Conecuh County AlArchives Biographies.....Brown, William D. May 7 1851 - 
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 8:46 am

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    WILLIAM D. BROWN, a prosperous merchant of Gravella, is a native of Conecuh
county, Ala., and son of William T. and Mary E. Brown. The father was born in
North Carolina in 1816, and early moved to Conecuh county, of which he continued
a resident until his death, June 30, 1887. He was a planter, held the office of
tax collector of Conecuh county two terms, and was one of the intelligent and
progressive citizens of the community in which he lived. At the breaking out of
the war he enlisted, with a company of old men, for detail duty, principally,
and was subsequently promoted lieutenant of the same. In 1846 he was united in
marriage with Miss Mary E. Butler, who bore him the following children: Virginia
A., who resides with her widowed mother in Evergreen; Susie J., died at the age
of five years; Dr. Daniel A., dentist at Chipley; William D.; Nancy E., teacher
in the schools of Andalusia, Covington county, Ala.; Amanda J., wife of Dr.
William R. Smith; James T., bookkeeper in Gravella for W. D. Brown & Co.; and
Mary E., assistant teacher in the Andalusia schools. William D. Brown was born,
May 7, 1851, and received a practical English education in the schools of his
native county. At the age of twenty-one he began working in the timber business,
making cross ties for the M. & M. railroad, and was also connected with the same
company for some time in the capacity of bridge builder. In 1872 he accepted a
clerkship in the mercantile establishment of John Rhodes at Gravella, receiving
for his services the sum of fifteen dollars per month He continued in this
capacity until January, 1878, at which time he effected a copartnership in the
goods business with his employer under the firm name of W. D. Brown & Co., which
has remained unchanged to the present time. The firm carries a general stock of
merchandise valued at $4,000, and the business, which is constantly increasing,
is now estimated at over $20,000 per year. Mr. Brown has also paid considerable
attention to real estate, and beside 6,000 acres of land in Conecuh county, owns
valuable property in the city of Birmingham and other places in the state. His
success as a business man has been well merited, and his career since beginning
for himself has been one of which any person might reasonably be proud. Mr.
Brown's married life began October 16, 1879, at which time Martha I. Rhodes
became his wife. Mrs. Brown is the daughter of John and Eliza Rhodes, who moved
from Butler county to Conecuh in 1871. They had a family of three children,
namely: Luella, died at the age of fourteen; Martha I. and Mary J. Mr. Rhodes
departed this life July 13, 1884, and the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs.
Brown have had two children, William Claude, who died in infancy, and Lula M.,
who has now reached the age of ten years. Mr. Brown is a democrat in his
political belief; fraternally he is identified with the K. of P. order. Mrs.
Brown belongs to the Baptist church.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 705-706


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