My Genealogy Hound

Charles H. Brown, banker at Lamar, is a native of Albany, N. Y., born July 3, 1842. He received a liberal education at Fredonia Academy, N. Y., and at the age of twenty years entered the Chicago Law School, from which he graduated in 1863, at the head of his class. He then opened an office at Monmouth, Ill., and in January, 1866, he came to Lamar. At that time there were but three lawyers at the Lamar bar, but a number of the ablest attorneys of the State resided at Springfield, and practiced throughout the circuit. Contact with such ability was very beneficial to the young lawyer, and with increase of knowledge and experience came additional practice, until he was accounted one of the busiest and most successful lawyers at the bar. In 1872 he withdrew from the practice and turned his attention especially to the banking business. In this business he has been associated with several different men, and the firm name has been several times changed, but in 1871 it took its present firm name of C. H. Brown & Co. Mr. Brown is a stanch Republican in politics, and an active worker in building up the county and Lamar. He has never been an office-seeker, though in 1866 and 1867 he was prosecuting attorney for Barton County, and representative in 1874-75. In 1869 Mr., Brown married Miss Emma Wills, daughter of M. N. Wills. To this union were born three children, two sons and a daughter. Mr. Brown came to Lamar with little money, but with a wonderful stock of energy; now he is accounted one of the wealthy men of the county.