Our Arklahoma Heritage: The Iowa farm boy who built a legacy of faith, education, and service in the Ozarks

John Elward Brown Sr.

From the muddy streets of Rogers, where a drumbeat from a Salvation Army band changed the course of his life, to the rolling hills of Siloam Springs where he planted the seeds of a university, John Elward Brown Sr. embodied the American story of self-made faith and relentless vision.

A self-educated evangelist, radio pioneer, prohibition crusader, and educator, Brown founded John Brown University (JBU) in 1919 with a simple yet revolutionary idea: provide “head, heart, and hand” education—intellectual, spiritual, and practical training to ambitious young people who could not otherwise afford college.

His life bridged rural poverty, fervent revivalism, and institutional legacy in Benton County.

John Elward Brown was born on April 2, 1879, near Center Point, Iowa, the fifth of nine children of John Franklin Brown, a Civil War veteran injured in service, and his wife, Julia. The family scraped by on a meager soldier’s pension.

Young John dropped out of school at age 11 to help support the household through menial jobs. At 17, he and an older brother headed to Rogers, seeking better opportunities. He worked in a lime kiln for a dollar a day as part of the so-called “Lime Kiln Gang.”

One rainy evening in 1897, the sound of a bass drum drew him from a cafe porch to a Salvation Army revival. There, he experienced a profound conversion and soon joined the organization as a staff worker. He helped establish an outpost in Siloam Springs before leaving in 1899 to become an independent professional evangelist.

Brown threw himself into evangelism with extraordinary energy. He preached at revivals across the Southwest, built a reputation as a compelling orator, and operated a publishing house to spread his messages.

Lacking formal schooling, he read history and literature voraciously late into the night to compensate. By 1910, he ranked among the leading evangelists in the region, spending significant time in Southern California and Texas cities like Fort Worth and Houston.

He also ventured into radio early, purchasing stations and using the medium to broadcast sermons. In 1935, he acquired KUOA and relocated it to Siloam Springs as the “voice of JBU.”

Brown was not shy about civic engagement. He led efforts for local prohibition in Benton County, successfully campaigning to keep the county “dry” even after World War II repeal attempts.

Brown’s own limited education fueled his dream. In 1902, he briefly served as president of Scarritt Collegiate Institute in Missouri, an experience that convinced him traditional higher education was too costly and impractical for many. In 1919, while based in California but maintaining a farm in Siloam Springs, he decided to act.

He converted his 300-acre property into the campus of Southwestern Collegiate Institute, opening in September 1919 with about 70 students. It emphasized vocational training alongside Bible study and academics, with students working in campus industries (machine shop, cannery, dairy) to offset costs.

The school evolved: renamed John E. Brown College, then John Brown University. Brown’s philosophy of “Head, Heart, and Hand” remains central. He served as its first president until 1948.

In 1900, Brown married Juanita Arrington. The couple bought the Siloam Springs farm and raised six children: five daughters and one son, John E. Brown Jr. (born 1921), who would later succeed him as president.

The family was deeply involved in the ministry and university life. Juanita supported the work alongside her husband. Brown balanced a demanding travel schedule with family roots in Arkansas.

In his later years, Brown continued preaching and radio work, splitting time between Arkansas and California. In early 1957, while at his San Diego home, he fell on the stairs, breaking his hip.

Complications from a blood clot led to his death on February 12, 1957, at age 77. He was buried in Siloam Springs, returning to the community where his greatest legacy took root. His wife Juanita survived him.

John Brown Sr.’s influence endures through JBU, which continues to educate thousands with its Christ-centered, holistic approach. The Brown family maintained leadership for decades: his son John Jr. (president 1948–1979) stabilized and expanded the institution, and grandson John III (president 1979–1993) further grew it before entering politics.

The university’s ties to northwest Arkansas business leaders like Sam Walton and its emphasis on service reflect Brown’s vision.

Brown’s story--from Iowa farm boy and dropout to founder of an enduring Christian university--illustrates the power of conversion, hard work, and a dream for accessible education. As he once said:

The future has for each of us greater privilege, greater opportunity, greater responsibility and greater challenge.” John Edward Broiwn Sr.

That challenge lives on in every JBU graduate who carries the “head, heart, and hand” ethos into the world