William H. Brown, farmer and stock-raiser ;P. O. Ashmore; was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., March 23, 1813, being a son of Jonathan W. and Elizabeth (Aiken) Brown, and accompanied his parents in their removal to Milton, Ky., to Lawrence Co., Ill., and to the Walnut Grove, Edgar Co., in January, 1825. He remained at home until he was nearly 21, when he began working on a farm; he worked at various employments in different places until he was married, Nov. 4, 1835, to Miss Elizabeth McGhan, of Clark Co.; he then settled on a farm in Clark Co. During the summer of 1835, he was associated with his father and brother in grading a portion of the old Terre Haute & Alton Railroad. His wife died Sept. 14, 1838, leaving one son, William W., who, in the late war was Orderly Sergeant of Co. H, 10th I. V. C., and was killed at the capture of Little Rock, Ark. In the spring of 1839, Mr. Brown came to Coles Co., and on the 13th of June, 1839, married Mrs. Emily Buck, a daughter of John T. Olmsted, an old pioneer of Edgar Co., settling in Grand View about 1828, and afterward came to Coles Co.- Of nine children of this marriage, six are now living – John O. (now a resident of Charleston, Harriet, wife of James Bull, of Edgar Co.), Frederick, James H., Edwin W. and Francis A; their eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth, died April 19, 1849, at the age of 7½ years; Emma A. died Nov. 18, 1870, at nearly 20 years of age; George W. died March 15, 1862, at 16 years of age. Mr. Brown settled on his present farm in January, 1842, where he owns 336 acres of land well improved; he began life a poor man, and by his industry, economy and good management has acquired a comfortable fortune, and is considered one of the most substantial citizens of Coles Co.
