Elijah William Brown (1833-?) was a Davisville businessman and noted writer. A native of Missouri, he moved to the Putah Creek area while in his 20s to join several family members who were already living there. For a few years, he ran a ranch with his half-brother Gabriel before signing on as a bookkeeper with William Dresbach. In 1872, Brown started a hardware business which he ran until retiring in 1901. In the 1880s, Brown helped establish the Sinclair Windmill Company, which was instrumental in improving irrigation systems throughout the area. During his time in Davis, he was also a prolific writer. Under the pen name of J.O.N., he wrote the weekly "Davisville Doings" column for The Dixon Tribune and later for the Yolo County Democrat. He occasionally wrote for the The Davis Enterprise after it was established around the turn of the century. In addition to his newspaper work, Brown found a creative outlet in writing fantasy fiction. His published works include Bicycle Equipped as a Flying Machine and A Strange Voyage.
Brown's rural home was moved to Davis in the 1880s. It still stands at 417 G Street and is privately owned today. It is said to have an octagonal tank house.
