburg, but kept on duty until the close of the war. After the fall of Richmond, in which his company bore a prominent part, he was sent to Texas with his colored troops and remained there until November, and finally reached his home in Massachusetts in December, 1865.

After the close of the war, Captain BROWN attended a commercial college in Providence, Rhode Island, and in the following spring found employment in a straw factory at Malden, Massachusetts, where he worked until June, 1867. He then went west and landed at Dakota, Nebraska, and from there went to Missouri Valley on horseback and went to work for the Sioux City & Pacific Railway, which was then being built through this state. He was superintendent's clerk, storekeeper, paymaster and agent. He was with this company from August, 1867, until June, 1888, being agent from March, 1870, until the latter year, and part of the time he was agent for both the railroad companies in Missouri Valley.

Captain BROWN had the foresight to see that Missouri Valley would one day become a flourishing city, and early in the history of the town he became interested in real estate. He was agent for the Blair Town Lot and Land Company, the Iowa Railroad Land Company and the Missouri Valley Land Company, and sold lots in the city and railroad land throughout Harrison county. He organized the Missouri Valley Real Estate and Improvement Company and took over the unsold lots and the land of the railroad company in the vicinity of Missouri Valley. He was secretary of this company at its organization, and has been president since 1890.

Captain BROWN has been very active in everything pertaining to the welfare of Missouri Valley. He is one of the trustees of the Rose Hill Cemetery Association, serving in this capacity since 1871, and has been president of the association since 1874. He was president of the Workingmen's Building and Loan Association in Missouri Valley from 1900 until 1913. He served as water commissioner from 1898 to 1900 and was president of the school board from 1870 until 1871, at the time the first high school building was erected. He negotiated the deal for the fair grounds and also for the cemetery. He was appointed postmaster in February, 1890, by President HARRISON and served until May, 1894. He has been commander of Post No. 59, Grand Army of the Republic, for the past four years, and had previously served in the same position.

In September, 1896, Captain BROWN engaged in the drug business under the firm name of BROWN & WHITE, and in 1898, purchased the interests of Mr. WHITE and took in his son in partnership. Two of his sons, Leon and Adin, are registered pharmacists, and Adin was a teacher in Iowa State University for two years. Their store is one of the most attractive in the city and his sons are capable business men who are building up a large and lucrative trade.

Captain BROWN was married August 18, 1869, to Fannie C. NOYES, who was born August 6, 1841, at Amherst, New Hampshire, and to this union were born four sons, Harlan Milo, Leon Wickware, Willard Parkhurst and Adin Noyes. Harlan Milo was born December 7, 1870, and died June 12, 1871. Leon Wickware was born August 24, 1872, married Mary Henrietta BATES, who died February 22, 1901, leaving one son, Edward Bates, who was born February 22, 1901, and died September 20th of the same year. Leon is associated with his father in drug business. Willard Parkhurst, the third son of Captain BROWN and wife, was born November 8, 1877, and died September 30, 1880. Adin Noyes, the youngest son of Captain BROWN, was born June 23, 1880, and was married April 19, 1911, to Charlotte MCGAVREN, who was born January 3, 1881. Adin and his wife have one daughter, Marjorie M., born December 3, 1913. Adin was graduated from the Iowa State University and was an instructor in the university two years after completing his course.

Captain BROWN and his wife are justly proud of their two sons who are not only excellent business men but men of high character and standing in the community. Captain BROWN can fairly be called one of the pioneers of Missouri Valley, since he has lived and worked there since the town was started. He has never failed to give his support to any measure which he felt would benefit his city, and it is safe to say that there is no man in Missouri Valley who is held in higher esteem by its citizens.

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