Robert (Bob) Alexander Brown was the second child of Lewis Sinclair Brown and Rhoda Malissa Neely. He was born August 11, 1853 in Camden County, Missouri and died March 29, 1882 in Freestone County, Texas at age 28 years, 8 months.
As a young man, Robert decided to travel to Texas to seek his fortune. From his home in Camden County, he likely traveled down through Arkansas to Texas since Arkansas had good sources of water for travelers and had achieved statehood in 1836, while Oklahoma was still a lawless territory full of robbers, Indians, and renegades in the 1870s. From his letter dated June 7, 1874 which was written to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, we know that by age 21 Robert was living and working in Ennis (Ellis County), Texas, just south of Dallas. He worked for a woman there who apparently farmed -- growing corn, cotton and wheat -- and had livestock. The letter indicates that Robert A. Brown was planning to return to Missouri by horse and wagon, and he apparently did that because he married Sarah N. Rogers in Camden County the following year on February 14, 1875.
The Brown's first daughter, Julia Ann, was born 29 November 1875 in Camden County, Missouri. They had three sons in Missouri in 1876 and 1877, two of whom were twins, but all three infants died and are buried in the Brown Cemetery in Camden County, Missouri, on the land where Robert's father, Lewis Sinclair Brown, lived and farmed.
Robert apparently looked to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, as his banker. The collection of W. A. Brown includes several promissory notes for loans he made, including two to R. A. Brown on May 13, 1876 for $20 and another on January 4, 1877 for $6. Records of payments received are also recorded. Later, when he was in Texas Robert continued to write his brother for money when times were hard.
Sometime between 1878 and 1880, the Robert A. Brown family relocated to the Woodland community near Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, where members of Sarah Rogers Brown's family had already moved. This area is between the towns of Wortham and Fairfield and is about 15 miles from Mexia. Bonner was the name of the rural post office serving the small Woodland and Kirven communities. The Bonner postmark appears on a letter written by Robert Alexander Brown to his brother back in Missouri.
Robert and Sarah Brown apparently had decided to join other relatives and farm in Texas. Based on historic records regarding John William Teer, a relative of Bob Brown's wife, Sarah Rogers, it appears that when Bob and Sarah Brown arrived from Missouri, they located about 3 miles northwest of Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, in the community known as Woodland. John Teer was mentioned in a letter from Robert A. Brown as helping him out with his crops during his illness. The Teers had moved from Laclede County, Missouri along with William's parents, Robert and Lurana (Rogers) Teer, arriving in Texas 1872-1873. Other relatives of Sarah Rogers Brown had also moved to this area of Texas; J. W. Rogers and wife Lurana, born around 1849-1850, were in Camden County, Missouri in the 1870 census; both were buried in Woodland Cemetery, Freestone County, Texas after their deaths in 1881 and 1930.
In Texas Robert & Sarah Brown had another little son, Monroe, in 1879 -- the first son to survive -- and a second daughter, Emma, born 20 January 1881. Soon after, they experienced more hard times, illness and tragedy. A letter dated August 1881 to his brother reveals much about the illness and financial hard times the Browns experienced. It would appear from his description of medical treatment that Robert Alexander Brown was suffering from malaria in 1881. Because of his illness and weakness, he likely was unable to do hard farm work and it appears he was trying to make a living hauling corn to supplement his farm income and meet expenses at this time.
A subsequent letter indicated that Robert Brown was planning to abandon the farm life in Texas and return to Missouri, perhaps due to his illness. However, before that move could be completed, smallpox struck the family. Robert Alexander Brown and his wife, Sarah, both died of smallpox the next year, March 1882, along with their son, Monroe, and left their two young daughters, ages 7 and 1, orphans. Two Missouri relatives -- William Alfred Brown, brother of Robert, and Frank Rogers, brother of Sarah -- traveled to Texas in a wagon to take the girls back to Camden County, Missouri, where Julia Ann and Emma were reared by their cousin, Reverend James Madison Brown, and his wife, Molly (Rogers) Brown, aunt of Robert's wife, Sarah.
Robert, Sarah, and Monroe Brown were likely buried in Woodland Cemetery, but their graves are unmarked and the locations lost.
