The beautiful Brown Mansion was home to W.P. and Nancy Brown.

It has been said that W.P and Nancy met at a dance in Independence, Kansas. When W.P. arrived at the dance and saw Nancy with another, he walked over, interrupted the dance, and danced with her himself. She marked off her dance card so she could dance with him the rest of the night. W.P. Brown was 6'3" and Nancy was 4'11" so it must have been a site to see them dancing together.

W.P. followed Nancy back to her hometown of Port Washington, Ohio where he courted her for one year and then asked her father for her hand in marraige. They were married in 1885 and were said to be very much in love.

W.P and Nancy returned to Independence, Kansas to begin their new life. They had one daughter Violet in 1885 who live to adulthood. They had four sons:

• Violet - Born 1887, DIed 1973 at the age of 88.
• Baby Boy Brown 1 - Died at birth
• Baby Boy Brown 2 - Died at birth
• William (Willie) - Born 1894, died 1898 at the age of 4 from pneumonia
• Donald - Born 1899, died 1911 at the age of 11 from complications of diabetis

The Mansion was complete in 1906. Violet was already 19 years of age and about to be married. Donald, was only 6 years old and was the only child to live in the Mansion.

It has been told that Mrs. Brown closed up Donald's room following his death. Only after 26 years, after Mrs. Brown had passed away, did Violet, who had moved home to care for her parents, was the room reopened.

Mrs. Brown passed away almost two months after Mr. Brown, some say from a broken heart.

Who might linger still at the Mansion?

• Mr. Brown, smoking a pipe
• Mrs. Brown, crying for her lost sons
• Violet, dancing in the ballroom
• Donald, humming a tune
• Charlie, the butler, sitting in his room, waiting to greet a visitor

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General Information ~ The Mansion ~ Meet the Family
Special Events ~ Weddings ~ Friends of the Mansion
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