BROWN, WILLIAM B., was born Feb. 2, 1802, in Greensburg, Green county, Ky. Harriet L. Allen was born Dec. 17, 1804, in the same place. She was a daughter of Col. David Allen, a pioneer from Virginia. He took an active part in the Indian wars of Kentucky.

William B. Brown and Harriet L. Allen were married in Greensburg, Dec. 31, 1822. They had five children in Kentucky, and moved to Athens, Ill., in Nov., 1833, where they had one child, and Mrs. Brown died Oct. 7, 1835. Wm. B. Brown was married in Athens, June 20, 1837, to Laura B. Buckman. They moved to Sangamo, in Sangamon county, in 1839. They had four living children. Of all his children--

DANIEL C. and DAVID A., twins, were born Sept. 27, 1824, at Greensburg, Ky., and brought by their father to Sangamon county. At fifteen years of age they sawed all the lath used in building the first State House in Springfield, now the Sangamon county Court House.

DANIEL C. then served an apprenticeship to the drug business. He was married June 30, 1852, in Petersburg, to Catharine L. Cowgill. They have three living children, HARRIET CLEMANTINE, JOHN H. and ELIZA B. Daniel C. Brown has been for many years, and is now, a druggist in Springfield.

DAVID A., was reading law with Col. E. D. Baker in 1846, when the war with Mexico commenced. At the suggestion of Mr. Baker, Mr. Brown commenced raising a company. Before it was full, it was consolidated with another part of a company from Logan county, and became Co. I, 4th Ill. Inf. Mr. Brown was elected Second Lieutenant. He was with the regiment at the bombardment of Vera Cruz, and at the battle of Cerro Gordo, April 18, 1847. The next day Lieut. Brown was promoted for gallantry, as aid de camp to Col. Baker, then commanding the brigade. On returning from Mexico, Mr. Brown read law in the office of Lincoln & Herndon, and was admitted to the bar. He was then appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court of Menard county, to which office he was afterwards elected, and served in all six years, when he returned to Springfield, and practiced law for six years. He abandoned the practice, and in 1859 engaged extensively in farming at Bates, in this county. He was elected Vice-President of the State Board of Agriculture, and served four years, ending Sept., 1870, when he was elected President of the Board for two years. He was appointed by Gov. Beveridge as one of the three Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners, March 13, 1873, confirmed by the Senate the same day, and commissioned by the Governor on the 17th of the month. David A. Brown was married Dec. 8, 1852, in Sangamon county, to Eliza J. Smith. They have six living children, SALLIE C., WILLIAM J., HARRIET J. MARY E., JAY T. and CARRIE A., and reside at Bates.

WILLIAM J., born March 23, 1827, in Greensburg, Ky., raised in Sangamon county, was married at Clinton, Ill., Nov. 22, 1854, to Elizabeth M. Smith, and moved soon after to Decatur. They have three living children, HATTIE J., ANNIE and CHRISTOPHER N. In 1862 Wm. J. Brown became Capt. of Co. A, 116 Ill. Inf. He served through the battles of Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, and the siege and capture of Vicksburg. Capt. Brown resigned in 1863 on account of physical disability, took a trip to California for recruiting his health, and from that to the present time has been in the drug business in Decatur.

MARTHA T., born and died in Kentucky, in her sixth year.

JOHN H., born Feb. 17, 1832, in Greensburg, Ky., raised in Sangamon county, married in Decatur, Jan. 2, 1856, to Clara A. Stafford. They had three living children, DANIEL A., HARMON and MARY. John H. Brown was a druggist at Cairo, and was Treasurer of the city while residing there. He removed to Springfield, and continued in the same business, until failure of health induced him to visit California, where he died, at Grass Valley, April 11, 1866. His widow married Dr. Justus Townsend, and resides in Springfield.

CHRISTOPHER C., born Oct. 21, 1834, at Athens, Ill. He was married in Springfield to Bettie J. Stuart. They had three children, STUART, EDWARDS and PAUL. Mrs. Bettie J. Brown died March 2, 1869. Part of the buildings now occupied by the Bettie Stuart Institute had been her home, and the institution was so named in honor of her memory. C. C. Brown was married June 4, 1872, in Chicago, to Mrs. Carrie Farnsworth, whose maiden name was Owsley. They have one child, ELIZABETH J., and reside in Springfield. Mr. Brown is a member of the law firm of Stuart, Edwards & Brown.

JOEL B., the eldest child of the second wife, was born March 9, 1840, at Sangamo, Sangamon county. He was married Jan. 12, 1865, to Ella S. Saunders. They have one child, BETTIE J. Mr. Brown was in the drug business in Decatur, from 1859 to 1864. He is now a member of the firm of D. & J. B. Brown, booksellers and druggists, in Springfield.

MARY L. was born Sept. 7, 1844, in Sangamon county, and married Albert H. Cowgill. See his name.

FRANKLIN B. was born Nov. 28, 1848, in Sangamon county, and resides at Minneapolis, Minn.

JAMES B. was born July 24, 1851, in Sangamon county, and resides in Springfield.

William B. Brown was a merchant in Kentucky, but on coming to Illinois he engaged extensively in land speculations. In connection with others, he took part in laying out many of the important towns in Illinois and Iowa. He died Dec. 14, 1852, in Petersburg, and his widow, Mrs. Laura B. Brown. resides with her daughter, Mrs. Cowgill, in Springfield.