My Genealogy Hound

W. P. Brown, an old settler of Wynne Township, is a native of North Carolina and a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Speight) Brown, who also came originally from that State. He has been a resident of this county since fifteen years of age. Thomas Brown was numbered among the prominent physicians of Colerain, Bertie County, N. C, and was also proprietor of one of the leading hotels of that place. He came to Arkansas when a boy, but only remained a short time, when he attended the medical school at Philadelphia, from which he graduated, subsequently settling in Colerain, Bertie County, and commencing his practice. He remained there until his death, in February, 1861. He was twice married, first to the mother of our subject, who bore ten children, two still living: W. P. and T. H. Mrs. Brown died in 1855, and in 1858 Dr. Brown was married to Miss Harriet Riddick. Dr. Brown was a member of the A. F. & A. M., and also of the I. O. O. F., and was a man of considerable means. His father owned 100 slaves and gave each of his four children twenty-five negroes. The Doctor was the owner of a saddle belonging to Gen. Zachary Taylor, and which he used during the Mexican War. W. P. Brown was born in 1846, and passed his early days in North Carolina, until fifteen years of age, when he came to Arkansas, residing with an uncle’s family in this county. At the age of seventeen years he enlisted in the Confederate service and served two years in McGee’s regiment. After the war Mr. Brown commenced farming his aunt’s place, where he remained until 1867, later returning to North Carolina and settling up his father’s business. Coming again to this county in December of that year, he rented a farm and remained upon it until 1871, when he was married to Miss Laura Jenkins. After his marriage he bought a farm of eighty acres, which had some clearing, but no buildings. In 1884 Mr. Brown traded this farm for his present place, consisting of eighty acres, which was unimproved, with the exception of a house, and of this amount he now has about fifty acres under cultivation. Himself and wife are the parents of six children, all at home: Thomas, Oline, Mattie, Hattie, Paul and Porter. Mr. Brown was elected assessor of this county in 1876, in which capacity he served eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The former belongs to the Knights of Honor, and is a man who favors all public enterprises.