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Below is a family biography included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published by Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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BROWN, GEORGE, agriculturist. The growth and development of the prosperous county of Greene, is largely due to that restless energetic people known as Kentuckians; among this people George Brown was born in 1801. While a youth he wended his way to Franklin County, Mo., where at the early age of nineteen, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Antrobus, and the following year hearing many glowing accounts of the fertility of Illinois, he made his way thither, where he found but few inhabitants, as but few then had the hardihood to venture to the wilds of Illinois, save a few daring spirits in search of new scenes and incidents. Building a cabin near the present Munday estate, he prepared to battle for an existence in Illinois, at a time when such kindred spirits as Samuel Thomas, Peter Cartwright and others were among the principal settlers. We cannot, owing to limited space, follow in detail the progress of Mr. Brown in his career in Southern Illinois. Many years after his marriage, about the year 1847, Mrs. Brown died, leaving to the care of her husband, ten children. Mr. Brown survived his wife many years, passing to a home not made with hands in 1872. One thing in the life history of Mr. B. is somewhat remarkable, living in an age when horse racing, drinking and carousing was the order of the day, he held himself aloof from the prevalent vices of the times, and was much respected for his Christian character; and when the gray light of morning beamed upon his pathway, beckoning him onward to a brighter and better land, he obeyed the summons of the Great Unknown with true Christian fortitude. Richard W. Brown, from whom this sketch is obtained, grew to manhood in Greene Co., following farming from his earliest years. In 1862 he enlisted in the 122d Ill. Infantry under the command of Captain King. Proceeding to the front he became engaged in many important battles as Parker’s Cross Roads, Paducah, Nashville, Mobile, etc. Honorably discharged at the close of the Rebellion, he returned to Greene County, where he was at one time the owner of 290 acres of valuable land. January 25th 1865, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Witt, a daughter of Franklin and Melinda Witt, of whom notice will be found in another department of this work. Of this marriage five children were born, of whom four are living; Mary E., John F., Henry and Ida M.

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This family biography is one of 744 biographies included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Greene County, Illinois

View additional Greene County, Illinois family biographies here: Greene County, Illinois Biographies

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