Although a proper obit could not be located for Owen Peterson Brown, he appears to have been born in Township 12 Range 3 of Johnson County near Vienna. This is where his farming family was located in the 1870 federal census. In the census, his father Robert 41 and mother Mary 36 were living in a farm home. Owen was 9 and had 4 siblings along with four other young people, likely relatives.
When the 1880 census was taken the family were living in Elvira, Johnson County and Owen 19 and his brother Austin 12 were working as farm laborers on his father’s farm.
On August 29, 1889, Owen married Ida M. Stanley in Johnson County. An 1894 real estate tax bill was paid for Owen covering 80 acres of land near Pulley’s Mill by Obe Stanley, likely his father-in-law, in Section 33 of Southern Township.
By the 1900 federal census, Owen 29 and Ida 24 were living in Goreville and Owen was working in general merchandise and groceries. They owned their own home at 296 Broadway Street and had three children in the home, Cecile 7, Troy D. 4 and Naomi aged 1. Also in the home was Ida’s widowed mother, 68 year old Ellen J. Stanley. Ida reported in the census that she had birthed 4 children and 3 were living.
Shortly after the 1900 census, the family appears to have made their move to Marion since a 1906/07 street directory indicated that Owen and Ida were living at 1711 W. Main and that Owen was operating a store of general merchandise at 1801 W. Main Street. The store at that location was originally built by Henry Brown around the turn of the century and was sold to J.M. Cooksey in 1911. It is now the location of Marion Gas on the corner of S. Carbon and W. Main Street.
When the 1910 census was taken, Owen 49 and Ida 39 were renting a home in Ward 2 on S. Hill which would be the SW quadrant of Marion. Owen was a general store merchant and the couple had three children living at home. They were daughters Cecile 17, Naomi 10, and Audra 6. Ida indicated that they had birthed 6 children and 4 were living.
In 1911 and 1912, Owen served as city alderman under Mayor J.H. Burnett. In June 1912, the Marion city council approved Ordnance 40 which allowed for development of a city library board. One of the steps leading to the creation of the Marion Carnegie library.
An article appearing in the Marion Daily Republican in 1919 indicated that the Brown’s were living at 415 S. Court Street. This was confirmed in the 1920 census and also that 58-year-old Owen was still active as a merchant and Ida was working in their store as a 49-year-old clerk. Children present were Audra 16 and Maurice G. 14. They owned their home mortgage free.
Shortly after the 1920 census was taken, Owen and Ida along with their remaining children at home, Audra and Maurice moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. An article in the Marion Semi-Weekly Leader in August of 1922 stated that the Brown’s along with children, Audra and Maurice returned to Marion to visit their married daughter Mrs. Elbert (Cecile) True on N. Monroe Street. The family had made the trip from Oklahoma in their Ford touring car, camping at campgrounds along the way at night. Another article in the Marion Evening Post in August of 1926, reported that they made a return trip to Marion to again visit their daughter Cecile on N. Madison Street.
Oklahoma City street directories listed Owen and Ida all through the 1920’s and 1930’s as operating a grocery store and living at 34 NE 4th Street in the city. The 1930 census confirmed this address and his occupation.
When the 1940 census was taken, the Brown’s were still in the same address in Oklahoma City. Owen was retired at 79 years old, Ida was listed as 68. Living with them was their divorced daughter Naomi Williams 40 and her two children Robert J. Williams 16 and William I. Williams 10. Naomi was working as a book keeper for a retail department store. Owen reported that he had completed 4 years of college and that they were renting.
Owen passed away in October 1942 in Oklahoma City at age 81 and was buried in Rose Hill Park in that city. His wife Ida Mae died on November 22, 1949 and was still living in their old address at 34 NE. 4th St. She was born about 1869 and was interred beside Owen in Rose Hill Park.
Notes on Children:
Ovey Brown, little son of O.P. & Ida died April 1895 at Pulley’s Mill (per The Leader paper)
Cecile Brown True, born March 1893, married Elbert Ture in Benton in April 1915, He was a tuba player in the Marion Military Band. She was a school teacher at Logan School in Marion and they lived at 810 N. Madison Street in Marion. She died on December 27, 1961 in Haywood, California at 67.
Naomi Brown Williams, born May 12, 1899, married William I. Williams in Belleville, in October 1917, and later divorced. She died on December 24, 1982 in Plano, Texas. Burial was with parents in Rose Hill Park, Oklahoma City.
Maurice G. Brown, born December 2, 1905, died November 17, 1966 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Troy D. Brown, born May 1896
Audra A. Brown, girl born 1902-1904, still alive in 1930 census, lost after that.
Sources: Federal census records, Marion and Oklahoma City street directories, FindaaGrave.com, The Leader, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader, Marion Evening Post, Marion Daily Republican, Texas and Oklahoma Death records, Johnson County Marriage records. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 3/28/2024)