John Martin Brown was born in Cassville, Georgia, March 1, 1853. Nancy Caroline Gipson was born in Titus County, March 9, 1854, a sister to Mary A. (Gipson) Meek (see James Kays Meek).  This couple married in Titus County in 1872. 

     Twelve children were born to this marriage; six sons and six daughters, of which among them were two sets of twins. 

    Viola Mae lived the longest of the family members, being past 90, died May 8, 1980, buried in Levelland. 

     The first child, Maude, lived only two days. 

     Nine year old Lucy and twelve year old Dora died of malaria fever. 

     Then it was decided to move west, hopefully to a healthier climate, productive soil and good pasture grass for the livestock.  Also a good place to hunt and fish.  They left in one to three wagons with nine children, the youngest of which was Charlie, only two years old, settling in Coleman County in 1897. 

     John Edward, the third child and the oldest son was then 20 years old.  He had already established his life time profession as a lawyer, having gotten his State of Texas Law License at age 18.  He was a member in good standing of the State bar for sixty-five years.  Through the years, he practiced in various towns in Texas. In 1943, he moved to Cisco, Texas.  Besides his private practice, he was City Attorney for the City of Cisco, being appointed to that office July 10, 1945, and served until September 1956.  He was the father of a daughter, Nell and a son, John Edward, Jr.  He died of heart problems, November 12, 1960, buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Cisco. 

     Charlie Culberson died with typhoid fever when he was nearly 16 years old. 

     William Decater (Bill) and James Buchanan (Buck), Martin Chester (Mart), Viola's twin, helped do the farming and cattle raising at the old homestead.  Bill and Mart moved to New Mexico.

     Later, Bill moved to northeastern Arkansas.  He had no children. He died of a heart attack December 19, 1955, buried in the Odd Fellow Cemetery at Pocahontas, Arkansas. 

     Mart, the father of three children, remained in New Mexico.  He became a large land owner.  He accidentally drowned in Lake Fort Sumner, July 22, 1958, buried at Hagerman, New Mexico. 

     Buck had two children.  He is buried at Jacksboro. 

     This completes mention of each of the sons, except my husband, Perry Thompson. (See Perry Thompson Brown).

      Mary Alice (Mollie), twin to Martha Frances (Mattie) died February 1, 1919, with the influenza during the epidemic of World War I.  She is buried in New Mexico. 

     Martha Frances (Mattie) married Robert Gulley, descendant of early Coleman County settlers.  They lived on a farm near Ballinger, had five children.  She died of cancer in 1951, buried in Ballinger. 

     Viola Mae (Ola) married Edgar Smith from Coleman County, had five children.  Viola (Ola) taught three terms of school in Coleman County during the years 1908-10, before she married Edgar.  They had two sons, Edgar Jr. and Oran, who was 6'6'' tall.  He served our country in World War II in the Army Air Corps, stationed in England and France; Edgar Jr. served in the army, stationed in Australia.  After the war, he married a lovely Australian young lady.  They lived in Melbourne.  Edgar became head of the Motor Mechanics in a technological college similar to Texas A & M.  Edgar died of cancer May 5, 1977, buried in Melbourne.