BROWN, JOHN EVANS (1827-95) was born at Lewistown, Pennsylvania, United States, where he was educated. In 1849 he crossed to California and spent some time at his profession of a surveyor. Finding the goldfields unattractive, he went to New South Wales, where he engaged in cattle and sheep dealing on a large scale, and was for some years consul for the United States. In 1864 he came to New Zealand and spent 20 years in Canterbury, taking a prominent part in the affairs of the province. He was a member of the Provincial Council for Rangiora (1866-72 and 1875), and was during that time a member of two executives (Knight's 1869; Hall's 1870-71). Brown represented Ashley in Parliament (1871-79) and St Albans (1881-84). He was the first chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Co. In the late eighties he returned to America, where he died on 9 Jul 1895. Brown married first (1857) a daughter of J. J. Peacock and sister of the Hon J. T. Peacock (q.v.) and, second, 1883, Mrs Martin (Wellington).

Canterbury P.C. Proc.; Cycl. N.Z., iii; Lyttelton Times, 11 July 1895.

Reference: Volume 1, page 67

🌳 Further sources