The Brown family lived near Yuton Station, in section 14 of Dry Grove Township. S.H. Brown was a farmer and stock raiser.  He was one of the early and prominent settlers of the county.  S. H. was born in Windsor Co., Vermont, August 12, 1815. 

He came to Illinois in 1836 and located in Tazewell County.  In 1840 he married Fidelia Munsell, and the couple had three children.  Brown married again in 1850 to Mary Henry, who was born in Ohio March 23, 1828. 

They had six children, one of whom (Fred) was still alive in 1879. S.H. Brown appears to have been active in Dry Grove Township government in the last third of the 19th century.  He held offices of Justice of the Peace twelve years and Assessor three years. (Adapted from page 1046-47 of The History of McLean County 1879). S. H. and his son Fred (born September 30, 1956) were farmers. 

At some point Fred S. Brown and his wife Ella moved to Bloomington from Dry Grove Township and took up residence at 1119 E. Grove St.  Fred and Ella had three children, Louis E., Grace E., and Carl S., and Dora, who died in 1925. Fred S. Brown died at his home on Grove St. on October 11, 1934.  He is buried in Park Hill Cemetery.

This collection contains correspondence, posters, property tax receipts, insurance forms, cash books, and legal papers associated with Fred S. Brown and his parents S. H. & Mary E. Brown.