596327

[phelps.FTW]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #4246, Date of Import: Oct 24, 1998]

John Browner, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Browner, was born June 24, 1820 at County Wexford, Ireland, and died in Columbus, January 14, 1901. His father and mother were natives of County Wexford. His father was a cabinet maker and operated a furniture shop in Wexford, a town located on St. George's Channel. John attended a private school there. He later worked in his father's shop, and studied auditing.

In 1852, John Browner came to Ameria with his brother, William, and a sister. They all lived together in New York City, where John kept the books for two years for a dress-shirt laundry, and finished a course in accountancy at night school.

In 1854, He went to Amboy, Illinois, where he worked in the office of the North Western Railroad Company with Michael Egan, who was later a railroad executive.

In October, 1855, John and Frank Egan rode on horseback from Amboy, Illinois, into the new Nebraska Territory. They stopped enroute in the frontier town of Omaha to file on land. John remained in Omaha, where he worked for a few months with John Wolfel at the building trades of carpentry and masonry.

Early in March, 1856, he was one of the group of men who organized the Columbus Town Company at the old Douglas House in Omaha. He was one of the thirteen men of the Town Company who arrived by ox-team at a point not far from the confluence of the Loup and Platte Rivers toward evening, on May 29, 1856, to found the town of Columbus.

In October, 1856, he filed on a claim on Shell Creek, and hauled building material for a cabin to the site by ox-team. He lived at the Old Company House that year and was one of the little band of twelve who stayed in the colony during that first severe winter of 1856-57.

He worked as bookkeeper and buyer for the John Wolfel and J.P. Becker stores in Columbus, and also for their frontier store at North Platte. In 1857 he was an auditor for the government store at Genoa. Mr. Browner was an early secretary of the Columbus Town Company and was also the auditor for several early Columbus businesses.

In 1859, he participated in the Indian War in Nebraska, serving as a sergeant in the Coumbus Infantry with Michael Weager, captain, and William Gruman, first lieutenant. His commanding officers were Govenor Samuel M. Black, Commander-in-Chief, and John M. Thayer, Major General, in command of the expedition.

Mr Browner tells of the time when he went with the volunteer army. Some Pawnee Indians had got into trouble near Omaha, he did not just remember what they had done, but thought they had broken into a house. Anyway, it was the cause of a big scare, and they sent for Col Robinson and soldiers at Fort Kearney. They picked up volunteers on the road, many going from Columbus. The Indians were traced down, followed about a week and cornered near where Norfolk is now located. When the poor fellows saw the cannon and the special line of soldiers, they immediately threw up the white flag and turned over their two offending Indians, who were taken as prisoners to Omaha and after a few days, released. The soldiers however, were very glad to give up the skirmish, for they were almost entirely out of provisions and were anxious to get home. On the was back, at Genoa, they met J. E. North and Frank Becher, who were coming to them with provisions, and they lost no time in having a big feast.

During the years of 1865-1867 John Browner served as the fifth sheriff of the county. His official duties extended to the western boundary of the state, the counties west of Platte being unorganized. During his two year term he went as far west as North Platte. The worst care Mr. Browner had during his term as sheriff, was when a man by the name of Wilson shot a farmer, Mr. Gardner, in Butler County. Mr. Browner arrested Wilson and there being no jail or court house in which to place his prisoner, he watched over him all night in the Becker & Wolfel store where he was working. The next day he took him before H. J. Hudson, then Justice of the Peace, but during the trial, a company of citizens overpowered Sheriff Browner and his deputy, took Wilson from the room and lynched him, hanging him to a tree that now stands west of H. T. Spoerry's residence. This is believed to the only case of lynching in Platte County.