As a young man, Robert decided to travel to Texas to seek his fortune. From his home in Camden County, he likely traveled down through Arkansas to Texas since Arkansas had good sources of water for travelers and had achieved statehood in 1836, while Oklahoma was still a lawless territory full of robbers, Indians, and renegades in the 1870s. From his letter dated June 7, 1874 which was written to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, we know that by age 21 Robert was living and working in Ennis (Ellis County), Texas, just south of Dallas. He worked for a woman there who apparently farmed -- growing corn, cotton and wheat -- and had livestock. The letter indicates that Robert A. Brown was planning to return to Missouri by horse and wagon, and he apparently did that because he married Sarah N. Rogers in Camden County the following year on February 14, 1875.
The Brown's first daughter, Julia Ann, was born 29 November 1875 in Camden County, Missouri. They had three sons in Missouri in 1876 and 1877, two of whom were twins, but all three infants died and are buried in the Brown Cemetery in Camden County, Missouri, on the land where Robert's father, Lewis Sinclair Brown, lived and farmed.
Robert apparently looked to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, as his banker. The collection of W. A. Brown includes several promissory notes for loans he made, including two to R. A. Brown on May 13, 1876 for $20 and another on January 4, 1877 for $6. Records of payments received are also recorded. Later, when he was in Texas Robert continued to write his brother for money when times were hard.
Sometime between 1878 and 1880, the Robert A. Brown family relocated to the Woodland community near Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, where members of Sarah Rogers Brown's family had already moved. This area is between the towns of Wortham and Fairfield and is about 15 miles from Mexia. Bonner was the name of the rural post office serving the small Woodland and Kirven communities. The Bonner postmark appears on a letter written by Robert Alexander Brown to his brother back in Missouri.
Robert and Sarah Brown apparently had decided to join other relatives and farm in Texas. Based on historic records regarding John William Teer, a relative of Bob Brown's wife, Sarah Rogers, it appears that when Bob and Sarah Brown arrived from Missouri, they located about 3 miles northwest of Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, in the community known as Woodland. John Teer was mentioned in a letter from Robert A. Brown as helping him out with his crops during his illness. The Teers had moved from Laclede County, Missouri along with William's parents, Robert and Lurana (Rogers) Teer, arriving in Texas 1872-1873. Other relatives of Sarah Rogers Brown had also moved to this area of Texas; J. W. Rogers and wife Lurana, born around 1849-1850, were in Camden County, Missouri in the 1870 census; both were buried in Woodland Cemetery, Freestone County, Texas after their deaths in 1881 and 1930.
In Texas Robert & Sarah Brown had another little son, Monroe, in 1879 -- the first son to survive -- and a second daughter, Emma, born 20 January 1881. Soon after, they experienced more hard times, illness and tragedy. A letter dated August 1881 to his brother reveals much about the illness and financial hard times the Browns experienced. It would appear from his description of medical treatment that Robert Alexander Brown was suffering from malaria in 1881. Because of his illness and weakness, he likely was unable to do hard farm work and it appears he was trying to make a living hauling corn to supplement his farm income and meet expenses at this time.
A subsequent letter indicated that Robert Brown was planning to abandon the farm life in Texas and return to Missouri, perhaps due to his illness. However, before that move could be completed, smallpox struck the family. Robert Alexander Brown and his wife, Sarah, both died of smallpox the next year, March 1882, along with their son, Monroe, and left their two young daughters, ages 7 and 1, orphans. Two Missouri relatives -- William Alfred Brown, brother of Robert, and Frank Rogers, brother of Sarah -- traveled to Texas in a wagon to take the girls back to Camden County, Missouri, where Julia Ann and Emma were reared by their cousin, Reverend James Madison Brown, and his wife, Molly (Rogers) Brown, aunt of Robert's wife, Sarah.
Robert, Sarah, and Monroe Brown were likely buried in Woodland Cemetery, but their graves are unmarked and the locations lost.
Robert (Bob) Alexander Brown was the second child of Lewis Sinclair Brown and Rhoda Malissa Neely. He was born August 11, 1853 in Camden County, Missouri and died March 29, 1882 in Freestone County, Texas at age 28 years, 8 months.
