AMES T. BROWN, a native of this county, is located in Seven Hickory Township on section 30, where he took up his abode in 1878. His birth took place Nov. 12, 1838, on the Kickapoo River, south of Charleston. He is the son of Abner and Edie J. (Glassco) Brown, the former born in Tennessee, in 1821, and the latter in Hardin County, Ky., the year after. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of North Carolina, and joined his children later in this State, where his death took place in Brown County, in about 1852.
The children of Abner and Edie Brown, nine in number, are recorded as follows: James T., of our sketch, was the eldest; Martha died when not quite two years of age; Mary R., born in Missouri, became the wife of George W. Gideon, of Lafayette Township, and the mother of nine children, all living; John married Miss Susan A. Martin, and they have four children, and are residing on a farm in Humbolt Township; Robert R., born in Brown County, married Miss Elizabeth Blue, of Indiana, who died in early life, and he then went South, and married Miss Hattie Whittaker, of Arkansas, in which State they are now living, and have two children; Enoch O. married Miss Maggie Reed, who became the mother of a son, and departed this life in Coles County, while a young woman; he afterward married the sister of his brother’s wife, a Miss Whittaker, of Arkansas, and is now a resident of Boliver County, Miss.,; Margaret, born in this county, became the wife of George N. Todd, of Ohio, and is now a resident of Mattoon, being the mother of two children; Alice S., also a native of this county, became the wife of Jerome W. Miller, and the mother of two children; they are now living in Boone County, Neb.; Linton, born in this county, died when a lad of seven or eight years old. The parents of our subject came to this county each with their fathers’ families, and were here reared and married. They located south of Charleston, where the elder Brown engaged in farming, and where his son has succeeded to the homestead. The latter, with the exception of four years spent in the grocery trade at Charleston, has passed nearly the whole of his life on the farm which he now occupies.
The wife of our subject, to whom he was married in Charleston Township, Oct. 25, 1860, was in her girlhood Miss Melissa Veach, a native of this county, and has remained a resident of the county since. Her parents, Jesse and Maria (Johnson) Veach, were natives of Kentucky, and had a family of seven children, including four sons and three daughters. Mr. V. lived to the advanced age of seventy-seven years, departing this life at his home in Charleston, in the spring of 1884. The mother is still living, and a resident of Humbolt Township, making her home with her daughter.
The seven children of our subject and his wife are recorded as follows: Edna C., born Sept. 2, 1862, was naturally studious, and perfected herself as a teacher, which calling she has followed some time in Nebraska; Eugene W., born Sept. 13, 1865, married Miss Venie Goff, of this county, and is carrying on farming in Seven Hickory; Carrie May was born in 1868, and died in March, 1869, when about one year old; Harry L., born March 31, 1870; Walter, Dec. 4, 1872; Lillie A., Jan. 7, 1874, and Georgie, Nov. 29, 1879, are all at home with their parents.
Mr. Brown has been prominently identified with local affairs since reaching his majority. He cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas, and has always been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He was the candidate of his party for Circuit Clerk in 1868, but the Democrats being in the minority he was “counted out” with the balance of his ticket. This was the year of the Presidential election, and Grant carried the county by a majority of 411. The fact that Mr. Brown was only 280 votes behind his competitor, indicates the position which he occupies in the popular mind. He was Township Clerk from 1862 to the fall of 1868, and has represented the township in the County Board of Supervisors two years. Mr. and Mrs. B., with their eldest daughter, are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the family enjoy the society and friendship of the best people in the section.
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