The story of this lynching appeared in the magazine "Frontier Times" in their April-May 1975 issue. The write-up mentions that Sheriff Browner looked enough like the recently assassinated President to be Abe's first cousin. The story going on to say that after hanging Wilson the men let him down, and tied the loose end of the rope to a wagon and started for the river with Wilson's dead body bouncing along behind it. When they reached the river they chopped a hole in the ice with axes, and stuffed Wilson's corpse, feet first, through the hole and into the icy water. The men then dispersed and some gathered at Bucher's Saloon. After several rounds of beer, one said, "Hey, what about the oney?" "What money?" "The money Wilson said he had in his pocket bo buy himself off with." Then absolute quiet reigned. Maybe they had shoved $1,700 down the Loup River in Wilson's pocket! A legend grew up around the tree where Wilson was hanged. Known as the "Bloody Cottonwood", it was a place people avoided as they would a haunted house.

Mr. Browner was interested in faring and stock raising. On January 1, 1861, he bought forty acres of land northeast of Columbus. On April 10, 1861, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres. In 1869 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of school land and increased his holdings to three hundred and sixty acres.

On February 6, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Margaret O'Connor Curry, whe widow of Captin Samuel B. Curry. After their marriage, they lived at 1903 6th Street until 1874, when Mr. Browner built a spacious house on his farm in Columbus Township, and moved his family there.

In 1860, John Browner was instrumental with others in the organization of St. John's Catholic Church, the first church in Columbus. The church was served by Rev. Father Fourmont, a French priest.

Mr. Browner was also one of the organizers and a charter member of the Coumbus Cemetery Associaton, organized in 1864. The associaton purchased eight acres at the east end of eleventh street, north of the Jacob Louis farm, and improved it for a cemetery.

John Browner died in Columbus on January 14, 1901.





[phelps.FTW]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #4246, Date of Import: Oct 25, 1998]

John Browner, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Browner, was born June 24, 1820 at County Wexford, Ireland, and died in Columbus, January 14, 1901. His father and mother were natives of County Wexford. His father was a cabinet maker and operated a furniture shop in Wexford, a town located on St. George's Channel. John attended a private school there. He later worked in his father's shop, and studied auditing.

In 1852, John Browner came to Ameria with his brother, William, and a sister. They all lived together in New York City, where John kept the books for two years for a dress-shirt laundry, and finished a course in accountancy at night school.

In 1854, He went to Amboy, Illinois, where he worked in the office of the North Western Railroad Company with Michael Egan, who was later a railroad executive.

In October, 1855, John and Frank Egan rode on horseback from Amboy, Illinois, into the new Nebraska Territory. They stopped enroute in the frontier town of Omaha to file on land. John remained in Omaha, where he worked for a few months with John Wolfel at the building trades of carpentry and masonry.

Early in March, 1856, he was one of the group of men who organized the Columbus Town Company at the old Douglas House in Omaha. He was one of the thirteen men of the Town Company who arrived by ox-team at a point not far from the confluence of the Loup and Platte Rivers toward evening, on May 29, 1856, to found the town of Columbus.

In October, 1856, he filed on a claim on Shell Creek, and hauled building material for a cabin to the site by ox-team. He lived at the Old Company House that year and was one of the little band of twelve who stayed in the colony during that first severe winter of 1856-57.

He worked as bookkeeper and buyer for the John Wolfel and J.P. Becker stores in Columbus, and also for their frontier store at North Platte. In 1857 he was an auditor for the government store at Genoa. Mr. Browner was an early secretary of the Columbus Town Company and was also the auditor for several early Columbus businesses.

In 1859, he participated in the Indian War in Nebraska, serving as a sergeant in the Coumbus Infantry with Michael Weager, captain, and William Gruman, first lieutenant. His commanding officers were Govenor Samuel M. Black, Commander-in-Chief, and John M. Thayer, Major General, in command of the expedition.

Mr Browner tells of the time when he went with the volunteer army. Some Pawnee Indians had got into trouble near Omaha, he did not just remember what they had done, but thought they had broken into a house. Anyway, it was the cause of a big scare, and they sent for Col Robinson and soldiers at Fort Kearney. They picked up volunteers on the road, many going from Columbus. The Indians were traced down, followed about a week and cornered near where Norfolk is now located. When the poor fellows saw the cannon and the special line of soldiers, they immediately threw up the white flag and turned over their two offending Indians, who were taken as prisoners to Omaha and after a few days, released. The soldiers however, were very glad to give up the skirmish, for they were almost entirely out of provisions and were anxious to get home. On the was back, at Genoa, they met J. E. North and Frank Becher, who were coming to them with provisions, and they lost no time in having a big feast.

