ROBERT F. BROWN.  In the history of the first county election in Jefferson county there was just one office for which there was only one candidate, either in the primary or the succeeding election. This was the office of clerk of the district court. When Robert F. Brown announced his candidacy for this position, it caused much satisfaction among the Democrats of the county. As a result he won the nomination without contest, and in the September election had no opponent on the Republican side, so that his election to the office may be called unanimous.
    Mr. Brown has been a resident of Ryan since the fall of 1905, having been in the employ of the firm of O. B. Garrison and Company up to the time of his election. Mr. Brown was born in Van Zandt county, Texas, September 4, 1865. His father, Abe Brown, settled in that county about 1845, and at Walton operated a tannery and later a farm. He was born in Tippah county, Mississippi, in 1830. His father, Gideon Brown(grandfather of the district clerk), was a Texas colonizer under the system adopted by that state during its history as a Republic, and as a reward for his services received a tract of land upon which he settled and passed the remaining years of his life. He had the following children: Mahala, who died in Van Zandt county, the wife of George Upton; Charlotte, wife of M. W. Ross, of St. Jo, Texas; Adaline, having been twice married; and Abe (the father). Abe Brown died in Van Zandt county in 1885. His wife was Susan McWilliams, daughter of Matson McWilliams, an early Texas settler. She died in 1880. The children of Abe Brown and wife were: James A., of San Angelo, Texas; Robert F.; Dr. T. F., of Maybank, Texas; Abe, who died in Greer county, Oklahoma, in 1907; Rufus, of Henderson county, Texas; Samuel P., of Walton, Texas; and Gideon, of Maybank, Texas.
      Robert F. Brown passed the early years of his life around his father's tanyard and farm, and acquired a fair common school education in the schools of Walton and later at Wills Point Academy. His education, so far as it went, was thorough, and he made practical use of it by becoming a teacher when sixteen years old. He made this his vocation for ten years. Then for nine years he was employed in a store at Athens, Texas, and on coming to Indian Territory in the fall of 1900, he was engaged in farming for some time at Fleetwood. As stated, he came to Ryan in 1905. Mr. Brown was married in Henderson county, Texas, December 25, 1890, to Miss Etta Pruett, daughter of M. F. Pruett, (an Alabaman), andNannie (Lawrence) Pruett. Besides Mrs. Brown, her parents had the following children: Annie, wife of W. T. Moody, of Cement, Oklahoma; M. F., of Granite, Oklahoma; Mollie, wife of J. H. Roberts, of San Angelo, Texas; William A.,of Fleetwood, Oklahoma; Ida, wife of Horace Langford, of Fleetwood; and John, of Fleetwood. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have two children, Addie May and Robert Neal. Mrs. Brown died on the 29th day of May, 1905.