Biography - Samuel Brown
SAMUEL BROWN came to Rio township in 1834 from Montgomery county,
Indiana. He was a justice of the peace there and county supervisor.
Source: Unknown
1899 Biography
SAMUEL
BROWN was born in Montgomery County, IN, April 23, 1826. He was the son of
Samuel and Jane (Bell) Brown; the father was Scotch-Irish descent and was
born in Kentucky; the mother, who was of Welsh-Irish ancestry, was a native
of New Jersey; they were married in Butler County, OH, March 12, 1807; he
was a soldier in the War of 1812 and drew a soldier's warrant. This worthy
couple moved from Butler County, OH, to Whitewater, IN, then to Montgomery
County, IN, where they lived twelve years, and from there, in the Fall of
1834, to Rio Township, Knox County, IL. The next Spring they bought land in
Henderson Township (Section 6), and although there were settlers all around
them, neighbors were generally three miles apart. They were both members of
the Baptist Church, and Mr. Brown held the office of deacon. In politics, he
was a democrat. They died in Warren County, Mr. Brown, September 10, 1856,
aged seventy-four, Mrs. Brown, May 12, 1869, nearly eighty-tree years of
age. They had nine children, Elizabeth, Esther, Mary, Benjamin, Allen S.,
Nancy, Jane, Samuel, and John. All lived to enter upon married life, except
John, who died at the age of ten, but only Samuel and Benjamin are now
living. The parental grandparents of Samuel Brown were John and Esther
(Crossley) Brown.
Samuel Brown attended school only nine months, but nevertheless became a
well-read self-educated man, one of the best informed and most intelligent
in his township. It was not until after he was married that he learned to
read and write, acquiring this and much other knowledge from the teachers
who boarded in his family.
November 6, 1845, in Mercer County IL, Mr. Brown married Elizabeth Miller.
Six children were born to them, Abraham Miller; Jacob Edward; William W.;
deceased; Jennie, deceased; Nannie and Ella. Abraham M. graduated from
Lombard University in 1870; he is a lawyer, having been admitted to the Bar
in 1872; in 1876, he was elected to the Legislature, serving one term. Jacob
Edward is a farmer and stock-raiser in Rio Township. Jennie married Milton
L. Overstreet; died, 1892. Nannie is the wife of J. L. Overstreet. Ella
married Nathaniel G. Scott who died in August, 1898; they had three
children, Preston Brown, Notely Miller, and Mary deceased. Mrs. Scott was
educated in the Galesburg High School, graduating in the class of 1877.
Mr. Brown was only twenty years old when he married and settled on his farm
of 80 acres on Section 30, Rio Township. This farm he improved, and was so
successful that he added to the original until the home farm now consists of
over 600 acres. To his wife is due equal credit for the accumulation of this
fine property. Although she was a most delicate woman, she was an excellent
housekeeping and manager. In the month of August, 1870, at great sacrifice
to himself, he left his prosperous farm and moved to Galesburg for the
purpose of educating his children. Mr. and Mrs. Brown celebrated their
Golden Wedding in 1895, one of three golden weddings in the family; it was a
notable occasion.
In religion, Mr. Brown is a Universalist. In politics, he is a democrat, and
has held a number of local offices, such as Justice of the Peace, which
office he held for about twelve years, School Director and Trustee, Road
Commissioner and Supervisor.
Extracted from the 1899 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, Munsell Publishing Company. Picture provided by Jim Ferris.
