Biography of  Harry Brown, pages 645/646/647.  History of DeKalb County, 
Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.

Harry Brown

	It is proper to judge of the success and status of a man’s life by 
the estimation in which he is held by his fellow citizens.  They see him 
at his work, in his family circle, in his church, at his devotion, hear 
his views on public questions, observe the outcome of his code of morals, 
witness how he conducts himself in all the relations of society and 
civilization and thus become competent to judge of his merits and 
demerits.  After a long course of years of such daily observation it would 
be out of the question for his neighbors not to know his worth, because, as 
has been said, “Actions speak louder than words.”  In this county there is 
nothing heard concerning the subject of this sketch but good words. He has 
passed so many years here that his worth is well known, but it will be of 
interest to run over the busy events of his life in these pages.
	Harry Brown was born in Hartsville, Bartholomew county, Indiana, on 
October 5, 1871, and is a son of William Marion Brown, Jr., and Clara 
(Womack) Brown.  William M. Brown, Jr., was born in Franklin county, Ohio, 
the son of William Marion Brown, Sr., and Sarah (Wiley) Brown.  At the age 
of two years, he was brought by his parents to Hartsville, Indiana. Where 
he spent the remainder of his life, being for a number of years the oldest 
inhabitant in point of years of residence in that town.  His wife, whose 
maiden name was Clara Womack, was born along Flat Rock creek, Shelby 
county, Indiana.  William M. Brown, Sr., was a blacksmith by vocation, 
following that pursuit for forty-five years on the same lot at Hartsville.  
He took a deep interest in local affairs, and was on the school board for 
twenty-five years, being a member of that body at that time of his death.  
He was elected a justice of peace, but refused to qualify. He was active 
in his support of the Republican party, and assisted materially in the 
election of others to public office, but was never himself an aspirant for 
any position at the hands of his fellow citizens.  He died on December 20, 
1912, two days before the sixty-eight anniversary of his birth, and his 
widow still resides at Hartsville.
	Harry Brown was reared at Hartsville, and after completing his 
studies in the common schools he attended the United Brethren College at 
Hartsville five years.  After leaving that institution he went into the 
butchering business at Huntington, Indiana, and was successfully engaged 
in the retail trade there for eight years.  At the end of that time he 
came to Auburn, and for five years was engaged in buying timber for R. W. 
Vaughn Handle Company.  However, prior to coming here he spent a year in 
the state of Washington, with his family, their sojorn in that state being 
on account of Mr. Brown’s health, which was impaired when he went there, 
but which was entirely restored on his return.  After five years’ residence 
at Auburn, Mr. Brown moved to Waterloo, where he has resided ever since and 
where he is now engaged in farming, his beautiful home being located at the 
south edge of the city.  He is practical and up-to-date in his methods and 
has achieved a noteworthy success in this line.
	Politically, Harry Brown was an earnest supporter of the Republican 
party, and in the councils of that organization he was an active and 
prominent figure for many years. In 1912 he was one of the two delegates 
from the twelfth congressional district to the national convention of the 
party at Chicago, and since that time has been identified with the 
Progressive party.  In the spring of that year he was nominated by the 
Republican party for the office of county clerk, but, the party being 
hopelessly divided that year, he went down to defeat with the rest of the 
ticket.  A man of kindly and genial impulses and companionable nature, Mr. 
Brown has won a host of warm and loyal personal friends throughout DeKalb 
county, and because of his upright life and earnest effort and social 
nature he is deserving of the enviable standing which he now enjoys here.
	On September 18, 1895, Harry Brown was united in marriage with 
Jessie May Himes, of Washington township, Noble county, Indiana, the 
daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Striebey) Himes, the former of whom was a 
successful farmer.   To this union were born three children, Marie, Dorothy 
and Harriett, who are now living with Mr. Brown at Waterloo.  The mother of 
these children died on October 25, 1905, and on November 7, 1908, Mr. Brown 
married Mrs. Elizabeth (Brand) Shoemaker, the widow of Scott Shoemaker, 
deceased, who, during his active life, was a successful farmer north of 
Waterloo in Smithfield township.  Elizabeth Brand became the wife of Scott 
Shoemaker, the son of Emanuel Shoemaker, and who was born in Smithfield 
township in May, 1861, living in Smithfield township with his parents 
until his marriage.  He was a life long farmer and enjoyed the regard of 
all who knew hem because of his vocational success as well as his upright 
life.  His death occurred on June 8, 1898, leaving two daughters, Rhena 
May and Maude Scott.  For about a year after the death of her first 
husband Mrs. Brown lived in Smithfield township and then moved to 
Waterloo, where a few yeas later she entered the present beautiful home at 
the south edge of that city, which she now graces with her presence.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com