BROWNTON
Brownton came into being in 1878 with the advent of the railroad to the more westerly parts of the county. It received its name from Captain Alonzo Brown in honor of his brother Charles who died in the battle of Corinth, during the Civil War.
Though Capt.
Brown is considered the founder of Brownton, he was by no means the earliest
settler in the area. In October of 1857 at the age of 19, he was briefly
in New Auburn, Minnesota. Long enough however to name that settlement
after his birthplace, Auburn, New York. It was in the spring of 1856 that
the first settlers had arrived.