Rufus M. Brown was the first child born to Hance Brown and Abigail Doan Brown in 1836. [1] [2] [3] [4] They were married in Indiana on October 9, 1834. [5] Their son, Rufus [6] was born in 1836.
Rufus continued to live with or near his father, Hance, for most of his life. He appeared in the same household during the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 Federal Census records. [1] [2] [3] [4] [7]
Rufus M. Brown of Plainfield, Indiana mustered into the Union Army August 30, 1861. He served in Company H, 26th Regiment Indiana Infantry, during the Civil War. He mustered out September 21, 1864.[8]
Rufus Brown was among the first twelve settlers to file a land patent for a homestead in Smith County, Kansas. "After these earliest settlers, there was a steady increase of arrivals In Smith County. An examination of the records in the National Archives, Washington, D. C, showed that the first twelve homestead entries for land located in Smith County were made by Josiah Crick, Henry U. Blue, Daniel Hopkins, Chancy, Williams, James Thompson, C. N. Jeffrey, Clarence Blinn, Rufus Brown, Herman Potter, Belle Merrill, and James Richard. However, an examination of the records at the office of the Register of Deeds, Smith Center, Smith County Kansas, showed that apparently only four ever received patents to the original homestead claims, namely: C. N. Jeffrey, Clarence Blinn, Victor Blinn, and Rufus Brown. [9]
Another excerpt from "The History of Smith County, Kansas to 1690" reveals what the prairie was like at the time it was settled. "The first reference to any settlement in Smith County is found in the story written by Harry Salmons when he was about 75 years old. He said that he and his parents left England when he was ten years old. They came to Ft. Riley where his father hired out as coachman to Chaplain Reynolds. In 1867, they took a claim on the north fork of the Solomon near present day Gaylord. The father returned to Ft. Riley to work. Harry and his mother stayed on the claim, where they hunted wild game for food. His father claimed this must be the grazing land of the main buffalo herd, but added that few people realized the immense number on the plains in the 60’s. He said he stood on a bluff above the Solomon and looked down the valley ten miles and all that met his gaze were buffaloes." [9]
"The Gathering of the Herds" by William Jacobs Hays brings this image to life. It is included in the images section courtesy of The American Museum of Western Art--The Anschuz Collection.
Rufus M. Brown's Civil War military memorial is marked, CO. H., 26 IND INF in Oakwood Cemetery, Baldwin City, Douglas County, Kansas. Plot: Main North Lot 31 W-7 Row 2 The marker does not contain dates. His sister, Eliza is buried Plot: Main West Lot 86 E-2 Row 14. of the same cemetery. [8] [10] [11]
"Rufus M. Brown, an old pioneer of this state, died in DeQueen, Ark., last Saturday evening after a brief illness. Mr. Brown came to Kansas in the 1869, and has lived here ever since with the exception of about two years spent in Arkansas. He was an old soldier, serving in the Seventh Indiana regiment during the Civil War.
Mr. Brown was born in Kendrick, (sic) Ind., in the year 1836 and he was nearly 81 years of age. The body was shipped back to Baldwin Monday evening and the funeral services held Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, the services being in charge of the Masonic Lodge. Mr. Brown has a sister living in Baldwin, Mrs. Elizabeth Hadley, and L. L. Hadley, Joab Hadley and Mrs. Mary Clemons, who are cousins. [12]
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Rufus is 25 degrees from Herbert Adair, 21 degrees from Richard Adams, 18 degrees from Mel Blanc, 24 degrees from Dick Bruna, 18 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 32 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 16 degrees from Sam Edwards, 14 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 19 degrees from Marty Krofft, 15 degrees from Junius Matthews, 15 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 18 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.