Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-22
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
SENATORS AND DELEGATES
TO THE
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
JUDaHR. 3. BROWN.

| Sometime before the Revolutionary
War. William Brown, the grandfather
] of the subject Of this sketch, lett his
| home i'm MARYLAND and settled In ives
tern Virginia, in what Is now Brooke
! county.
When the colonies took up arms
! against the mother country. Mr.
] Brown recrossed the mountains and en-
| tered the Continental army, serving
! there until the treaty III lIs3 At the
| cessation uf hO stiltics he returned To his
farm, which was that now owned 10y
| Abraham Wilson, back oi Beech Bot
tom Mr. Brown held several county
| offices, represented Brooke Tor several
| terms in the Legislature al Virginia,
and was the political friend Of jefferson
/ and Madison. lie warmly supported
| the war Of 1872, ia which three al his
| sons served Ills second SON, Mr.. Jo'
| -cph Brown, WAS born ia Brooke coun-
| ~ I'M 1870, and still resides there, hav
! ing attained the green old aye Oi eighty
| nine years.
Robert :. Brown, whose name heads
this biography, was born April Il, 1898,
| and spent his bnyhOOd in the neighbOr'
hood of his home. In 1919 ho entered
Bethany College, receiving the liberal
education that has prepared HIM Ion The
lii. al usefulness he has since led. lie
began the study ul the law IN 1878 at
Wrllsburg, and in April Of the next
wear was admitted 20 the bar, coming
into fine and lucrative practice. lie at
once removed tn Writ &. H., and onOct
-. 1919. ne married Miss Anna H., eldest
AA.lla late
at RavcusWOod, Ia which place JudSr
Brown removed in 1858, and where he
still resides.
Judge Brown is a man ni strong char
artcr. and a. born leader has spent Il
lite ui public service. soon after ms
settlement in Writ county lie was
elected Prosecuting Attorney, To- which
office hc succeeded himself Tor fourteen
wears, held the same position IN ROane
county inT twelve years, and m Jackson
for eight wears, filling the Office IN the
three counties at once. Prior Ia 1901,
~ his father and grandfather had been
before him, hc was Democrat AMI
voted Tor Breckenridge, though lac pre-
irrrcd Douglass for President, but IN
ISbl was Union candidate Tor a seat
in tho Constitutional Convention at
Richmond. There Was some trouble "r
confusion in the returns and Judge
Brown Was counted out, a circumstance
whyh.hr always has regarded rs alurlul.
tons one, a. hc remained at home and
took AN active part ia the formation ul
the new State cndcared To- him by the
memories and the lahurs at his au'cs-
tur~ Ia 1864, hc was a member ol the
Electoral COLLEGE that gave thc second
term Ia President Lincoln. Ina lo65, hc
Wa, a Republican candidate Tor state
senator, hut took such decided grounds
against Acknowledgement IN tai, state,
ami 80 denounced partisan registration
and prescription, that lac offended thc
strict party voter, and they elected
another Ia Man, ISIS, hc WAS Il
member ut the Chicago Convention and
assisted in drafting the platform upon
which Grant was nominated. lie can
,.,,~rd this State a, "A Grant aud CullaN
EIrctor, amt took the position that law.
ml money meant not only coin, bat
lrgul tender notes, ami that national
obligations must only Ice paid in the
former when special contract has been
made, and upon which view hc now
stands
At the commencement al the Nrar
lN6g. Judgr Brown took hls seat ~
Judge ui the Tenth Circuit, dud Ia lN'6,
uusuught 10y AMI unexpectedly to HIM,
hc received "a most complimentary vote
lur scat on the Supreme Bench
On the Sth oi last October, judge
Brown, as an independent Democrat,
hyr.mr senator ri the Filth District 10y
the handsome majority ui 200 taking
hjS stand uu thc currency question ~
stated above.
senator Robert :. Brown stands con
-pIruuuslv forward ia the body which
hc IL now a member. Ills character ami
ability mark him cut rs prominent
man. lie Is upon many OF the mpur-
taut committees, AMI hIs diritm n al
way, listened To- with interest. lie has
retired from active practice ul the law
and dryutps his time, when at home, to
hiS property interests. lie il the owner
ui the celebrated Well, farm, one al the
finest along the Ohio river Judge
Brown IT. alsu regarded with interest a.
the probable ncNtuCCupIutut the Gubcr-
material scat at West Virginia.