Biographical History of Pottawattmie Co., IA - William R. BROWN
Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa

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, the 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. was but a babe when his parents moved to Marion County, Indiana, about six miles south of Indianapolis, and at twelve years of age his mother removed to Cass County, Indiana, where he remained until our subject matured, having passed his youth on a farm.  At the age of nineteen 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; he then worked in a brick-yard 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 bough 160 acres of land near Fort Omaha, which he kept tow and a half years, and then sold it at a good advance.  He then returned to Des Moines, and bought a car-load of horses, which he sold, and bought the Scofield farm of 160¼ 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 J. K. Hazzard, 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.

Get more information about William R. BROWN!
E-mail the Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy Society

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