Biographical Sketch of W. T. Browning, Johnson County, Missouri, Columbus Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** W. T. Browning, a representative of a sturdy pioneer family of Johnson county, Missouri, is a citizen of Columbus township, who is honored and respected by all who know him. Mr. Browning is a native of Kentucky. He was born in 1848 in Adair county, a son of William D. and C. A. (Atkinson) Browning. William D. Browning was a son of John Browning, a native Virginian who in early colonial days moved from his plantation home in Virginia to Kentucky and in that state reared and educated his family of children. The name Browning suggests English origin and, though the lineage of W. T. Browning has not been traced to his first known ancestors, there is much probability that this particular family of Brownings is connected with the family in England that produced the famous poet, Robert Browning. William D. Browning, the father of W. T. Browning, the subject of this review, was born in Virginia. During the Civil War, his eldest son, J. J., had an opportunity to visit the birth place of his father and he experienced no difficulty in finding the old Browning homestead, for the home was still standing though almost com- pletely hidden from view by a dense growth of pines. At that time, the old corn rows on the plantation could yet be plainly discerned. William D. Browning had been exceptionally well educated for one of his day. He was a student in college at Richmond, Virginia prior to his marriage with Miss Atkinson. In 1852, he came with his wife and children to Missouri and first located in Jackson county. Two years later the Brownings moved to Johnson county and settled on a farm of 200 acres of land, which Mr. Browning purchased from the Greer estate. He engaged in farming and in addition taught music in this and adjoining counties. To William D. and C. A. Browning were born four sons, who are now liv- ing: J. J., Kansas City, Missouri; D. B., Lela, Noble county, Oklahoma; W. T., the subject of this review; and W. W., Plainview, Texas. Father and mother have long been deceased. Their genial social qualities won for Mr. and Mrs. Browning a large number of friends in the West and Mr. Browning's honorable business dealings established for him an enviable reputation in commercial circles. Measured by the standard dollars and cents his success in life was above the average of the early settlers, while in the essential qualities of upright manhood and the requisites of intelligent and progressive citizenship, William D. Browning held rank with the best and most enterprising men of Johnson county. Mr. Millspaugh was employed as teacher at Coleman school house in Johnson county, when the boy, W. T. Browning, entered upon his school career. Miss Maggie Geter was afterward one of Mr. Browning's instructors, while he was attending the same school. Mr. Browning relates many interesting and amusing experiences of his boyhood days. As a youth, he was frequently sent to the Hall mill, which was located on Black- water, and would be obliged to wait over night for his grist. The county was largely open prairie and there were no roads but trails led in all directions. Wild game could be found in abundance. He recalls the first circus that came to Columbus, with its calliope, elephant and monkeys. The Browning lad attended the performance and saw for the first time an elephant. For him, the steam calliope possessed a pecul- iar fascination. In his own words, the effect the music had upon the impressionable child, is summed up, "it set me crazy!" The Browning's used to attend church in a wagon drawn by oxen. W. T. Browning raised three excellent crops with the sole assistance of old "Bill" ploughing single. With an ox-wagon, Mr. Browning used to go to Lexington for supplies. It required three days to make the trip. At one time, he sold bacon in the Lexington market for two cents a pound. The night that the first train on the Missouri Pacific railroad was run in John- son county, Mr. Browning was out hunting with a band of hunters. These are only a few of the delightful reminiscences, with which the remark- able memory of W. T. Browning is stored. In early manhood, Mr. Brown- ing began life for himself engaged in farming and stock raising. He saved five hundred dollars from his earnings in sawing timber, farming, and stock raising and then left Missouri and went to Texas. In that state, he remained several months and in 1871 returned to Johnson county, where he has made his home continuously since. Mr. Browning is now owner of 258 acres of land, well watered and nicely improved. The Browning residence is a pleasant country home, a house of seven rooms. The past season, of 1917, Mr. Browning had 40 acres of the farm in corn and he harvested 20 tons of hay. In 1874, W. T. Browning and Ida V. Hoook, of Lafayette county, Missouri, were united in marriage and to this union have been born four sons: E. G. and O. L., both of whom re- side on ranches in Montana; W. M., Glasgow, Montana; and T. A., Kansas City, Missouri. Several years after the death of his first wife, Ida V. (Hook) Browning, Mr. Browning was married to Anna E. Stanton, of Andrew county, Missouri, and to them have been born five children, three sons and two daughters: W. S., A. B., Mrs. Pauline Rider, W. R., and Mrs. Ruth E. McNeal, all of Pittsville, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Browning are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Politi- cally, W. T. Browning has always been a firm and uncompromising Democrat and he has ever taken a keen interest in the trend of public questions and events. Although numbered among the well to do citizens of Johnson county, Mr. Browning is one of the most unostentatious of men, open hearted and candid in manner, retaining in his demeanor the candor and courtesy of the olden time Southern gentleman. Such is, in brief, the life history of one who has indelibly stamped the impress of his own strong personality on the growth and development of his com- munity where so many years of his long life have been spent. His record will stand as a lasting monument in the years to come when his labors are ended and his name has become a precious memory. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================