Charles A. BROWN, secretary and treasurer of the Toluca Lumber Company at Toluca, is a native son of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Princeton, Bureau county, in 1871. His parents were C. E. and Frances (PELTON) BROWN. The father, a native of Massachusetts, was born in 1838, and is a contractor and builder now living in Princeton. His wife, born in 1846, is a daughter of C. PELTON. She belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, and both Mr. and Mrs. BROWN are widely and favorably known in Princeton, where for many years they have resided.
Charles A. BROWN, an only child, was educated in the public schools of his native city and began work for himself in 1889, clerking in Kansas, Princeton, Illinois, and different places until 1899, when he engaged in business for himself. He is now conducting a lumber yard at Toluca, being the active manager of the business and also secretary and treasurer of the company, of which J. E. PORTERFIELD is president. Mr. BROWN is a young man of good business ability and executive force, who has carefully directed his energies along well defined lines of labor, keeping in touch with the spirit of modern progress and improvement.
In 1892 Mr. BROWN was married to Miss Edna PORTERFIELD, who was born in Spring Valley, Illinois, in 1873, a daughter of J. E. PORTERFIELD. They now have an interesting little son, James E. BROWN. Mrs. BROWN belongs to the Congregational church. Mr. BROWN is identified with the Woodmen, Knights of Pythias and Masonic lodges. He is very fond of hunting, which he makes his chief source of recreation, and he displays no mean skill with the rifle. He is popular, being a genial gentleman, considerate of the opinions of others and possessing a jovial, kindly nature that has gained him many warm friends.
Extracted July 2011 by Norma Hass from Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties Illinois, 1907.
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
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La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
