A native of Knox county, Ohio. He was born November 9, 1845, and is the son of Garretson and Ann (Holland) Brown. He was reared on the farm in Ohio and his education was begun in the district schools of the county. Later he entered the high school at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and subsequently spent a year at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He taught school for two terms in his native state and in 1868 came west and taught for two years in the schools of Muscatine County, Iowa. Before leaving Ohio he had already begun the study of law and in 1871 he graduated from the law department of the state university at Iowa City. He at once located in Sigourney, where he lived with the exception of about five years spent at What Cheer, Iowa. He is actively concerned with the political affairs of his state. In 1881 his party, the Republican, nominated him for state senator. He was elected and held the office for four years. In 1874 he married Miss Flora Sampson and they are the parents of four children. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both members of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is prominent in Grand Army of the Republic circles. In 1863 he enlisted with the National Guard in Ohio, and on May 2, 1864, entered Company A of the One Hundred Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He ranked as a private and at the expiration of his term of service he was discharged, in September, 1864. He is a member of the Robert F. Lowe post and has been commander for two years. He has served for one year on the staff of the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, an index of Mr. Brown's popularity and executive ability.

A native of Knox county, Ohio. He was born November 9, 1845, and is the son of Garretson and Ann (Holland) Brown. He was reared on the farm in Ohio and his education was begun in the district schools of the county. Later he entered the high school at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and subsequently spent a year at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He taught school for two terms in his native state and in 1868 came west and taught for two years in the schools of Muscatine County, Iowa. Before leaving Ohio he had already begun the study of law and in 1871 he graduated from the law department of the state university at Iowa City. He at once located in Sigourney, where he lived with the exception of about five years spent at What Cheer, Iowa. He is actively concerned with the political affairs of his state. In 1881 his party, the Republican, nominated him for state senator. He was elected and held the office for four years. In 1874 he married Miss Flora Sampson and they are the parents of four children. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both members of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is prominent in Grand Army of the Republic circles. In 1863 he enlisted with the National Guard in Ohio, and on May 2, 1864, entered Company A of the One Hundred Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He ranked as a private and at the expiration of his term of service he was discharged, in September, 1864. He is a member of the Robert F. Lowe post and has been commander for two years. He has served for one year on the staff of the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, an index of Mr. Brown's popularity and executive ability.