SIMON BROWN, one of the leading agriculturists of Sugar Ridge town-
ship, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, February 22, 1850, a son of
Christian F. and Elizabeth (Sheir) Brown, who were born in Germany,
the father in Wurtemberg. They came in their early lives to the United
States, and were married in Ohio, after which they farmed in Tuscara-
was, Greene and other counties of that state until finally, in 1864, they
came to Clay county, Indiana, and bought prairie land in Jackson town-
ship, remaining there until their deaths, the father dying on the 6th of
June, 1876, and the mother on the 26th of July, 1897.
    Simon Brown, the seventh born of their eight children, five sons and
three daughters, was with his parents on the farm in his early life with
the exception of one year which he spent in Shelby county, Illinois, and
after his marriage he rented land in Jackson township for two years. He
then located on the eighty acres in section 19, Sugar Ridge township,
where he is now living, and which belonged to his wife. Only eighteen
acres of land had been cleared, but he has since cleared the remainder and
placed the entire farm under an excellent state of cultivation and is
engaged in diversified farming and stock raising. In 1888 he added
eighteen and three-fourths acres to the boundaries of the farm, and just
ten years afterward, in 1898, he bought fifty-four acres, twenty-nine acres
lying in section 20 and the remainder in section 19.
    He was married on the 30th of January, 1876, to Mary J. Morgan,
who was born in Posey township of Clay county May 13, 1856, a
daughter of John M. and Elizabeth (Wright) Morgan, the former born
in Henry county, Kentucky, and the latter in Jackson township, Clay
county, Indiana. They have had three children, Ira A., Harry E., and
one who died in infancy. Ira A., born January 11, 1878, is at home, and
Harry E., born January 7, 1882, is employed on the Erie & Terre Haute
Railroad and resides in Evansville, Indiana. Mr. Brown upholds the
principles of the Democratic party. Mrs. Brown is a member of the
United Brethren church.