A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 999-1000
Newell Brown, of Reno, Hendricks County, Ind., is one of the old soldiers of the Civil War, is a stationary engineer and a respected citizen, and was born in Putnam County, Ind., October 24, 1838, and is the son of Stephen and Anna (McGuire) Brown. The Browns were an old American family from North Carolina, and the grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Stephen Brown was a farmer and pioneer of Hendricks County, and of Putnam County, where he died, a member of the Methodist Church, an industrious and respected citizen, and in politics a Republican. He had four sons in the Civil War—Tillman, Elkana, George W. and Newel—in Indiana regiments, the two first in the Fifty-first Infantry. The remaining children of Mr. Brown are Harmon, Eliza A., Mary J., Lee, Elvira, Becka E. and Columbus.
Newel Brown, our subject, was brought up in Putnam County, Ind., received a common education at the pioneer schools and learned stationary engineering. He enlisted at Fillmore, Putnam County, in Company H, One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment Indiana Infantry, for six months or during the war. He served out his time and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Ind. His service was guard duty at Cumberland Gap and other points in Tennessee. He was sick with chronic diarrhea and by it disabled. He married in Putnam County, Ind., January 16, 1868, Ellen, daughter of P. and Mary J. (Pierson) Etchyson. Mr. Etchyson was form Putnam County, Ind. He lived to be only about twenty-three years of age, surviving his wife but one year. They left two children, Ellen and Paulina. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and he and wife both died of quick consumption, engendered from the climate of west Illinois, where he was engaged in clearing a farm. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brown settled in Putnam County, Ind., and then moved to Hendricks County and settled near Reno, and shortly after invested in the property where they now live. Mr. Brown is a member of the G.A.R., John A. Layton post, and in politics is a Republican. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Methodist Church. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born six children—Samuel O., Stephen, Dora J., Zola, Gerty A. and James E. Dora J. married Robert Gross, a farmer of Clay Township, and has two children: Samuel O., married Maggie Walters, is the father of one child and is a section hand on the Big 4 railroad; Zola married Franklin Estep, also a railroader. The remaining children are at home. Three of Mr. Brown's sisters also had husbands in the war, viz.: Wm. Allen, who married Mary J. Brown and was shot dead through the head at the battle of Antietam; John Lewis, who married Leona Brown, served through the war and was in many battles; Hiram Busby, who married Elvira Brown, served through the war, was wounded and died from the effects. This is a noble record for one family, of whom seven served to preserve the Union.