During the years of 1865-1867 John Browner served as the fifth sheriff of the county. His official duties extended to the western boundary of the state, the counties west of Platte being unorganized. During his two year term he went as far west as North Platte. The worst care Mr. Browner had during his term as sheriff, was when a man by the name of Wilson shot a farmer, Mr. Gardner, in Butler County. Mr. Browner arrested Wilson and there being no jail or court house in which to place his prisoner, he watched over him all night in the Becker & Wolfel store where he was working. The next day he took him before H. J. Hudson, then Justice of the Peace, but during the trial, a company of citizens overpowered Sheriff Browner and his deputy, took Wilson from the room and lynched him, hanging him to a tree that now stands west of H. T. Spoerry's residence. This is believed to the only case of lynching in Platte County.

The story of this lynching appeared in the magazine "Frontier Times" in their April-May 1975 issue. The write-up mentions that Sheriff Browner looked enough like the recently assassinated President to be Abe's first cousin. The story going on to say that after hanging Wilson the men let him down, and tied the loose end of the rope to a wagon and started for the river with Wilson's dead body bouncing along behind it. When they reached the river they chopped a hole in the ice with axes, and stuffed Wilson's corpse, feet first, through the hole and into the icy water. The men then dispersed and some gathered at Bucher's Saloon. After several rounds of beer, one said, "Hey, what about the oney?" "What money?" "The money Wilson said he had in his pocket bo buy himself off with." Then absolute quiet reigned. Maybe they had shoved $1,700 down the Loup River in Wilson's pocket! A legend grew up around the tree where Wilson was hanged. Known as the "Bloody Cottonwood", it was a place people avoided as they would a haunted house.

Mr. Browner was interested in faring and stock raising. On January 1, 1861, he bought forty acres of land northeast of Columbus. On April 10, 1861, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres. In 1869 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of school land and increased his holdings to three hundred and sixty acres.

On February 6, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Margaret O'Connor Curry, whe widow of Captin Samuel B. Curry. After their marriage, they lived at 1903 6th Street until 1874, when Mr. Browner built a spacious house on his farm in Columbus Township, and moved his family there.

In 1860, John Browner was instrumental with others in the organization of St. John's Catholic Church, the first church in Columbus. The church was served by Rev. Father Fourmont, a French priest.

Mr. Browner was also one of the organizers and a charter member of the Coumbus Cemetery Associaton, organized in 1864. The associaton purchased eight acres at the east end of eleventh street, north of the Jacob Louis farm, and improved it for a cemetery.

John Browner died in Columbus on January 14, 1901.





[4246.ftw]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #4246, Date of Import: Dec 4, 1998]

John Browner, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Browner, was born June 24, 1820 at County Wexford, Ireland, and died in Columbus, January 14, 1901. His father and mother were natives of County Wexford. His father was a cabinet maker and operated a furniture shop in Wexford, a town located on St. George's Channel. John attended a private school there. He later worked in his father's shop, and studied auditing.

In 1852, John Browner came to Ameria with his brother, William, and a sister. They all lived together in New York City, where John kept the books for two years for a dress-shirt laundry, and finished a course in accountancy at night school.

In 1854, He went to Amboy, Illinois, where he worked in the office of the North Western Railroad Company with Michael Egan, who was later a railroad executive.

In October, 1855, John and Frank Egan rode on horseback from Amboy, Illinois, into the new Nebraska Territory. They stopped enroute in the frontier town of Omaha to file on land. John remained in Omaha, where he worked for a few months with John Wolfel at the building trades of carpentry and masonry.

Early in March, 1856, he was one of the group of men who organized the Columbus Town Company at the old Douglas House in Omaha. He was one of the thirteen men of the Town Company who arrived by ox-team at a point not far from the confluence of the Loup and Platte Rivers toward evening, on May 29, 1856, to found the town of Columbus.

