Individual Details
William B. "Bill" Brown
(February 12, 1903 - November 22, 1985)
FAG 5133024
"W. B. (Bill) Brown, age 82 of Gurdon, owner and operator of W. B. Brown Machinery Co. for 35 years before his retirement, died Friday. At the age of 17, Brown owned and operated his own sawmill near Gurdon. He worked as a superintendent in California shipyards during World War II and later served as a sawmill consultant in Flagstaff, Arizona and Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1960 he founded the W. B. Manufacturing Co. in Gurdon. He was a consultant in lumber companies nationally and internationally for 25 years and was well known for developing an adjustable motor base and drives which helped motorize lumber mills. Mr. Brown was a member of First Baptist Church of Gurdon. Funeral services were at 10:00 a. m. Monday at First Baptist Church with Rev. David Inzer, officiating. Burial was in Easley Cemetery by Murry Ruggles Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Al Brown, Harvey Brown, Howard Brown, Kenneth Brown, Roy Brown and Jerry Wright. Honorary Pallbearers were Judge Hugh Lookadoo, Judge B. W. Sanders, John Jackson, Austin Capps, Louis Cabe and Ronnie Echols." (THE GURDON TIMES, Gurdon, Clark County, Arkansas, November 28, 1985.)
Information of Bill Brown from: 1910 Clark County, Ark census, ED 46, sheet 96, age 8, born in Ark; Bible records of Agnes (Phelps) Hammonds.
(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: William Brown's social security records show a birth date of 12 February 1902, but his tombstone is engraved with 12 February 1903. As the 1910 census shows his age as age 8. As the census was taken in April and he was born in February, he was born in 1908. However, on the 1920 Clark County, Arkansas census, he is shown as 18, but the census was taken in January, so he would have been born in 1901. In 1930, he is shown as 27, with the census being taken in April. This would indicate he was born in 1903. I usually feel the earliest census is the most accurate, so I use the 1902 birth year.)
"W. B. (Bill) Brown, age 82 of Gurdon, owner and operator of W. B. Brown Machinery Co. for 35 years before his retirement, died Friday. At the age of 17, Brown owned and operated his own sawmill near Gurdon. He worked as a superintendent in California shipyards during World War II and later served as a sawmill consultant in Flagstaff, Arizona and Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1960 he founded the W. B. Manufacturing Co. in Gurdon. He was a consultant in lumber companies nationally and internationally for 25 years and was well known for developing an adjustable motor base and drives which helped motorize lumber mills. Mr. Brown was a member of First Baptist Church of Gurdon. Funeral services were at 10:00 a. m. Monday at First Baptist Church with Rev. David Inzer, officiating. Burial was in Easley Cemetery by Murry Ruggles Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Al Brown, Harvey Brown, Howard Brown, Kenneth Brown, Roy Brown and Jerry Wright. Honorary Pallbearers were Judge Hugh Lookadoo, Judge B. W. Sanders, John Jackson, Austin Capps, Louis Cabe and Ronnie Echols." (THE GURDON TIMES, Gurdon, Clark County, Arkansas, November 28, 1985.)
Information of Bill Brown from: 1910 Clark County, Ark census, ED 46, sheet 96, age 8, born in Ark; Bible records of Agnes (Phelps) Hammonds.
(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: William Brown's social security records show a birth date of 12 February 1902, but his tombstone is engraved with 12 February 1903. As the 1910 census shows his age as age 8. As the census was taken in April and he was born in February, he was born in 1908. However, on the 1920 Clark County, Arkansas census, he is shown as 18, but the census was taken in January, so he would have been born in 1901. In 1930, he is shown as 27, with the census being taken in April. This would indicate he was born in 1903. I usually feel the earliest census is the most accurate, so I use the 1902 birth year.)
Events
| Birth | February 12, 1903 | Gurdon, Clark County, Arkansas | |||
| Marriage | 1930 | Estelle McClure | |||
| Death | November 22, 1985 | Clark County, Arkansas | |||
| Burial | Easley Cemetery, Clark County, Arkansas |
Families
| Spouse | Estelle McClure (1913 - 1934) |
| Child | Infant Brown ( - ) |
| Father | John Virgil Brown Jr. (1843 - 1921) |
| Mother | Donnie Inez Newman (1862 - 1947) |
| Sibling | Jim Brown (1900 - 1918) |
| Sibling | Walter Mart Brown (1905 - 1938) |