Issac Brown

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887
SURNAMES: BROWN, CUNNINGHAM, FORBIS, ROGERS

Isaac BROWN, who makes a specialty of breeding fine stock, owns and occupies160 acres of good land on section 21, in Homer Township, of which he took possession in 1857. He has a good residence, a substantial barn, and all the other buildings necessary for convenience and comfort, and his

fields are tenanted by high grade Short-horn cattle, his stables with fine horses, and various pens adjacent contain a fine assortment of Poland-China hogs. Among his horses is one especially fine stallion, Bonnie B., sixteen hands high, a bright bay in color, and besides this valuable animal he has a number of English carriage horses. He has gained an enviable reputation in this locality as a breeder and stock-dealer, and exhibits some of the finest animals in Central Illinois.

Mr. Brown comes of stanch Pennsylvania stock, his parents having been George W. and Ruth (ROGERS) BROWN, natives of the Keystone State, and the father a farmer by occupation. He was born in 1807, and died in Homer Township, Sept. 13, 1884. The mother was born in 1808, and died on the old homestead in Homer Township, Jan. 13, 1872. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father a Democrat in politics. Their five children, all born in Pennsylvania except the youngest, who was born in Ohio, were Ann M, who only lived to be four years of age; Isaac, of our sketch; David; John and William M. The latter followed farming, and died at his home in Homer Township on the 13th of November, 1871.

The youth and boyhood of Isaac Brown were spent mostly in his native State occupied in agricultural pursuits. In September, 1857, deciding to change his location, he came to this State and county, locating near the town of Sidney. He was there employed at farming until purchasing the land in Homer Township where he is now living. He was first married in Indiana to Miss Sarah C. CUNNINGHAM, Dec. 25, 1864. Nine years later this lady passed from earth at the age of thirty-one years, her death taking place on the 1st of April, 1873. The seven children born of this union were George L. and Laura B., twins, born Dec. 25, 1865; William O., March 27, 1868; Irvin C., Dec. 23, 1870; Elizabeth O., Sept. 21, 1872. The next child died in infancy unnamed, and the youngest was James A., born March 26, 1873. The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married, Dec. 23, 1875, was formerly Miss Lucinda FORBIS, a native of Madison County, Ohio, whose birth took place at the home of her parents in Paint Township, Nov. 22, 1846. This lady became the mother of six children, viz., Francis R. and Minnie, died in infancy; Milo E. was born March 15, 1879; Jessie W., May 8, 1881; Charles D., Sept. 26, 1883, and Clarence, Sept. 28, 1885.

Mr. Brown has been an Elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, and is independent in politics. He carries on the operations of his farm and the breeding of stock after the most approved modern methods, and everything about his premises indicates the enterprise and thrift of its proprietor. A lithographic view of the place and surroundings is shown on another page.

George W. BROWN, the father of our subject, was born in Fayette County, Pa., Jan. 24, 1807, and died Sept. 13, 1884. He removed from his native State in 1836, and four years later purchased 157 acres of land in Fayette County. To this he added fifty-seven acres and afterward sold the whole with a view of coming to this State. He started from Ohio Sept. 13, 1857, landing in this county thirteen days later, and purchased 369 acres of land in Homer Township, which he occupied for a period of twenty-seven years, effecting many improvements, and becoming one of the most important members of the
farming community of that section. He was for many years a member of the Methodist Church, Democratic in politics, and a man straight and strict in his business affairs. He became very successful, and at his death had accumulated a large property. He was noted for industry and frugality, and was the most highly respected by those who knew him best, being greatly missed by his near friends and neighbors when his earthly labors had ended. While in Ohio he occupied the office of Justice of the Peace for fifteen years.