Charles was called "Frank" for the first part of his life, but "Charles" in the latter part. The family Bible registry shows he was born August 31, 1879, and draft records indicate he was born in Ringgold county, Iowa, probably Mt. Ayr. He was the fourth child of six born to William Jasper Brown and Eunice Comer, and the first son. In 1883, the family moved to Kingman county, Kansas. Then around 1886 the family bought a homestead in the Wayland community, about 8 miles east of Johnson City, Stanton county, Kansas.
In 1889, when Frank was ten, his mother Eunice died, aged 34. Not long afterwards Frank's two oldest sisters married and left home, both at age 15.
Frank's father was in the building trade, and in 1895 he moved the family to Pauls Valley in Indian Territory to engage in construction in the new settlements. A year later his sister Nora married and left home, leaving Frank and his brothers and father to cope alone. The next year, however, 1897, Frank's father remarried, providing Frank and his two brothers with a step-mother, Docia.
By 1900 Frank had left home and was living on a farm near Pauls Valley, where he worked as a farm hand. Soon afterwards he moved to his sister's place near Tonkawa in Kay county, Oklahoma Territory. There he met Katherine Marcelia Grable, known as "Kate" and "Katie," and they were married on May 6, 1902, in Kate's home town of Newkirk. Frank rented a farm in Tonkawa township (evidently in section 32), near the farm of his sister Mertie (evidently in section 31). In 1910 he was farming it with the help of an employee and evidently doing well enough to buy the farm sometime later.
At the Christmas season, 1912, Frank's brother Arthur came from Utah to visit the family, with his wife Lettie and son Joe. Frank's brothers and sisters and their families all gathered for a group photo. About that time their father arrived, recently widowed from his second marriage and in failing health, and a photo of him was made as well. Arthur and Lettie had planned to stay with Frank and Kate for two weeks, but Frank had broken his arm and asked them to stay longer to help with the farm, so they stayed until early February, 1913.
Not long after they left, Frank wrote to them saying he had decided to sell his farm and move to Utah to start up a cattle ranch. He did just that, and together with Kate and their son Delbert, they traveled to Provo, Utah, and arrived at his brother Arthur's home that June, and their savings and the proceeds from selling their farm. He heard there was a ranch for sale in Indian Canyon, about 17 miles from Duchesne, so he and Kate traveled the hundred miles or so to Duchesne, met the owner, and visited the ranch. They decided to buy it, and when they got back to Provo, they asked Arthur and Lettie to be partners with them in the ranch. So Arthur went with Frank to see the ranch and agreed it could be a good opportunity. Frank went ahead and bought the ranch, while Arthur and Lettie sold their house, packed their effects, and moved to Indian Canyon in August of 1913.
While they built up the ranch, they lived in the same ranch house, doing all the chores together, and eating their meals together. For the first year the women hardly saw another woman at all, but fortunately they got along very well together. In 1915 Kate give birth to a second son, Milton Leslie, called "Les." In 1916 they built a second kitchen, so each family could cook for itself.
Each year the women and children moved to a four-bedroom house in Duchesne for the school months, so their school-age boys could go to school, then joined their husbands back to the ranch in the summer.
In 1918 Lettie sold three acres of farmland in Provo that she had inherited from her father, and she used it to purchase land in Duchense, near the Duchense river, so Arthur could build a separate house for her and her family. Frank was unhappy that Arthur was spending his time building the house instead of working the ranch, so in the end they dissolved their partnership and Frank bought Arthur's share.
In 1919, Kate gave birth to a third son, Douglas Jay Brown. Not long afterwards, Frank and Kate sold the ranch and moved to Los Angeles county, living first in Pasadena (1920), and then in Zelzah, now called Northridge. In 1923, while they were living in Zelzah, Kate passed away.
Sometime after this Frank married Katie S from Czechoslovakia and started using his first name, Charles. In 1930 they were living in Oceanside in San Diego county, where Frank worked as a carpenter. Sometime before 1935 they moved to Sutter county, California, where Charles developed a farm, but his son Les returned to southern California.
According to his granddaughter Susan, he grew beans on his ranch and eventually developed it into a million-dollar business. In 1940 Charles is living alone, and it is not known if Katie S. died or divorced. Around 1941 Charles married a widow named Alice, and they were together until he died.
