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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

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The Biography of Charles J. BROWN 

[Surnames: BAINTER, BROWN, MOSLANDER, SEILL, SHIELDS, VAN GORDON, WRIGHT] 

BROWN, CHARLES J. 

    
A farmer of Isabel Twp., Fulton County, and of one of the most highly esteemed farms in the county, he was born on the farm where he now lives, Jan. 19, 1965, son of Stephen G. and Elizabeth (Shields) Brown, the former born in Hamilton County, OH, near Cincinnati, Feb. 5, 1838, the latter in Woodland Twp., Fulton County, May 6, 1844. 
    
The paternal grandparents, Charles D., and Jane (Van Gordon) Brown, were born in Cincinnati, OH, and the State of New Jersey, respectively. They located in Fulton County about 1838 on Section 20, Isabel Twp. Charles D. Brown engaged in farming there the remainder of his life. 
    
Stephen Brown was brought to Fulton Co., when one year old. He received is early education in the district school. He applied himself to farming until the outbreak of the Civil War, when in Jan. 1862, he enlisted in Co. G., 11th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, Col. Robert G. Ingersoll's Regiment, with which he fought for three years. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, Antietam, was present at the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox Court House. After serving two years he returned home on a furlough, during which his marriage occurred. He rejoined his command and at the end of four years service, he was honorably discharged. In 1865 he returned home to the farm, now owned and operated by Charles J., whose mother now makes her home with him. 
    
In January 1872, Stephen, with his family, made an overland trip to Saunders County, NE, remaining there until his death, July 15, 1901. 
    
On Apr. 10, 1864, Stephen G. Brown married Elizabeth Shields and they had 10 children: Charles J., Joseph M. born Apr. 28, 1866, a resident of Lewistown; Eva, born Mar. 11, 1868, wife of August Seill, proprietor of a meat market at Havana; Edith, wife of John W. Wright, of Nevada; Laura, b. Sept. 16, 1874, wife of Albert Moslander, a farmer in Kerton Twp., Fulton County; Stephen G., a farmer of Isabel Twp., born Jan. 19, 1876, who married Minnie Bainter, and has two children, Stanley and Elizabeth; Florence, born Oct. 27, 1879, and who lives in Lewistown, and Bertie and Myrtle (twins), born Mar. 28, 1880. Bertie is a farmer in Bernadotte Twp., who married Carrie Farrie. 
    
The mother of this family is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. 
    
The subject pursued a course in the Gem City College in Quincy, graduating with the class of 1889. In 1891 he went to Omaha, NE, and was a bookkeeper for the King Implement Co. of that city, and to Lincoln, until 1893 when he returned to the old home and engaged in farming. 
    
On Apr. 18, 1905, he married Alzina Bainter, daughter of Harvey and Atlantis Bainter, and moved to Isabel Twp. Mr. Brown is a Republican and member of the W. W. Berry Camp, Sons of Veteran Pioneers.