Jasper County Biographies

Biographical Sketch of Francis M. Brown - Jasper County, Missouri


From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Candy Grubb (candyg@theofficenet.com)
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FRANCIS M. BROWN
Francis M. Brown. When the clouds of fratricidal life were
hovering and the minions of treason were trampling the stars and
stripes in the dust, the subject of this article was one of those
honorable men who responded quickly and fought bravely until the banner
was retrieved from insult and the last gun of rebellion was silenced
forever. His enlistment was in January, 1862, at Iola, Kansas, in
Company F, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, under General Blunt. His discharge
occurred in January, 1865. During the time of service he fought in many
of the leading battles of Missouri and Arkansas as Prairie Grove, Pea
Ridge, Cain Hill, Lutonia and Lone Jack. In the meantime he was almost
constantly in the skirmishes with the bushwhackers. This character of
service was among the most trying and disastrous of the entire Rebellion.
On many occasions Mr. Brown was in the utmost danger and although his
clothing was pierced frequently by bullets, he never received a wound.
He is now a member of the G.A.R. and takes great interest in the affairs
of that order.
Francis M. Brown was born on February 11, 1847, in Poke county,
Illinois, the son of George and Nancy (Fry) Brown, natives respectively
of North Carolina and Ohio. The paternal grandfather, John Brown, was
one of noble patriots of the Revolution. The father died in 1867 and
widow in 1861. At the age of seven our subject went with his parents
to Jasper county, Missouri, and there grew to manhood and received his
education. After the war, he returned to Coffey county, Kansas and there
in August, 1865, he married Miss Lucy, daughter of Joseph and Relefa
(Turner) McKee, natives of Kentucky and Germany respectively. Mrs. Brown
was born in Jefferson county, Missouri on June 10,1849. Her mother came
from Germany when a child and was reared in Kentucky. In 1873, our
subject went to Colorado, locating where Leadville now is. Two years
later he went to Boise, Idaho and did mining and farming until 1884
when he settled where Arzina post office is now located. Soon after he
located his present place about one mile southwest of Rice post office.
At that time the country was wild and very few white settlers lived there.
Mr. Brown gave himself up to building a home, raising stock and general
farming and he now has a good farm, well improved. Three children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Nancy R., wife of L.F. Ledgerwood, of
Harvey; John R.; Mary E., wife of R.S. Ledgerwood of Kettle Falls and
now deceased. Mr. Brown is a member of the I.O.O.F. while his wife
belongs to the circle of the W.W. and the Woman's Relief Corps.
Mr. brown has two brothers, George W. and William H., who
enlisted at the same time and place as our subject and fought through
the entire war, all three taking their honorable discharge at Duvall's
Bluff, Arkansas, when the struggle was at an end. They were mustered
out at Leavenworth, Kansas. Mr. Brown also had three sisters, Louisa,
deceased; Mrs. Llewellyn Hurst and Mrs. Amanda C. Losey.

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