People then did not know that smoking was bad for them, but it took its toll on Charles. First he developed cancer of the larynx and it had to be removed. After that he used a voice prosthesis to talk. Then he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died in December 23, 1959, in Inyo county, CA, and is buried in Sutter Cemetery, Sutter county, CA. He was survived by three sons and five granddaughters.
In 1889, when Frank was ten, his mother Eunice died, aged 34. Not long afterwards Frank's two oldest sisters married and left home, both at age 15.
Frank's father was in the building trade, and in 1895 he moved the family to Pauls Valley in Indian Territory to engage in construction in the new settlements. A year later his sister Nora married and left home, leaving Frank and his brothers and father to cope alone. The next year, however, 1897, Frank's father remarried, providing Frank and his two brothers with a step-mother, Docia.
By 1900 Frank had left home and was living on a farm near Pauls Valley, where he worked as a farm hand. Soon afterwards he moved to his sister's place near Tonkawa in Kay county, Oklahoma Territory. There he met Katherine Marcelia Grable, known as "Kate" and "Katie," and they were married on May 6, 1902, in Kate's home town of Newkirk. Frank rented a farm in Tonkawa township (evidently in section 32), near the farm of his sister Mertie (evidently in section 31). In 1910 he was farming it with the help of an employee and evidently doing well enough to buy the farm sometime later.
At the Christmas season, 1912, Frank's brother Arthur came from Utah to visit the family, with his wife Lettie and son Joe. Frank's brothers and sisters and their families all gathered for a group photo. About that time their father arrived, recently widowed from his second marriage and in failing health, and a photo of him was made as well. Arthur and Lettie had planned to stay with Frank and Kate for two weeks, but Frank had broken his arm and asked them to stay longer to help with the farm, so they stayed until early February, 1913.
Not long after they left, Frank wrote to them saying he had decided to sell his farm and move to Utah to start up a cattle ranch. He did just that, and together with Kate and their son Delbert, they traveled to Provo, Utah, and arrived at his brother Arthur's home that June, and their savings and the proceeds from selling their farm. He heard there was a ranch for sale in Indian Canyon, about 17 miles from Duchesne, so he and Kate traveled the hundred miles or so to Duchesne, met the owner, and visited the ranch. They decided to buy it, and when they got back to Provo, they asked Arthur and Lettie to be partners with them in the ranch. So Arthur went with Frank to see the ranch and agreed it could be a good opportunity. Frank went ahead and bought the ranch, while Arthur and Lettie sold their house, packed their effects, and moved to Indian Canyon in August of 1913.
While they built up the ranch, they lived in the same ranch house, doing all the chores together, and eating their meals together. For the first year the women hardly saw another woman at all, but fortunately they got along very well together. In 1915 Kate give birth to a second son, Milton Leslie, called "Les." In 1916 they built a second kitchen, so each family could cook for itself.
Each year the women and children moved to a four-bedroom house in Duchesne for the school months, so their school-age boys could go to school, then joined their husbands back to the ranch in the summer.
In 1918 Lettie sold three acres of farmland in Provo that she had inherited from her father, and she used it to purchase land in Duchense, near the Duchense river, so Arthur could build a separate house for her and her family. Frank was unhappy that Arthur was spending his time building the house instead of working the ranch, so in the end they dissolved their partnership and Frank bought Arthur's share.
In 1919, Kate gave birth to a third son, Douglas Jay Brown. Not long afterwards, Frank and Kate sold the ranch and moved to Los Angeles county, living first in Pasadena (1920), and then in Zelzah, now called Northridge. In 1923, while they were living in Zelzah, Kate passed away.
Sometime after this Frank married Katie S from Czechoslovakia and started using his first name, Charles. In 1930 they were living in Oceanside in San Diego county, where Frank worked as a carpenter. Sometime before 1935 they moved to Sutter county, California, where Charles developed a farm, but his son Les returned to southern California.
According to his granddaughter Susan, he grew beans on his ranch and eventually developed it into a million-dollar business. In 1940 Charles is living alone, and it is not known if Katie S. died or divorced. Around 1941 Charles married a widow named Alice, and they were together until he died.
People then did not know that smoking was bad for them, but it took its toll on Charles. First he developed cancer of the larynx and it had to be removed. After that he used a voice prosthesis to talk. Then he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died in December 23, 1959, in Inyo county, CA, and is buried in Sutter Cemetery, Sutter county, CA. He was survived by three sons and five granddaughters.
