Springfield-Greene
County LibraryDR. J. A. BROWN. Springfield, Mo., is one of the oldest and best known physicians of Greene County, and one of the old-time school teachers, descending from old Quaker stock. The great grandfather of our subject came from England before the Revolutionary War and settled at Jamestown, Va. He was a Quaker preacher. Henry Brown, the grandfather of our subject, was at the battle of Lexington, and wounded in the head with a saber. He settled in North Carolina, Randolph County, Deep River. He married Mary Smith, a Quakeress. He was a prosperous farmer of Randolph County, N. C., where he passed all his days, and died an aged man. He was the father of Henry, William, Joshua, Elisha, Jean and John D. Joseph Brown, brother of Henry, was also at the battle of Lexington. John D. Brown, father of our subject, was born in Randolph County, N. C., October 4, 1804, on his father's farm, and received his education at Greensboro College, N. C., and was principal of the Springfield Female Academy, N. C. He married Joan, daughter of Eli and Mary (Cox) Bray. Eli Bray was the son of Henry, who was the son of Dempsey Bray, who was from England, and settled in Camden County, N. C. The Brays were wealthy and influential people. To Dr. Brown and wife were born eight children; Mary E., Joseph A., Lydia Jane, John D., Henry, Eli B., William T. and G. P. S. Mr. Brown studied law but did not practice much. He was judge in a court of chancery until he removed from North Carolina. He was justice of the peace many years, also being appointed to both offices by the governor of the State. He owned a large farm, flouring mill, and was also in the mercantile business, and owned twenty-three slaves. In 1845 Judge Brown came to Greene County, Mo., bringing his family by means of wagons drawn by horses. He settled in Washington Township, where he prospered and remained until the war broke out. He served one term as school commissioner. During the war he went South to Arkansas, with his slaves, and died in November, 1864. He married out of the Quaker Church and became a Baptist in religion. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and education, and highly respected by the people both in North Carolina and in Greene County, Mo. Dr. J. A. Brown, our subject, was born in North Carolina on his father's farm in Randolph County, December 8, 1828, and was about seventeen years of age when he came with his parents to Greene County, and well remembers the early settlement of the county. His father taught school when he first came to the county, and our subject learned a good deal from him. He also attended the pioneer district school and the Methodist College at Ebenezer, and taught school from the time be was eighteen years of age, teaching at times for five years. He studied medicine with Drs. S. Shackelford and Parish, and then read law with his father two years, and then completed his medical studies at McDowell College, St. Louis. He began practicing his profession in Greene County in 1859, and is still practicing. He has ridden over the entire county in his practice, is widely known, and has been uniformly successful, and still has an extensive practice. He married July 21, 1857, Martha A., daughter of William and Martha A. (Roberts) McFarland, and to Dr. and Mrs. Brown have been born seven children, six living: Alice R., William, Mae F., James H., Joseph E., Martha J. and Daniel K. After marriage Dr. Brown settled on a farm in Taylor Township, and in 1863 went to Springfield and practiced medicine until 1867, when he settled on a farm in Campbell Township, and in 1885 he moved to his present farm. Dr. Brown was one of the early Masons of Greene County. Politically he is a stanch Democrat, but has taken no interest in office holding. He has taken an interest in education and has been school director. His son, Dr. W. Mac F. Brown, is a physician at Stafford, Mo. Dr. Brown stands high among his medical col -leagues, in Missouri, and is a member of the medical society of southwest Missouri. He has had years of practice in Greene County, and when medical advice was difficult to obtain. He has ridden horseback to the homes of the pioneers at all times of day and night and in all kinds of weather. During his long practice in Greene County, Dr. Brown has made many friends, and it may well be said of him that his character, as a man, and skill as a physician, have never been impeached.
[339-340]
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V | W | Y
Pictorial and Genealogical Home | Keyword Search
Greene County History Home | Local History Home