John Brown was born in Maryland, and his father was a native of Scotland. The family came to Ohio, locating in Belmont County, near Wheeling, W. Va., and remained there until after the death of Mrs. Brown when John was a mere lad. They had made the trip overland, and John walked the entire distance. While in Belmont County they set out the first orchard there. When the War of 1812 broke out, John Brown enlisted. He was as brave as a lion, really courted danger, and had a very exciting career as a soldier. After
he was discharged, he came west to Alton, IL. at a time when the Indians were giving trouble and helped to build a block house at Upper Alton, which still stands. The shingles were made by hand and it was a remarkable piece of work. Mr. Brown then went to St. Louis, which was then a French settlement. He went to the "American Bottom," and there, at the home of Isaac Gilham, he met Martha Hood. They were married at Edwardsville, Madison County, IL in 1827.
For a time they lived in a little log cabin they put up, and their bed was built along one side of it.
In 1829, Mr. and Mrs. Brown started back to the home in Ohio, and reached Cincinnati, when they ran out of money; there Mr. Brown secured employment tearing up log rafts, and taking them through the shoals to the mill, for which he received seventy-five cents per day. After this he went to work in the shipyards and worked until 1846, making some
money. Part of this he invested in a good home in the city, in which James W. was born. However, he was not satisfied, and in 1846 moved his family to Jamestown, now Dayton. Ky., remaining there until 1852, when once more a change was made, the family coming to Freeport, Ill. He had traded his Kentucky property for a farm near Freeport, and they lived on it until April 17, 1855, when he sold that farm and came overland to Effingham County. Mr. Brown then bought 280 acres on Section 15, Summit Township, the site of the present George William Hertzell farm, and eighty acres of John W. Brown's farm. Here John Brown rounded out his useful and eventful life, dying in 1866. His death was very sudden; he had driven hogs to Effingham, and having disposed of them, was sitting chatting and laughing with his friends, when he fell dead before them. James W. Brown and his sister Elizabeth Jane were the only children born to their parents. She married John W. Pyle and lived and died in Campbell County, Ky.
Illinois Historical
Effingham County Biographical,
Editors: Newton Bateman, LL. D. and Paul Selby, A.M.
Munsell Publishing Company, Chicago, IL
c. 1910
he was discharged, he came west to Alton, IL. at a time when the Indians were giving trouble and helped to build a block house at Upper Alton, which still stands. The shingles were made by hand and it was a remarkable piece of work. Mr. Brown then went to St. Louis, which was then a French settlement. He went to the "American Bottom," and there, at the home of Isaac Gilham, he met Martha Hood. They were married at Edwardsville, Madison County, IL in 1827.
For a time they lived in a little log cabin they put up, and their bed was built along one side of it.
In 1829, Mr. and Mrs. Brown started back to the home in Ohio, and reached Cincinnati, when they ran out of money; there Mr. Brown secured employment tearing up log rafts, and taking them through the shoals to the mill, for which he received seventy-five cents per day. After this he went to work in the shipyards and worked until 1846, making some
money. Part of this he invested in a good home in the city, in which James W. was born. However, he was not satisfied, and in 1846 moved his family to Jamestown, now Dayton. Ky., remaining there until 1852, when once more a change was made, the family coming to Freeport, Ill. He had traded his Kentucky property for a farm near Freeport, and they lived on it until April 17, 1855, when he sold that farm and came overland to Effingham County. Mr. Brown then bought 280 acres on Section 15, Summit Township, the site of the present George William Hertzell farm, and eighty acres of John W. Brown's farm. Here John Brown rounded out his useful and eventful life, dying in 1866. His death was very sudden; he had driven hogs to Effingham, and having disposed of them, was sitting chatting and laughing with his friends, when he fell dead before them. James W. Brown and his sister Elizabeth Jane were the only children born to their parents. She married John W. Pyle and lived and died in Campbell County, Ky.
Illinois Historical
Effingham County Biographical,
Editors: Newton Bateman, LL. D. and Paul Selby, A.M.
