Biography - LEONARD G. BROWN

Leonard G. Brown, one of the prominent citizens of Modesto, Macoupin County, part owner and cashier of the Bank of Modesto, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the State. He was born in 1867 in Morgan County near Woodson, Illinois, and is a son of George S. and Mary S. (Wood) Brown, and a grandson of Bedford Brown.

Bedford Brown came with his family from Kentucky to Illinois in 1828 and located near Jacksonville, Morgan County, but a short distance from where our subject was born so many years later. Bedford Brown died in 1874, aged 70 years, his three surviving children being: Charles, Robert and Mary. Charles Brown is a resident of Divernon, Sangamon County, Illinois, where he owns a farm of 2,000 acres, and is vice-president of the Illinois National Bank of Springfield, belonging also to the directing boards of several other banks. He has one child. Robert Brown is a retired farmer of Hastings, Nebraska, and is a director of one of the Hastings banks. Mary married William Duer, a retired farmer of Hastings, Nebraska, and they have these children — Caroline, William, John, Bessie and Charles.

George S. Brown, father of our subject, was the eldest of his parents' children and was the only one born in Kentucky except Reuben. He was five years old when the family came to Illinois and the remainder of his life was passed here, with the exception of two years, when he served in the Mexican War. He died in 1893 in his 71st year. He married Mary S. Wood, who was born in Kentucky and died in Illinois, in 1900, aged 72 years. She was a daughter of Thomas Wood, who removed in early days to Morgan County, Illinois, where he died at the age of 48 years. But two of Thomas Wood's children still survive: Sarah, who married B. W. Poe, a farmer of North Palmyra township, Macoupin County, now a resident of Modesto; and Joseph F., who married Elizabeth Miller and now resides near Modesto, engaged in farming. The three children of George S. Brown and wife are: W. T., Cordelia C. and Leonard G. of this sketch. W. T. Brown is a dealer in musical instruments at Jacksonville, Illinois. He married Annie Thompson, who is a daughter of Howard Thompson, a prominent citizen of Jacksonville, and they have three children: Howard, Hazel and Susie. Cordelia C. married Henry J. Myars, a large land-owner living at San Diego, California, and they have four children: Susie, who married Bazil Woods of San Diego, California; George, Lewis and Roy.

Leonard G. Brown received his primary education in Morgan and Sangamon counties, later attended the Illinois College at Jacksonville and then took a commercial course at the Jacksonville Business College. He then spent one year working on his father's farm and teaching school. In 1891, in association with his father and Alexander Nevins, he established the Bank of Modesto, of which he is cashier. This band has a cash capital of $10,000, and its stockholders are these well known capitalists: I. B. Vancil, Leonard G. Brown, W. T. Brown, H. J. Myars and C. Van Winkle, who is assistant cashier. The bank has been a very successful business enterprise and has been conducted along lines which have inspired public confidence.

In 1893, Mr. Brown married Ida A. Vancil, who is a daughter of Imri B. and Elizabeth S. (Rice) Vancil, of North Palmyra township, Macoupin County. Mr. Vancil, whose sketch will be found in another part of this work, is one of the best known farmers and capitalists of this county. Four children have been born to this marriage, namely: Ruth, born in 1894; Harlow, born in 1896; Imri, who died at the age of three months; and Lois, born in 1903. Mr. Brown is a valued member of the Jacksonville Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Methodist Church of Modesto. Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow. Politically he is identified with the Republican party.

Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 332-334.