Brown

William Brown married Jane Blanchard
1.Bud
2.George-bachelor buried Christian Union
3.Dollie married Sam Chrisman
children Willie, Ralph, Nannie, Gladys, twins Mary & Marion, Andrew, Donald
4.Ruth married Henry Stahl
children Frank, John,Jess, Jennie, Andrew
5.Della Brown married Mr. Truitt
children Blanche, Wilma, Florence, Roy
6.Frances Marion "Frank" 1868-1945 buried Christian Union
married Etha Mae Wissler 1884-1967 buried Christian Union
they raised my Grandpa Vermal Brown most of the time after he was age five.
a. Albert Everrett 1905-1926 buried Christian Union
b. William Wiley "Bill" born Sept 16 1907 died April 28 1984 KC. MO
buried Christian Union Cemetery
married Esta Foster born Sept 19 1910 died Nov 3 1955
buried Christian Union
Bill carved little baskets out of peach pits & gave them away at family
picnics...I have at least one in an cigar box of momentoes.
7.Lewis Albert born April 11 1881 died Jan 21 1955 of a
heart attack while
scooping snow from a neighbor's sidewalk buried Christian Union
married Maggie Mae Smith May 13 1913, she was born Nov 8 1900 near Hatfield MO
You'll notice Maggie was only 12 when they got married & he was 32.
I have been told that her mother never married & died when Maggie was
young, so she was being raised by "Aunt Mae',that Lewis was somehow
her guardian...of course, this is heresay. Maggie never talked of her
family. She was a cousin to Etha Mae Wissler Brown.
you still have to wonder about this, though...
have to wonder what was going on...
Maggie died Oct 27 1982 & was buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Lamoni, IA.
a. Edith Mae Brown born June 7 1914 died Feb 26 1982 buried Resthaven, Trenton,MO
married Ode Chambers 1908-1952 Springer Chapel Cemetery
after her parents seperated in 1920 "eva" was raised by the Elder family.
1.Cecil Lewis born Sept 1939 married Doris Ann Lewandowski from Texas
August 1st (no year)
a. Larry Gene Chambers married Carla Van Fleet Dec 11 1982
b.Kathryn Ann Chambers
c.Gary Wayne Chambers born Aug 25 1965 drowned in the Trenton Reservior
May 2 1977 buried Resthaven, Trenton, MO
b.VermaDean Brown born Nov 23 1915 died June 29 1982 buried Resthaven MO
married Robert McCullough
after her parents seperation in 1920, VermaDean was raised by the
Cambell (Camel) family.
they had twin sons.
I have seen pictures of VermaDean, she was a beautiful
woman & always very well dressed.
c.Vermal (no middle name) Brown born Nov 23 1915 married Leona Grace Maxwell
July 22 1939. she was the daughter of Tom & Gilly Maxwell & was born Sept 21
1916. Children listed seperately under Higdon-Maxwell #7 Leona Grace Maxwell
my Grandpa Vermal died in 1996. Will post his obituary. I loved him to death,
when you were watching TV, 'you make a better door than a window', & he was
always 'gonna stomp a mudhole in you, Debber Webber.' He loved life & he
loved his family, there was a big hug & kiss everytime you saw him.
He used to take us waterskiing @ Lake Trenton, I was always to scared to
try, so would ride in the boat while Grandma drove.
d.Lela Mae Brown born Dec 15 1917, her mother took her when Maggie & Lewis
parted ways, she was taken into the household of Mr & Mrs Anway of North
Harrison County, later Lamoni, IA, when Maggie realized there was no way she
could feed the children she had taken with her.
e.Lewis Orval born Jan 21 1919, his mother took him when Maggie & Lewis parted
ways, he was taken into the household of Mr & Mrs Art Stanely (Stanley),
they lived in Bethany & ran a restaurant there. they may have adopted
Lewis Orval.
MAGGIE & LEWIS BROWN SEPERATED IN 1920. MAGGIE TOOK THE 2 YOUNGEST CHILDREN. SHE HAD A HARD TIME MAKING ENDS MEET & LET THEM OUT TO HOMES SO THEY WOULDN'T STARVE. LEWIS GAVE THE 3 OLDEST CHILDREN TO RELATIVES TO RAISE.
In this time frame, Maggie would've had no help, she had no family (That I know of, anyway) except her husbands' family to help her, there was no welfare, or WIC to help her feed the kids, no housing assistance, it was a cold, cruel world that she found herself in at a very young age, with 2 very small children. She did what she had to do. How many women in this time frame found themselves in a similiar situation?
And how did they come to this division of the children? How could you leave your 3 oldest (still very young) children? did she have a choice, or were things just so bad she had to go? did they have any money or possessions to split up besides the children they had together?


Lewis Brown married Mayme Beeman. they seperated.
Lewis Brown married Hannah Clara Neill, May 28 1932. she had a son, Sherman Neill.
After Lewis' death she married a Baker. Clara born Feb 27 1881 died Feb 4 1959 buried Christian Union Cemetery.

Maggie Mae Smith Brown married Frank Smith.
1.John Junior Smith born Dec 28 1932
2.Charles Milton Smith born Aug 191925
3.Wyvonne Elaine Smith born April 23 1927 died Sept 17 1941 Rosehill Cemetery, Lamoni, IA.
Maggie & Frank seperated. (yes, Maggie is still relatively young, now has 2 husbands & 8 children...). Frank took Charles and went to Arkansas. Maggie kept
Junior & Wyvonne and lived with Ike Webber. They were married Nov. 3 1942.

8.Maude Brown, daughter of William Brown & Jane Blanchard, nothing is known about her.

most of the Brown's were from Grundy County, MO.