Munsell Publishing Company, Chicago, IL
c. 1910
John Brown was born in Maryland, and his father was a native of Scotland. The family came to Ohio, locating in Belmont County, near Wheeling, W. Va., and remained there until after the death of Mrs. Brown when John was a mere lad. They had made the trip overland, and John walked the entire distance. While in Belmont County they set out the first orchard there. When the War of 1812 broke out, John Brown enlisted. He was as brave as a lion, really courted danger, and had a very exciting career as a soldier. After
he was discharged, he came west to Alton, IL. at a time when the Indians were giving trouble and helped to build a block house at Upper Alton, which still stands. The shingles were made by hand and it was a remarkable piece of work. Mr. Brown then went to St. Louis, which was then a French settlement. He went to the "American Bottom," and there, at the home of Isaac Gilham, he met Martha Hood. They were married at Edwardsville, Madison County, IL in 1827.
For a time they lived in a little log cabin they put up, and their bed was built along one side of it.
In 1829, Mr. and Mrs. Brown started back to the home in Ohio, and reached Cincinnati, when they ran out of money; there Mr. Brown secured employment tearing up log rafts, and taking them through the shoals to the mill, for which he received seventy-five cents per day. After this he went to work in the shipyards and worked until 1846, making some
money. Part of this he invested in a good home in the city, in which James W. was born. However, he was not satisfied, and in 1846 moved his family to Jamestown, now Dayton. Ky., remaining there until 1852, when once more a change was made, the family coming to Freeport, Ill. He had traded his Kentucky property for a farm near Freeport, and they lived on it until April 17, 1855, when he sold that farm and came overland to Effingham County. Mr. Brown then bought 280 acres on Section 15, Summit Township, the site of the present George William Hertzell farm, and eighty acres of John W. Brown's farm. Here John Brown rounded out his useful and eventful life, dying in 1866. His death was very sudden; he had driven hogs to Effingham, and having disposed of them, was sitting chatting and laughing with his friends, when he fell dead before them. James W. Brown and his sister Elizabeth Jane were the only children born to their parents. She married John W. Pyle and lived and died in Campbell County, Ky.
Illinois Historical
Effingham County Biographical,
Editors: Newton Bateman, LL. D. and Paul Selby, A.M.
Munsell Publishing Company, Chicago, IL
c. 1910
he was discharged, he came west to Alton, IL. at a time when the Indians were giving trouble and helped to build a block house at Upper Alton, which still stands. The shingles were made by hand and it was a remarkable piece of work. Mr. Brown then went to St. Louis, which was then a French settlement. He went to the "American Bottom," and there, at the home of Isaac Gilham, he met Martha Hood. They were married at Edwardsville, Madison County, IL in 1827.
For a time they lived in a little log cabin they put up, and their bed was built along one side of it.
In 1829, Mr. and Mrs. Brown started back to the home in Ohio, and reached Cincinnati, when they ran out of money; there Mr. Brown secured employment tearing up log rafts, and taking them through the shoals to the mill, for which he received seventy-five cents per day. After this he went to work in the shipyards and worked until 1846, making some
money. Part of this he invested in a good home in the city, in which James W. was born. However, he was not satisfied, and in 1846 moved his family to Jamestown, now Dayton. Ky., remaining there until 1852, when once more a change was made, the family coming to Freeport, Ill. He had traded his Kentucky property for a farm near Freeport, and they lived on it until April 17, 1855, when he sold that farm and came overland to Effingham County. Mr. Brown then bought 280 acres on Section 15, Summit Township, the site of the present George William Hertzell farm, and eighty acres of John W. Brown's farm. Here John Brown rounded out his useful and eventful life, dying in 1866. His death was very sudden; he had driven hogs to Effingham, and having disposed of them, was sitting chatting and laughing with his friends, when he fell dead before them. James W. Brown and his sister Elizabeth Jane were the only children born to their parents. She married John W. Pyle and lived and died in Campbell County, Ky.
Illinois Historical
Effingham County Biographical,
Editors: Newton Bateman, LL. D. and Paul Selby, A.M.
Munsell Publishing Company, Chicago, IL
c. 1910
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