CHARLES WILLIAM BROWN, deceased, was long and actively identified with the agricultural interest of the town of Fitchburg, and deserves recognition among his confreres of that noble occupation.He was born in Wheeling, W. Va., August 5, 1854, and was the only son born to William Brown and his wife Elizabeth, who came to Wisconsin and located in Dane county when the subject of this review was a mere boy. A daughter, Mary Elizabeth, is the wife of Thomas Seals and resides at Bridgeport, Ohio. The parents established their home in the town of Fitchburg, and there Charles W. Brown received his education in the district schools, attending a few terms also in Rutland.

When he had reached the required age he began his independent career and worked as a farm hand until his marriage in 1876, and then removed to Minnesota, where he farmed for two years.

In 1878 he returned to Fitchburg, and after renting a place for about two years moved to the old parental homestead and resided there twelve years. He then removed to the Kiser place in the same township, and after remaining there two years moved to another farm, and a year later to another in the same township, where he resided until his death, November 8, 1898.

Mr. Brown was a Democrat n his political affiliations and his religious faith was expressed by membership in the Catholic Church.

He was married November 28, 1876, to Miss Margaret Ann Connor, who is a native of Connecticut, born August 30, 1854, and the daughter of Patrick and Ann (Colager) Connor, both of whom were also natives of the Nutmeg state. These parents came to Wisconsin in 1855 and first located in the town of Rutland, where they bought a farm and resided about fifteen years, after which they moved to Oregon, where the father died in January 1881, and the mother still resides.

In the Connor family there were seven children, of whom the wife of the subject of this review is the eldest. The others are: Bridget who married James Brazee and resides in the town of Fitchburg; Thomas Peter, who resides in Oregon; Mary Jane, who is the widow of William Emerson and resides in Madison; Catherine, who is unmarried and lives with her mother in Oregon; John, who married Dorothy Hamm and resides in Stoughton; and Barney, who is deceased. After the death of Mr. Brown his widow purchased a farm of eighty acres in the town of Dunn, where she now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were the parents of ten children: James Riley married Catherine Handle and resides in Madison; William Patrick married Anna Foster and resides with his mother; Mary Elva married Arthur J. Grady and resides in Fitchburg; Anna Elizabeth is deceased; and Charles Ambrose, John Danford, Catherine Arstina, Archie Paul, Margaret Helen, and Joseph Lyle, reside at home.

1906 History of Dane County, Wisconsin, p. 118-119.