Biography - James Brown
James A. BROWN, station agent of the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., March 23, 1848; son of George W. and Sarah A. (JENKINS) BROWN, he a farmer, born in Guernsey County, Ohio, July 9, 1819, moved to Illinois in 1837, and settled in this county, where he still lives; she born in Darlington Village, S. C., June 30, 1819, and is still living. Subject is the third son of a family of five sons and one daughter; educated in Hillsboro Academy, where he received a good, thorough course, such as was taught in that school, and began life here in town as a newsboy, then telegraph operator, taking charge of an office at Pana, afterward at Paris, Kan., Litchfield, Mattoon, in the General Superintendent's office, St. Louis, and was then appointed to this place, at the age of eighteen years, December 4, 1866. He has also been a coal dealer in this town for about ten years; been in the grain business for a short time. He has been Alderman for two terms, and was defeated in 1876 by a small majority for Circuit Clerk, owing to being a Republican, and the county being Democratic by about eight hundred majority at the time. A change of sixty votes would have elected him. At Litchfield, Montgomery County, September 20, 1871, he married Margaret S. EVANS, born in Montgomery County July 1, 2853, daughter of James D. and Elzira (EAMES) EVANS, he born in Virginia in November, 1823, and died July 23, 1855; she born in Kentucky January 4, 1832, and died at Litchfield October 21, 1873. From this union five children have been born to them - Frederic G., Herbert (deceased), Ethel M., Sarah Eleanor (deceased), and Horace E. Mr. BROWN is a Methodist, and has been connected with the official board of that church at Trustee and Steward for ten or twelve years; is a member of the Chapter of the Masonic fraternity, and has been Master of his lodge in Hillsboro for a year, besides filling other subordinate offices therein. He owns a two-story fram residence in Hillsboro.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 98-99
