My Genealogy Hound

D. C. Brown, merchant of Dover, Ark. In the preparation of this brief outline of the life history of one of the most worthy residents of Pope County, appear facts which are greatly to his credit. His intelligence, enterprise, integrity as well as many other worthy qualities, have acquired for him a popularity not derived from any factitious circumstances, but a permanent and spontaneous tribute to his merit. He was born in Randolph County, N. C, April 12,1837, and with his father, Samuel Brown, a mechanic, came to Arkansas, when five years of age, and as he was compelled to labor on a farm in his youth, he received only the advantages of the common schools near his home. At the age of twenty-one years he began doing business for himself, entering the general mercantile store of D. James as a clerk, and after remaining there two years, he severed his connection with this establishment and went to Clarksville, where he entered the store of B. F. Hershey, two years also being spent here, at the end of which time he had been elected sheriff of Pope County, and in August, 1860, gave up his clerkship and entered upon his duties as a public official, which position he filled in a highly satisfactory manner for two years. He then resigned his office to enter the Confederate Army as first lieutenant of Company A, Williamson’s battalion of Arkansas Volunteers, and was sent to Mississippi, where in the fall of 1862 he was discharged on account of disability resulting from sickness. In December of the same year he had recovered sufficiently to re-enlist, and was elected first lieutenant of Company A, Hill’s regiment, Arkansas Cavalry, and was immediately placed on active service, and was in the battles of Pine Bluff, Poison Springs, Mark’s Mills, and was with Price on his raid in Missouri in 1864. While on that raid near Dover he was promoted to the rank of captain, after which he took part in the battles of Pilot Knob, Boonville, Jefferson City, Independence, Fayetteville, afterward going to Camp Monroe, where they remained for some time. They were dismounted near Spring Hill, Ark., and were assigned to duty in Gen. Roan’s infantry regiment, and were marched to Camp Magruder, La., thence to Shreveport and afterward to Marshall, Tex., where they were discharged. Mr. Brown then returned home to find his property scattered and everything laid waste. After teaching a three months’ term of school on Big Piney Creek he returned to Dover and entered into partnership with D. P. West in the mercantile business, but this partnership was dissolved by mutual consent after a few years. Since that time Mr. Brown has been in business alone. Although he began with a very small capital at the close of the war he has accumulated a good property, and is the owner of a tract of land comprising eighty acres, lying near the town. He was married on January 10, 1858, to Miss R. E. Hagins, of Dover, but she and their infant child died while Mr. Brown was in the army. He was remarried on February 7, 1866, to Mrs. A. J. Rankin, of Dover, and one child, a daughter named Marie, blessed their union, she being now the wife of J. A. Miller, of Russellville. Mr. Brown and his wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in which he holds the office of Sunday-school superintendent. He is chaplain in the A. F. & A. M. lodge of Dover, is a Democrat politically, and at all times gives liberally of his means in the support of worthy enterprises.