The William Henry Brown Family

By Frank H. Brown

William Henry "Bill" Brown was born November 5, 1886, on a farm in Albion, Indiana. He was one of three children and only son of Willis and Cynthia Brown. He left the farm and Indiana at age 19 to work in sawmills and lumber companies in Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Misissippi. In Mississippi, he met and married Julia Mae Gates. She was born Augist 6, 1896, one of four daughters of John Gates. Mr. Brown and his wife settled in Arkansas, where their first son, Willis, was born. Later they moved to Nacogdoches, where their second son, George, was born.

In the early twenties, Mr. Brown moved his family to Jacksonville. He secured a "cross-tie" contract with the Southern Pacific Railroad and began his first lumber operation in Jacksonville. Frank, the third son, and Lottie Jo, only daughter, were born here.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown soon became active in the Central Baptist Church, where he later became a deacon and church treasurer. Mrs. Brown also served the church as superintendent of a youth department and on several committees.

Mr. Brown started his mill operations in 1937, two miles west of Jacksonville on U.S. Highway 175. Also, he was an exacting builder, constructing many homes and buildings. He was Jacksonville School Board president for many years in the 1930s. An original stockholder, he was president of the Jacksonville Building and Loan Association at the time of his death, a director of First National Bank and East Texas Baptist College, Marshall.

Among his undertakings was organization of a "hardwood" flooring company, it being the first plant of this kind in the area. Up to this point there was little demand for hardwood and it often was "killed off" to permit the growth of pine.

The oldest son, Willis, took up the task which his father started, and established an early hardwood "pallet" plant in East Texas. This plant is the originator of pallet procedures used today in the pallet manufacturing industry, and stands foremost in production. Willis married Sibyl Weatherby, daughter of Mrs. Weatherby and the late George Weatherby, and now lives on El Paso Street in Jacksonville. They have two children, Robert Frank, married and a realtor in Dallas, and Mary Sibyl (Mrs. David Gray), who also lives in Dallas. The Grays have a son, David. Willis Brown is a director of Texas Bank and Trust and Jacksonville Building and Loan Association.

George Brown is a doctor in Tyler where he and his wife, Jane, daughter of the late C. P. Mosley and Mrs. Mosley, live with two of their sons, Thom and Jim. Their oldest son, Bill, and his wife are parents of two sons and a daughter and live in Abilene, where he is a hospital administrator.

Frank Brown lives here with his wife, Patti, who is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. C. Kobitz of Jacksonville. They have two sons, Dick and Steve, students at Baylor University. Frank is a director of the First National Bank and Jacksonville Building and Loan Association, and is active in the construction and lumber business.

Lottie Jo married J. Harry Kidwell, Waco businessman. They live in Waco with their two sons, David and George Kyle. Lottie Jo is a graduate of Baylor University, as are her three brothers, Willis, George and Frank.

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Brown lived in the family home at 540 El Paso Street until the time of their deaths. Mr. Brown died on April 24, 1966, and Mrs. Brown on January 11, 1970.

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Brown