It is very acceptable to have the privilege of giving in epitome the salient points of the career of the esteemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this article. Mr. Brown, familiarly known as Judge Brown is one of the pioneers of this County and has always been much interested in its welfare, prominent in politics, a leader in the advancement of the cause of education, a prominent citizen and property owner and a large hearted, genial, upright, capable, and talented American citizen.
The birth of Cassius H. was on December 27, 1852, in a log cabin in Mt. Hope, McLean County, Illinois, being the son of George W. and Eleanor (Kenyon) Brown. This was in the Mt. Hope colony and the father enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Seventeenth Illinois Infantry, being second lieutenant under General A. F. Smith. He participated in the battles at Nashville and Belmont and in many skirmishes. But just before Sherman started to the sea, the elder Brown W. as taken with pneumonia and died at Pulaski, Tennessee. His enlistment was on July 12, 1862.
In 1869 our subject, after having gained a good education in the common schools, went to Henry County, Illinois, and in the fall of the following year he went to Iowa, but soon returned to Henry County. In February, 1873, he came to Plumas County, California, following farming and driving stage until the spring of 1879, when he went to Reno, Nevada, and clerked in a store, then went on the coast survey for the United States. In the spring of 1886, he went to Lyon County, Nevada, and in the fall of 1881, he came to his present place, which is nine miles west from Ontario, in the White settlement. He has a fine two hundred and forty acre farm, well irrigated, and improved in a good manner. He owns a large interest in the Nevada ditch and was one of the promoters of that fine institution, having been an officer in it for some time.
His party were the first settlers in this vicinity. Judge EDAM was one of the very first who advocated the raising of alfalfa and he was one of the first persons. who demonstrated that the Malheur valley was a successful fruit country, having now an elegant twenty acre orchard of all varieties indigenous to his climate.
In 1892, Mr. Brown was elected as County judge on the Republican ticket, being the first incumbent of that office elected by that party. He served with efficiency and satisfaction to the public for four years. Judge Brown was chairman of the Republican County convention in 1896-98 and 1900, and in 1898 and 1900 he was a delegate to the state convention and was a member of the state central committee. His grandfather Kenyon was a candidate for congress against Judge David Davis in Illinois, and in Atlanta, Illinois, our subject had the pleasure of seeing Abraham Lincoln. Fraternally, Judge Brown is popularly affiliated, being a Mason at Beckwith, California, in Hope Lodge, No. 234, and he has served for several years as secretary. In 1880 he was a charter member of the Hope Lodge, No. 22, in Mason Valley in Nevada, and the first master under the charter. He was a member of the Washoe Lodge, No. 28, at Payette, Idaho, when he came hither. In 1898 he be-came a charter member of Acacia Lodge, No. 118, at Ontario, and he was the first master for two years. He was a charter member of the Eastern Star, Chapter No. 69, of Ontario, and was the first worthy patron which position he is still filling.
Judge Brown has always taken an active interest in school matters and has served .as clerk for many years. In addition to his handsome holdings already mentioned, the judge has an interest in the Vale Milling Company, and also is one of the incorporators of the Ontario Cemetery Association.