As a young man, Robert decided to travel to Texas to seek his fortune. From his home in Camden County, he likely traveled down through Arkansas to Texas since Arkansas had good sources of water for travelers and had achieved statehood in 1836, while Oklahoma was still a lawless territory full of robbers, Indians, and renegades in the 1870s. From his letter dated June 7, 1874 which was written to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, we know that by age 21 Robert was living and working in Ennis (Ellis County), Texas, just south of Dallas. He worked for a woman there who apparently farmed -- growing corn, cotton and wheat -- and had livestock. The letter indicates that Robert A. Brown was planning to return to Missouri by horse and wagon, and he apparently did that because he married Sarah N. Rogers in Camden County the following year on February 14, 1875.
The Brown's first daughter, Julia Ann, was born 29 November 1875 in Camden County, Missouri. They had three sons in Missouri in 1876 and 1877, two of whom were twins, but all three infants died and are buried in the Brown Cemetery in Camden County, Missouri, on the land where Robert's father, Lewis Sinclair Brown, lived and farmed.
Robert apparently looked to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, as his banker. The collection of W. A. Brown includes several promissory notes for loans he made, including two to R. A. Brown on May 13, 1876 for $20 and another on January 4, 1877 for $6. Records of payments received are also recorded. Later, when he was in Texas Robert continued to write his brother for money when times were hard.
Sometime between 1878 and 1880, the Robert A. Brown family relocated to the Woodland community near Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, where members of Sarah Rogers Brown's family had already moved. This area is between the towns of Wortham and Fairfield and is about 15 miles from Mexia. Bonner was the name of the rural post office serving the small Woodland and Kirven communities. The Bonner postmark appears on a letter written by Robert Alexander Brown to his brother back in Missouri.
Robert and Sarah Brown apparently had decided to join other relatives and farm in Texas. Based on historic records regarding John William Teer, a relative of Bob Brown's wife, Sarah Rogers, it appears that when Bob and Sarah Brown arrived from Missouri, they located about 3 miles northwest of Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, in the community known as Woodland. John Teer was mentioned in a letter from Robert A. Brown as helping him out with his crops during his illness. The Teers had moved from Laclede County, Missouri along with William's parents, Robert and Lurana (Rogers) Teer, arriving in Texas 1872-1873. Other relatives of Sarah Rogers Brown had also moved to this area of Texas; J. W. Rogers and wife Lurana, born around 1849-1850, were in Camden County, Missouri in the 1870 census; both were buried in Woodland Cemetery, Freestone County, Texas after their deaths in 1881 and 1930.
In Texas Robert & Sarah Brown had another little son, Monroe, in 1879 -- the first son to survive -- and a second daughter, Emma, born 20 January 1881. Soon after, they experienced more hard times, illness and tragedy. A letter dated August 1881 to his brother reveals much about the illness and financial hard times the Browns experienced. It would appear from his description of medical treatment that Robert Alexander Brown was suffering from malaria in 1881. Because of his illness and weakness, he likely was unable to do hard farm work and it appears he was trying to make a living hauling corn to supplement his farm income and meet expenses at this time.
A subsequent letter indicated that Robert Brown was planning to abandon the farm life in Texas and return to Missouri, perhaps due to his illness. However, before that move could be completed, smallpox struck the family. Robert Alexander Brown and his wife, Sarah, both died of smallpox the next year, March 1882, along with their son, Monroe, and left their two young daughters, ages 7 and 1, orphans. Two Missouri relatives -- William Alfred Brown, brother of Robert, and Frank Rogers, brother of Sarah -- traveled to Texas in a wagon to take the girls back to Camden County, Missouri, where Julia Ann and Emma were reared by their cousin, Reverend James Madison Brown, and his wife, Molly (Rogers) Brown, aunt of Robert's wife, Sarah.
Robert, Sarah, and Monroe Brown were likely buried in Woodland Cemetery, but their graves are unmarked and the locations lost.
