Biography - Thomas Brown
Thomas B. BROWN, Postmaster, Hillsboro, was born in this county July 10 1857. His father was Newton G. BROWN, born in Hillsboro, N. C., April 26, 1822, and died September 4, 1879. He was a hotel proprietor by occupation, and when about thirteen years of age emigrated to Illinois with his parents, and settled in Montgomery County, and on August 16, 1849, was married to Euphemia J. GRANTHAM, daughter of William and Susannah (MANN) GRANTHAM. She was born in this county July 11, 1832. Parents had six children born to them, two sons dying in infancy. There are living one son (subject) and three daughters, viz.: Medora F., now the wife of C. A. FREELAND; Lucy and Ollie G. Subject was educated at the Hillsboro High School and Academy. He began business as a dry goods clerk, in 1871, in this town, where he continued until February 7, 1881, at which date subject was commissioned Postmaster at this place, a position he still holds. In politics, he is a Republican. Subject belongs to the Methodist Church at Hillsboro; his mother and sister Lucy are members of the congregational Church. The father, Newton G. BROWN, when he first came to this State, settled in this county on a farm, and pursued that avocation for a few years, and then moved to Missouri; remained there about one year, and then returned to this county and settled in Hillsboro about 1856, and engaged in teaming, and also run a meat market, the only one then in town, for quite a number of years, perhaps until about 1863. He then purchased the American House. In the fall (October) of 1869, Mr. B. sold out, having run the hotel from the time he purchased it in 1863 until the above date, and moved to St. Louis, where he soon was taken sick, and remained until the following spring, engaged in keeping boarding house, and then returned again to Hillsboro and resumed the hotel business, this time at the City Hotel, where he continued until the time of his death. Since that time, our subject being the only son, assumed the principal responsibility of the family.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 99.
