As a young boy, William lived in several places; Crawford, Granbury, Alvarado and Wolf City, Texas. For a while, they lived near Durant, Oklahoma where his father, John A. Brown, had filed a claim on some land. William said that his dad had all the logs cut to build a log cabin on the land and then for no stated reason decided to move back to Wolf City, Texas leaving it all behind. William never knew why.
In 1908, he met Bessie Brooks after having moved to Young County from Wolf City, Texas. He and Bessie were married December 14, 1913. (Account of the wedding is contained in the memorial for Bessie Brooks Brown in this cemetery)
Their first home was a two room house on the C.S. Choate place located approx. seven miles southwest of Graham in the Tonk Valley Community.
In 1916 they moved to Crosby County, Texas where they lived 3 miles northwest of Crosbyton. They did well in farming there. After four years there, they returned to Young County where they continued in farming. In 1949, they purchased a washateria in Eliasville, Texas which they operated until they retired in 1959. Upon their retirement, they returned to Tonk Valley where they lived the rest of their lives.
They had nine children, of which seven lived to adulthood: Ray, John, Gordon, Betty, Ina Dell, Dalton and Kenneth.
NOTE: Contrary to some beliefs, William had no middle name; only the initial "R".
As a young boy, William lived in several places; Crawford, Granbury, Alvarado and Wolf City, Texas. For a while, they lived near Durant, Oklahoma where his father, John A. Brown, had filed a claim on some land. William said that his dad had all the logs cut to build a log cabin on the land and then for no stated reason decided to move back to Wolf City, Texas leaving it all behind. William never knew why.
In 1908, he met Bessie Brooks after having moved to Young County from Wolf City, Texas. He and Bessie were married December 14, 1913. (Account of the wedding is contained in the memorial for Bessie Brooks Brown in this cemetery)
Their first home was a two room house on the C.S. Choate place located approx. seven miles southwest of Graham in the Tonk Valley Community.
In 1916 they moved to Crosby County, Texas where they lived 3 miles northwest of Crosbyton. They did well in farming there. After four years there, they returned to Young County where they continued in farming. In 1949, they purchased a washateria in Eliasville, Texas which they operated until they retired in 1959. Upon their retirement, they returned to Tonk Valley where they lived the rest of their lives.
They had nine children, of which seven lived to adulthood: Ray, John, Gordon, Betty, Ina Dell, Dalton and Kenneth.
NOTE: Contrary to some beliefs, William had no middle name; only the initial "R".
Family Members
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Mittis Cordelia Brown Wragg
1890–1987
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Rosa Ethel Brown Mote
1893–1991
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Albert John Brown
1896–1987
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Marshall Edward Brown
1902–1980
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Charles Washington Brown
1905–1981
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Illa Ruth Brown
1907–1909
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Ina Mae Brown Scott
1910–2005
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Willie Adele Brown Jeffreys
1912–2009
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Dr Joseph Milton "Joe" Brown
1914–1983
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Thomas Watson Brown
1916–1986
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James Benjamin Brown
1918–1978
