Hello, I do not have any direct connect with you that I am aware of but the names Brown and Ward hit a cord with me. My family of Brown's that settled near Springfield, Sangamon County are the Jacob J. Brown family. Their son Delos White Brown married Ruth Ann Morgan February 25th 1887 in Sangamon County. They were the parents of four children: James Thomas born abt 1826, Elizabeth 1826, Jacob Jones 26 May 1838 and Ward Brown. It's the last child who died in youth named Ward Brown that made me wonder if there is any connection. Let me know if you see a relationship of some kind. Thank you, Charlene Swan