Charles was called "Frank" for the first part of his life, but "Charles" in the latter part. The family Bible registry shows he was born August 31, 1879, and draft records indicate he was born in Ringgold county, Iowa, probably Mt. Ayr. He was the fourth child of six born to William Jasper Brown and Eunice Comer, and the first son. In 1883, the family moved to Kingman county, Kansas. Then around 1886 the family bought a homestead in the Wayland community, about 8 miles east of Johnson City, Stanton county, Kansas.
In 1889, when Frank was ten, his mother Eunice died, aged 34. Not long afterwards Frank's two oldest sisters married and left home, both at age 15.
Frank's father was in the building trade, and in 1895 he moved the family to Pauls Valley in Indian Territory to engage in construction in the new settlements. A year later his sister Nora married and left home, leaving Frank and his brothers and father to cope alone. The next year, however, 1897, Frank's father remarried, providing Frank and his two brothers with a step-mother, Docia.
By 1900 Frank had left home and was living on a farm near Pauls Valley, where he worked as a farm hand. Soon afterwards he moved to his sister's place near Tonkawa in Kay county, Oklahoma Territory. There he met Katherine Marcelia Grable, known as "Kate" and "Katie," and they were married on May 6, 1902, in Kate's home town of Newkirk. Frank rented a farm in Tonkawa township (evidently in section 32), near the farm of his sister Mertie (evidently in section 31). In 1910 he was farming it with the help of an employee and evidently doing well enough to buy the farm sometime later.
At the Christmas season, 1912, Frank's brother Arthur came from Utah to visit the family, with his wife Lettie and son Joe. Frank's brothers and sisters and their families all gathered for a group photo. About that time their father arrived, recently widowed from his second marriage and in failing health, and a photo of him was made as well. Arthur and Lettie had planned to stay with Frank and Kate for two weeks, but Frank had broken his arm and asked them to stay longer to help with the farm, so they stayed until early February, 1913.
Not long after they left, Frank wrote to them saying he had decided to sell his farm and move to Utah to start up a cattle ranch. He did just that, and together with Kate and their son Delbert, they traveled to Provo, Utah, and arrived at his brother Arthur's home that June, and their savings and the proceeds from selling their farm. He heard there was a ranch for sale in Indian Canyon, about 17 miles from Duchesne, so he and Kate traveled the hundred miles or so to Duchesne, met the owner, and visited the ranch. They decided to buy it, and when they got back to Provo, they asked Arthur and Lettie to be partners with them in the ranch. So Arthur went with Frank to see the ranch and agreed it could be a good opportunity. Frank went ahead and bought the ranch, while Arthur and Lettie sold their house, packed their effects, and moved to Indian Canyon in August of 1913.
While they built up the ranch, they lived in the same ranch house, doing all the chores together, and eating their meals together. For the first year the women hardly saw another woman at all, but fortunately they got along very well together. In 1915 Kate give birth to a second son, Milton Leslie, called "Les." In 1916 they built a second kitchen, so each family could cook for itself.
Each year the women and children moved to a four-bedroom house in Duchesne for the school months, so their school-age boys could go to school, then joined their husbands back to the ranch in the summer.
In 1918 Lettie sold three acres of farmland in Provo that she had inherited from her father, and she used it to purchase land in Duchense, near the Duchense river, so Arthur could build a separate house for her and her family. Frank was unhappy that Arthur was spending his time building the house instead of working the ranch, so in the end they dissolved their partnership and Frank bought Arthur's share.
In 1919, Kate gave birth to a third son, Douglas Jay Brown. Not long afterwards, Frank and Kate sold the ranch and moved to Los Angeles county, living first in Pasadena (1920), and then in Zelzah, now called Northridge. In 1923, while they were living in Zelzah, Kate passed away.
Sometime after this Frank married Katie S from Czechoslovakia and started using his first name, Charles. In 1930 they were living in Oceanside in San Diego county, where Frank worked as a carpenter. Sometime before 1935 they moved to Sutter county, California, where Charles developed a farm, but his son Les returned to southern California.
According to his granddaughter Susan, he grew beans on his ranch and eventually developed it into a million-dollar business. In 1940 Charles is living alone, and it is not known if Katie S. died or divorced. Around 1941 Charles married a widow named Alice, and they were together until he died.
