William Franklin Brown
Early, Brown County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(Apr. 9, 1820 - Dec. 23, 1918) In 1857 Georgia native William Franklin Brown moved to this area, where he was a pioneer cotton farmer. The following year he led in the organization of Brown County and was elected to serve as district clerk and as justice of the peace. He also participated in early defenses against hostile Indians. Married three times, Brown was the father of 12 children, several of whom died as a result of frontier tragedies. (1982)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Georgia native William Franklin Brown settled in this part of Central Texas in 1857 as a pioneer cotton farmer, and the very next year helped organize Brown County, serving as its district clerk and justice of the peace. He took part in the frontier defenses of a still-dangerous borderland and raised a large family marked by the hardships of the era. His long life spanned nearly a century of Texas history.
Why it matters
Brown's career embodies the civic founders who turned raw frontier into organized counties, building the institutions of local government across settling Texas.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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