A native of Ohio, was born near Zanesville, Muskingum County, on the 8th of December, 1828, and is the son of Parley and Rachel (Evans) Brown. His father was a farmer. Alfred disliked agricultural pursuits, and at fourteen years of age went on foot to Columbus, a distance of sixty miles, to learn the printer's trade. At the end of about six months his parents persuaded him to return and attend a select school at Chandlersville. There and at the McIntyre Academy, in Zanesville, he spent about two years. From the latter place he went to Granville College (now Denison University), and spent eighteen months in the preparatory department, and afterward engaged in teaching and in studying law. He was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1848. Mr. Brown practiced in Newcomerstown, Tuscarawas County until 1850, when he immigrated to Iowa. He spent about four years in Scott and Cedar counties, teaching school, practicing law and conducting a newspaper. He edited the "Newsletter" at Rochester, Cedar County, when that town was contesting with Tipton for the honors of the county seat, and failed in its ambitious aims; the press was removed to Cedar Falls and, at the solicitation of the publisher, Mr. Brown followed it in June, 1854. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Black Hawk County in 1855, and served one year. In 1859 he was elected to the state senate, and served four years. During the first session he was chairman of the committee on public lands, and in the second held the same position on the committee on federal relations. He was also an active member of the eighth and ninth general assemblies, and in the famous debate in 1862, on the resumption of the railroad land grants, he took a prominent part. In 1860 Mr. Brown was a delegate to the republican national convention. Though not a member of any church organization, he attends the Baptist service. In September, 1867, he was married to Miss Jennie McCall.

A native of Ohio, was born near Zanesville, Muskingum County, on the 8th of December, 1828, and is the son of Parley and Rachel (Evans) Brown. His father was a farmer. Alfred disliked agricultural pursuits, and at fourteen years of age went on foot to Columbus, a distance of sixty miles, to learn the printer's trade. At the end of about six months his parents persuaded him to return and attend a select school at Chandlersville. There and at the McIntyre Academy, in Zanesville, he spent about two years. From the latter place he went to Granville College (now Denison University), and spent eighteen months in the preparatory department, and afterward engaged in teaching and in studying law. He was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1848. Mr. Brown practiced in Newcomerstown, Tuscarawas County until 1850, when he immigrated to Iowa. He spent about four years in Scott and Cedar counties, teaching school, practicing law and conducting a newspaper. He edited the "Newsletter" at Rochester, Cedar County, when that town was contesting with Tipton for the honors of the county seat, and failed in its ambitious aims; the press was removed to Cedar Falls and, at the solicitation of the publisher, Mr. Brown followed it in June, 1854. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Black Hawk County in 1855, and served one year. In 1859 he was elected to the state senate, and served four years. During the first session he was chairman of the committee on public lands, and in the second held the same position on the committee on federal relations. He was also an active member of the eighth and ninth general assemblies, and in the famous debate in 1862, on the resumption of the railroad land grants, he took a prominent part. In 1860 Mr. Brown was a delegate to the republican national convention. Though not a member of any church organization, he attends the Baptist service. In September, 1867, he was married to Miss Jennie McCall.