In October, 1856, he filed on a claim on Shell Creek, and hauled building material for a cabin to the site by ox-team. He lived at the Old Company House that year and was one of the little band of twelve who stayed in the colony during that first severe winter of 1856-57.

He worked as bookkeeper and buyer for the John Wolfel and J.P. Becker stores in Columbus, and also for their frontier store at North Platte. In 1857 he was an auditor for the government store at Genoa. Mr. Browner was an early secretary of the Columbus Town Company and was also the auditor for several early Columbus businesses.

In 1859, he participated in the Indian War in Nebraska, serving as a sergeant in the Coumbus Infantry with Michael Weager, captain, and William Gruman, first lieutenant. His commanding officers were Govenor Samuel M. Black, Commander-in-Chief, and John M. Thayer, Major General, in command of the expedition.

Mr Browner tells of the time when he went with the volunteer army. Some Pawnee Indians had got into trouble near Omaha, he did not just remember what they had done, but thought they had broken into a house. Anyway, it was the cause of a big scare, and they sent for Col Robinson and soldiers at Fort Kearney. They picked up volunteers on the road, many going from Columbus. The Indians were traced down, followed about a week and cornered near where Norfolk is now located. When the poor fellows saw the cannon and the special line of soldiers, they immediately threw up the white flag and turned over their two offending Indians, who were taken as prisoners to Omaha and after a few days, released. The soldiers however, were very glad to give up the skirmish, for they were almost entirely out of provisions and were anxious to get home. On the was back, at Genoa, they met J. E. North and Frank Becher, who were coming to them with provisions, and they lost no time in having a big feast.

During the years of 1865-1867 John Browner served as the fifth sheriff of the county. His official duties extended to the western boundary of the state, the counties west of Platte being unorganized. During his two year term he went as far west as North Platte. The worst care Mr. Browner had during his term as sheriff, was when a man by the name of Wilson shot a farmer, Mr. Gardner, in Butler County. Mr. Browner arrested Wilson and there being no jail or court house in which to place his prisoner, he watched over him all night in the Becker & Wolfel store where he was working. The next day he took him before H. J. Hudson, then Justice of the Peace, but during the trial, a company of citizens overpowered Sheriff Browner and his deputy, took Wilson from the room and lynched him, hanging him to a tree that now stands west of H. T. Spoerry's residence. This is believed to the only case of lynching in Platte County.

The story of this lynching appeared in the magazine "Frontier Times" in their April-May 1975 issue. The write-up mentions that Sheriff Browner looked enough like the recently assassinated President to be Abe's first cousin. The story going on to say that after hanging Wilson the men let him down, and tied the loose end of the rope to a wagon and started for the river with Wilson's dead body bouncing along behind it. When they reached the river they chopped a hole in the ice with axes, and stuffed Wilson's corpse, feet first, through the hole and into the icy water. The men then dispersed and some gathered at Bucher's Saloon. After several rounds of beer, one said, "Hey, what about the oney?" "What money?" "The money Wilson said he had in his pocket bo buy himself off with." Then absolute quiet reigned. Maybe they had shoved $1,700 down the Loup River in Wilson's pocket! A legend grew up around the tree where Wilson was hanged. Known as the "Bloody Cottonwood", it was a place people avoided as they would a haunted house.

Mr. Browner was interested in faring and stock raising. On January 1, 1861, he bought forty acres of land northeast of Columbus. On April 10, 1861, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres. In 1869 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of school land and increased his holdings to three hundred and sixty acres.

On February 6, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Margaret O'Connor Curry, whe widow of Captin Samuel B. Curry. After their marriage, they lived at 1903 6th Street until 1874, when Mr. Browner built a spacious house on his farm in Columbus Township, and moved his family there.

In 1860, John Browner was instrumental with others in the organization of St. John's Catholic Church, the first church in Columbus. The church was served by Rev. Father Fourmont, a French priest.

Mr. Browner was also one of the organizers and a charter member of the Coumbus Cemetery Associaton, organized in 1864. The associaton purchased eight acres at the east end of eleventh street, north of the Jacob Louis farm, and improved it for a cemetery.

John Browner died in Columbus on January 14, 1901.