As a young man, Robert decided to travel to Texas to seek his fortune. From his home in Camden County, he likely traveled down through Arkansas to Texas since Arkansas had good sources of water for travelers and had achieved statehood in 1836, while Oklahoma was still a lawless territory full of robbers, Indians, and renegades in the 1870s. From his letter dated June 7, 1874 which was written to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, we know that by age 21 Robert was living and working in Ennis (Ellis County), Texas, just south of Dallas. He worked for a woman there who apparently farmed -- growing corn, cotton and wheat -- and had livestock. The letter indicates that Robert A. Brown was planning to return to Missouri by horse and wagon, and he apparently did that because he married Sarah N. Rogers in Camden County the following year on February 14, 1875.
The Brown's first daughter, Julia Ann, was born 29 November 1875 in Camden County, Missouri. They had three sons in Missouri in 1876 and 1877, two of whom were twins, but all three infants died and are buried in the Brown Cemetery in Camden County, Missouri, on the land where Robert's father, Lewis Sinclair Brown, lived and farmed.
Robert apparently looked to his older brother, William Alfred Brown, as his banker. The collection of W. A. Brown includes several promissory notes for loans he made, including two to R. A. Brown on May 13, 1876 for $20 and another on January 4, 1877 for $6. Records of payments received are also recorded. Later, when he was in Texas Robert continued to write his brother for money when times were hard.
Sometime between 1878 and 1880, the Robert A. Brown family relocated to the Woodland community near Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, where members of Sarah Rogers Brown's family had already moved. This area is between the towns of Wortham and Fairfield and is about 15 miles from Mexia. Bonner was the name of the rural post office serving the small Woodland and Kirven communities. The Bonner postmark appears on a letter written by Robert Alexander Brown to his brother back in Missouri.
Robert and Sarah Brown apparently had decided to join other relatives and farm in Texas. Based on historic records regarding John William Teer, a relative of Bob Brown's wife, Sarah Rogers, it appears that when Bob and Sarah Brown arrived from Missouri, they located about 3 miles northwest of Kirven in Freestone County, Texas, in the community known as Woodland. John Teer was mentioned in a letter from Robert A. Brown as helping him out with his crops during his illness. The Teers had moved from Laclede County, Missouri along with William's parents, Robert and Lurana (Rogers) Teer, arriving in Texas 1872-1873. Other relatives of Sarah Rogers Brown had also moved to this area of Texas; J. W. Rogers and wife Lurana, born around 1849-1850, were in Camden County, Missouri in the 1870 census; both were buried in Woodland Cemetery, Freestone County, Texas after their deaths in 1881 and 1930.
In Texas Robert & Sarah Brown had another little son, Monroe, in 1879 -- the first son to survive -- and a second daughter, Emma, born 20 January 1881. Soon after, they experienced more hard times, illness and tragedy. A letter dated August 1881 to his brother reveals much about the illness and financial hard times the Browns experienced. It would appear from his description of medical treatment that Robert Alexander Brown was suffering from malaria in 1881. Because of his illness and weakness, he likely was unable to do hard farm work and it appears he was trying to make a living hauling corn to supplement his farm income and meet expenses at this time.
A subsequent letter indicated that Robert Brown was planning to abandon the farm life in Texas and return to Missouri, perhaps due to his illness. However, before that move could be completed, smallpox struck the family. Robert Alexander Brown and his wife, Sarah, both died of smallpox the next year, March 1882, along with their son, Monroe, and left their two young daughters, ages 7 and 1, orphans. Two Missouri relatives -- William Alfred Brown, brother of Robert, and Frank Rogers, brother of Sarah -- traveled to Texas in a wagon to take the girls back to Camden County, Missouri, where Julia Ann and Emma were reared by their cousin, Reverend James Madison Brown, and his wife, Molly (Rogers) Brown, aunt of Robert's wife, Sarah.
Robert, Sarah, and Monroe Brown were likely buried in Woodland Cemetery, but their graves are unmarked and the locations lost.
Gravesite Details
This grave is not marked.
Family Members
Siblings
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William Alfred "Alf" Brown Sr
1849–1925
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Margaret Catherine "Sis" Brown Bailey
1855–1937
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David Harrison "Tucker" Brown
1857–1898
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Nancy Elizabeth "Betty" Brown Malone
1858–1936
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Sarah Frances Brown Gire
1860–1942
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Polly Ann Brown Hammer
1863–1942
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Elvina Clementine Brown
1865–1866
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James Monroe "Jimmy" Brown
1867–1933
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