People then did not know that smoking was bad for them, but it took its toll on Charles. First he developed cancer of the larynx and it had to be removed. After that he used a voice prosthesis to talk. Then he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died in December 23, 1959, in Inyo county, CA, and is buried in Sutter Cemetery, Sutter county, CA. He was survived by three sons and five granddaughters.
In 1889, when Frank was ten, his mother Eunice died, aged 34. Not long afterwards Frank's two oldest sisters married and left home, both at age 15.
Frank's father was in the building trade, and in 1895 he moved the family to Pauls Valley in Indian Territory to engage in construction in the new settlements. A year later his sister Nora married and left home, leaving Frank and his brothers and father to cope alone. The next year, however, 1897, Frank's father remarried, providing Frank and his two brothers with a step-mother, Docia.
By 1900 Frank had left home and was living on a farm near Pauls Valley, where he worked as a farm hand. Soon afterwards he moved to his sister's place near Tonkawa in Kay county, Oklahoma Territory. There he met Katherine Marcelia Grable, known as "Kate" and "Katie," and they were married on May 6, 1902, in Kate's home town of Newkirk. Frank rented a farm in Tonkawa township (evidently in section 32), near the farm of his sister Mertie (evidently in section 31). In 1910 he was farming it with the help of an employee and evidently doing well enough to buy the farm sometime later.
At the Christmas season, 1912, Frank's brother Arthur came from Utah to visit the family, with his wife Lettie and son Joe. Frank's brothers and sisters and their families all gathered for a group photo. About that time their father arrived, recently widowed from his second marriage and in failing health, and a photo of him was made as well. Arthur and Lettie had planned to stay with Frank and Kate for two weeks, but Frank had broken his arm and asked them to stay longer to help with the farm, so they stayed until early February, 1913.
Not long after they left, Frank wrote to them saying he had decided to sell his farm and move to Utah to start up a cattle ranch. He did just that, and together with Kate and their son Delbert, they traveled to Provo, Utah, and arrived at his brother Arthur's home that June, and their savings and the proceeds from selling their farm. He heard there was a ranch for sale in Indian Canyon, about 17 miles from Duchesne, so he and Kate traveled the hundred miles or so to Duchesne, met the owner, and visited the ranch. They decided to buy it, and when they got back to Provo, they asked Arthur and Lettie to be partners with them in the ranch. So Arthur went with Frank to see the ranch and agreed it could be a good opportunity. Frank went ahead and bought the ranch, while Arthur and Lettie sold their house, packed their effects, and moved to Indian Canyon in August of 1913.
While they built up the ranch, they lived in the same ranch house, doing all the chores together, and eating their meals together. For the first year the women hardly saw another woman at all, but fortunately they got along very well together. In 1915 Kate give birth to a second son, Milton Leslie, called "Les." In 1916 they built a second kitchen, so each family could cook for itself.
Each year the women and children moved to a four-bedroom house in Duchesne for the school months, so their school-age boys could go to school, then joined their husbands back to the ranch in the summer.
In 1918 Lettie sold three acres of farmland in Provo that she had inherited from her father, and she used it to purchase land in Duchense, near the Duchense river, so Arthur could build a separate house for her and her family. Frank was unhappy that Arthur was spending his time building the house instead of working the ranch, so in the end they dissolved their partnership and Frank bought Arthur's share.
In 1919, Kate gave birth to a third son, Douglas Jay Brown. Not long afterwards, Frank and Kate sold the ranch and moved to Los Angeles county, living first in Pasadena (1920), and then in Zelzah, now called Northridge. In 1923, while they were living in Zelzah, Kate passed away.
Sometime after this Frank married Katie S from Czechoslovakia and started using his first name, Charles. In 1930 they were living in Oceanside in San Diego county, where Frank worked as a carpenter. Sometime before 1935 they moved to Sutter county, California, where Charles developed a farm, but his son Les returned to southern California.
According to his granddaughter Susan, he grew beans on his ranch and eventually developed it into a million-dollar business. In 1940 Charles is living alone, and it is not known if Katie S. died or divorced. Around 1941 Charles married a widow named Alice, and they were together until he died.
People then did not know that smoking was bad for them, but it took its toll on Charles. First he developed cancer of the larynx and it had to be removed. After that he used a voice prosthesis to talk. Then he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died in December 23, 1959, in Inyo county, CA, and is buried in Sutter Cemetery, Sutter county, CA. He was survived by three sons and five granddaughters.
Bio by: Darrell Brown
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Charles F. Brown 1879 - 1959
