Captain James J. Brown, vice president of the park commissioners, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was born in County Kerry, near Killarney, Ireland, on the 15th of August, 1827, and has therefore attained the age of eighty years.

Although of foreign birth, the greater part of his life has been spent in America. He came to this country in 1838 with his parents who located in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he resided until 1849. In that year he became a resident of Chicago, Illinois, which at that time was a city of only five or six thousand population, and the most far-sighted could not have foreseen the immense development which was to make it the second city in the nation and one of the largest in the world. For three years he remained in Chicago employed as a salesman in a grocery store and also for Troop. Camp Hubbard, Indian agents there, selling large quantities of blankets, beads and other commodities to the Indians who still visited the city for supplies.

In 1852 Captain Brown began railroading in the engineer's department of the Illinois Central Railroad and was so employed for about two years. On the expiration of that period he came to Iowa, settling at Dubuque in 1854, making his residence in that city until 1861, when, at the outbreak of the Civil war, he offered his aid to the government. He had watched with interest the progress of events in the south and had noted the threatening attitude of the slave-holding states and had determined that if a blow was struck to over throw the Union he would strike one in its defense. Hardly had the smoke from Fort Sumter's guns cleared away when he entered the service. In fact, he enlisted as a private in Company I, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry on the 28th of March, 1861, and on the 18th of April this company was mustered into the United States service for three years. He continued at the front until mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, in November, 1865, having almost four years service to the country. He participated in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, after which he returned to Shiloh, where he was captured, being sent thence to Mobile, Alabama, where he was incarcerated for three months in a tobacco warehouse, after which he was exchanged. Later he was commissioned second lieutenant of Company 1, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and returned to Dubuque, but the regiment had been greatly decimated at Shiloh and Mr. Brown upon his return to Dubuque found that the Sixth Iowa Cavalry was being organized. He was therefore commissioned first lieutenant of Company M, of that command, with which he served until November, 1865. The Sixth Cavalry was sent to Dakota to guard against Indians and there Captain Brown remained until the war was over. Leaving the volunteer service in November, 1865, he entered the regular army and located at Fort Russell, Wyoming, where he remained for a year when he resigned.

When his soldier life was ended, Captain Brown began railroad contracting, continuing in the business for many years or until 1890, when he retired. At one time he was a member of the firm of Douglass, Brown & Company, large railroad contractors. In 1866 he became a resident of Council Bluffs where he has since made his home, and he is today one of the venerated and respected residents of the city, having a large circle of friends and the high regard of all who know him. He is now serving for the second term as park commissioner and his political allegiance is given to the democracy.

In 1867 Captain Brown was married in Council Bluffs to Miss Mary Ryan, and they have one daughter Nora. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church. His has been a somewhat eventful life in its varied experiences in the middle west and in the south and upon the frontier as a soldier, and he relates many interesting incidents of his military experience. He has made his home in Council Bluffs for over four decades and is therefore one of its old settlers, having witnessed most of its growth and development. He is a self-made man who through his own well directed efforts has met with success in business affairs, having acquired a comfortable competence.