William E. Brown, senior member of the Brown & Hedge Lumber Company, is a pioneer business man of Jackson county. He was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1856, and is a son of Michael and Catherine (Manning) Brown. The father was a farmer, and in 1871 came to Kansas with his family, locating on a farm in Brown county, about three miles east of Horton. William E. Brown attended the public schools of Pennsylvania until he was about fifteen years old, and after coming to Kansas attended normal school in Atchison county. In 1879 he went to Whiting, Kans., and engaged in partnership with Mr. Hedge, under the firm name of Hedge & Brown. They handled a full line of hardware and implements, and continued in business together until January, 1899. In the mean time, about 1890, Mr. Brown, while retaining his interest in the hardware business at Whiting, formed a partnership with C. D. Logan, and purchased the Shultis & Company lumber business at Holton. They conducted that business under the firm name of Logan & Brown, until 1903 when Hedge and Brown bought the interest of C. D. Logan, and Brown & Hedge have since operated that business. They also own two elevators at Whiting, and one at Straight Creek, Kans., which are operated under the firm name of Hedge, Brown & Company. Boyd Marshall is associated with Messrs. Brown and Hedge, in the grain and elevator business. Mr. Brown was united in marriage in 1886 to Miss Mattie Gilmore, of Lewistown, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born three children: Walter E., the present city attorney of Atchison, Kans., and associated with Hon. B. P. Waggener of that place; Bernice, who studied music and art at Kansas University, and Domestic Science at Kansas State Agricultural College, now resides at home, and Harold, a student in Holton High School. Mr. Brown is a Democrat, and has consistently supported the policies and principles of that party. He has frequently been a delegate to State and other conventions. The family are members of the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Brown is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.