|
Col Aaron Brown resides on section 31, Westfield Township. The
history of Fayette County would be incomplete without a record of
this distinguished citizen, who through years of public service has
won the highest respect of those with whom he came in , while
in private life he has endeared himself to the hearts of many
friends by his sterling worth and many excellencies of character.
Such a man is an honor to the community in which he makes his home
and we are pleased to present this biography to our readers.
Col. Brown was born
in Marion County, Miss., June 7, 1822. His mother's people
were among the earliest German settlers of South Carolina; his
father's people belonged to the Quakers or Society of Friends
and were from North Carolina. His grandfather, Edward Brown,
served in the Revolutionary War, and in the military history
of the country we find mentioned with honor the names of a
number of representatives of this family. Moses Brown, father
of the Colonel, was born in North Carolina, in 1777, and grew
to manhood on the plantation, his father being a slaveholder.
He received his education in the common schools of the South
and married in North Carolina, Sarah Graham, who became the
mother of four children, all now deceased. She died and he
removed to Georgia and afterward to Mississippi, where he
married the mother of our subject, Nancy Perkins, about 1807.
She was born in South Carolina in 1787. He followed his
occupation of planter there until 1822, when he removed to
Louisiana, and in 1825 came North. Our subject was then three
years |
 |
old and distinctly remembers the illumination at New Orleans,
as they came up the river, in honor of Gen. LaFayette, who was then
visiting the city. On reaching free territory at Cincinnati, Mr.
Brown liberated the slaves which he had inherited from his father
and sold those which he himself had purchased, thus giving a
practical proof of his abolition principles. He purchased land and
resided on it until his death in 1833. His wife survived him until
1868. He had been reared a Quaker and doubtless to that fact was due
his anti-slavery principles. In later life he joined the Methodist
Episcopal Church and his wife, who was brought up in the
Presbyterian faith, became a member of the Baptist Church. He was
active in church work, an eloquent speaker and able in argument.
Well informed on public questions, he, however, was no politician
but was an ardent supporter of Gen. Jackson, under whom he served in
the War of 1812.
The children of the second marriage of Moses Brown are Amanda P.,
who died in McGregor, Iowa; Nancy P., who died in Cass County,
Mich.; Margaret C., whose death occurred in the same State; and
Samantha C., who passed away in Cass County. The next child, R. P.
was tortured and murdered in Kansas by border ruffians and now lies
buried on Pilot Knob, opposite Leavenworth. He was a prominent
anti-slavery man and was a Free State candidate for the Legislature.
On election day he was captured near the polls and literally hacked
to pieces with hatchets. The mob dragged him through the streets,
opened his eyes and spit tobacco juice into them, inflicted every
possible indignity upon him and at last took him, still breathing,
to his own home, threw open the door and pushed him into the
presence of his wife whose health was in a precarious condition.
Such was one of the acts perpetrated by a blood-thirsty and lawless
mob during the exciting times just prior to the late war. Moses
Brown, the only survivor of the family, with the exception of our
subject, is living in Mitchellville, Iowa.
Aaron was the fifth child in the family and when three years of
age was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he spent the days of his
boyhood and youth on his father's farm, attending subscription
schools in winter and aiding in the cultivation of the land during
the summer months. His father died when he was a lad of fourteen
summers and the care and management of the farm fell upon him and
his brother. He married in 1844 and began life for himself, the lady
of his choice being Miss Elizabeth Lingrell, a native of Logan
County, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Polly (Samples) Lingrell,
the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of West Virginia.
Both died in Michigan whither they removed at an early day. Not long
after his marriage Col. Brown took his young wife to Cass County,
Mich., then a very new country and gave himself up to the study of
medicine under Drs. Bloodgood and J. E. Bonnie of Niles, Mich., and
Leander Thompkins of Cassapolis, which was the home of the Colonel
until 1849, when he made an overland trip to California with
ox-teams, reaching his destination after five months. He spent
nearly three years on the Pacific Slope engaged in mining and the
practice of medicine, and returned in 1852. The same year he visited
Fayette County, Iowa, coming on horseback as the railroad then
terminated at Rockford, Ill.
Mr. Brown determined here to locate and soon afterward brought
his family, they settling on the old Robertson place in Fayette. In
1853 he erected a cabin where his present comfortable home now
stands. He first purchased one hundred and sixty acres at $1.97 an
acre in the edge of the timber, thinking he would always have the
open prairie near by for a cattle range, but he was doomed to
disappointment in this for the land has been transformed into farms
these many years. Since 1852 he has resided here excepting when in
public service and during his Southern trip. He now owns two hundred
and forty acres of land but it is rented and he is living a retired
life. His family numbers himself, wife and two children and they
have also lost two. Preston Seward, the second eldest, born in
Michigan, was educated in the Upper Iowa University of Fayette, and
after a four years' course of study was graduated from the Iowa
Agricultural College at Ames. He is now a teacher in Oregon and has
been employed on the Government survey. He married Lillie Parker of
West Union. Charles Sumner is now in the railroad service and makes
his home in Belle Plaine, Iowa. Mellisa I., the first-born, became
the wife of Henry M. Berch, and died leaving one child. Martha A.
died in Fayette when the father was lying at home wounded during the
war. They have with them a grandson, Harlan, son of Charles S.,
twelve years old.
