My Genealogy Hound

DAVID I. BROWN, a highly respected resident of Elm Creek, Buffalo county, is a native of Highland county, Ohio, and is the tenth in a family of eleven children. His father, Edgar Brown, was a native of Culpeper county, Va., born in 1796, but when four years of age, moved with his parents to Highland county, Ohio. Although he attended but three months of school, by economizing time and studying whenever opportunity offered itself, he became quite proficient as a civil engineer. He was a preacher in the Quaker society for a number of years, and in this capacity was popularly known throughout Ohio. He was distinguished as a kind, hospitable and generous man, always ready to help the needy. In politics he was a supporter of the republican platform. He was married to Miss Mary Huff (born, 1800, died 1874), a native of North Carolina, who, also, was a member of the Quaker society, and, true to Quaker characteristics, was prompt to respond to calls for help in times of sickness. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, viz. — Sarah (died 1871); three of the older died in infancy; William (died 1870); James (lives in Salem, Henry county, Iowa, engaged in farming and stock-raising); Lydia (lives in Ohio); Clinton (who was a practicing physician, was killed by overwork, dying in 1874); Elgar (died in 1884, was engaged in farming and teaching, and was principal of the public schools of Rainsborough, and was quite a clever poet); David I. and Mary (Mrs. Barrerre, who was a graduate of the female seminary of Hillsborough, Ohio, and later became a teacher in that institution).

David I., the subject of this sketch, remained in Highland county, Ohio, the place of his nativity, till 1858, at which time he migrated to Missouri; there he engaged in teaching till the breaking out of the war, when he returned to Ohio. He enlisted at Rainsborough in 1863, in the Second Ohio heavy artillery, and was principally on garrison duty, and was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., in 1865. While in the service he contracted chronic diarrhoea. Mr. Brown was married, in 1862, to Miss Mare E. Davis, a native of Ohio, Rev. A. Shinn performing the ceremony. To them have been born six children, viz.— Carrie, born 1863; Mary J., born 1866 (married March, 1890); Washington E., born 1867; Ella K., born 1869 (died March 4, 1876); William O., born 1871, and Eddy, born 1873. Mrs. Brown was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, actively engaged in all the departments of its work. She departed this life in 1875. Mr. Brown settled in section 4, township 8, range 18, Elm Creek township, Buffalo county, and there remained for a few years, then moved to the village of Elm Creek.

Mr. Brown is a republican in politics. He has at various times held different offices in the gift of the people. He was commissioner of Buffalo county in 1879-80 and 1881, and for thirteen years has been justice of the peace and six years postmaster at Elm Creek. In 1881 Mr. Brown took for his second wife Miss Carrie P. Gile, a native of Iowa, born in 1860, Rev. A. Collins officiating. Mrs. Brown was a successful teacher for two years in Iowa before coming to Nebraska, then taught one year in Nebraska. To them have been born two children, viz. — Jesse G. (born 1882) and Leslie M. (born 1884).

Mrs. Brown is a native of Allamakee county, Iowa, and is the fourth of a family of seven children, her father and mother settling there in 1852. Seven children were born to them — Gordon H., born in 1853, burned in a prairie fire in Dakota in 1879; Edward S., born in 1855; Wells, born in 1857; Carrie P., born in 1860; Ida M., born in 1862; Rulef S., born in 1864, and William, born in 1867.