In connection with improving and carrying on his farm, Col. Brown
practiced medicine in this county until 1856, when he was elected
State Senator for four years under the old Constitution, serving
through the last session held at Iowa City and the first at Des
Moines." The war broke out and on the 8th of May, 1861, he enlisted
in Company F, Third Iowa Infantry, and was mustered into service
June 6, as Second Lieutenant. The summer following was mostly spent
in Missouri guarding bridges on the Hannibal & St. Jo Railroad. The
regiment was stationed in St. Louis during the winter and during the
spring Lieut. Brown was sent North on recruiting service, while his
command went to Pittsburg Landing where he joined it soon after the
battle. He was immediately promoted to the Captaincy of his company,
the former Captain and First Lieutenant having resigned their
commissions just after the battle for reasons entirely satisfactory
to themselves. He was with the regiment during the siege of Corinth
and then went to Memphis where a large part of the summer was
passed. In the fall of 1862 while again at home on recruiting
service, his regiment took part in the battle of Hatchie River. On
his return to La Grange, Tenn. he was appointed Major of the
regiment, although the youngest of the Captains. He rejoined his
command at La Grange and the next morning was directed to take
command of the regiment, the Colonel having resigned. Shortly
afterward he received a notice from Gov. Kirkwood to call together
the line officers for the election of a Colonel and he was
unanimously chosen. There had been considerable friction and trouble
in the regiment and in order to allay any jealousy among the
officers who out-ranked him and might feel aggrieved, Major Brown
refused to accept the office of Colonel until he had the opinion of
the rank and file. The soldiers also voted unanimously for him and
from that time there was perfect harmony in the regiment.
Colonel Brown was in command of the Third Iowa through the siege
of Vicksburg, and after its surrender the regiment followed Johnston
and took part in the battle of Jackson, Miss., where the Colonel was
severely wounded in the leg from the effects of which he has never
yet fully recovered. He had been wounded in the hand by a buckshot
at the battle of Blue Mills, and at the same time his clothes were
perforated by bullets. From Jackson, Miss., he came home on leave of
absence, remaining four months, when having partially recovered he
rejoined his regiment at Natchez, Miss. The following spring he came
home with the veterans of the Third Iowa on a thirty days' furlough,
and returned with them to Cairo, Ill., and up the Tennessee River to
Clifton, marching thence across the State to Huntsville, Ala., on to
Kingston, Ga., to Rome and to Cartersville, Ga., where he was placed
in command of two forts and other fortifications, in charge of
transportations and mails, and had to picket thirty miles of river,
having at one time fifteen thousand men under his command. From
there he proceeded to Atlanta, where he was discharged July 22,
1864, and left for his home on the same day. He served over his time
at the special request of Gen. McPherson, who wished him to
re-organize the regiment, since when its term of enlistment was out,
only one officer had re-enlisted, thus leaving the regiment without
experienced officers. Having re-organized it, Col. Brown left on the
morning of the day that McPherson was killed, and before the battle
commenced, having served a little over three years.
Mr. Brown returned to retirement as he hoped, but he was not
allowed to remain long on his farm. In 1866 he was elected on the
Republican ticket as Representative of his district in the State
Legislature, and re-elected in 1868. When that term had expired in
1870, he was elected Register of the State Land Office, and again
was chosen for that position in 1872. This term of office closed his
public service in 1874, and he returned to his farm, where he has
since lived with the exception of a period from 1878 to 1882, when
he resided in the South, practicing medicine very successfully. He
imbibed sentiments hostile to slavery in his childhood, and these
grew and strengthened with his growth. He cast his first
Presidential vote for James G. Birney, voting that year in Ohio for
Governor and Congressman, and on moving to Michigan, being there
considered a citizen, was allowed to vote for President. He was
active and prominent among the Abolitionists, and in 1856 was chosen
organizer of the Republican party for twelve counties in Northern
Iowa, and by general consent was nominated for Senator and elected.
He traveled and spoke all over these counties at his own expense,
there being no campaign funds in those days. The positions he has
held amply attest his valued services and his influence in the party
he helped to form and which he has steadily supported until 1888,
when the high tariff platform caused him to vote the Union Labor
ticket. However he is still Republican in principle, but opposed to
the measure of high tariff. He supported the prohibition amendment,
and is as radical on that subject as he was on abolition. In 1844
Mr. Brown became a member of the Baptist Church, but soon severed
his connection with it on account of the stand taken against
anti-slavery resolutions. His creed is strictly to adhere to right
and justice. He was the first commander of W. W. Warner Post, No.
46, of which he is still a member; and in the Masonic Lodge to which
he belongs he has served as Senior Warden, and for two years was
Worshipful Master. He is taking an active part in organizing the
Farmers' Alliance, and is a member of the Menard branch. His
acquaintances takes in the leading men of the State, and he richly
merits the respect and honor given him. Col. Brown is a faithful
citizen, was a loyal and efficient commander during the late war,
won and retains the confidence of his business associates, and in
all things is an upright, honorable business man." |
