The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15
SERVED AS ACTOR AND EDITOR
MIR. BROWN HAS ALSO HELD MANY
OFFICES WITH CREDIT.
His Education Largely Acquired in n
Newspaper Ofice-An Interest
ing Chat with Him.


celebrate the golden wedding anniversary.
Afternoon and evening Mr.. and Mrs. Brown
will be at home in the parlors of the hotel
glad to greet their friends. Mr.. Brown
was born in Rush county. Indiana. March
49, 1898, and came to Indianapolis with his
father in January. 1887. when the elder
Brown became secretary of state. Soon
after moving here the son became office
boy and printers devir' for the Indiana
Democrat, at the same time attending a
three months private school and a county
seminary which was situated on the site
of University Square.
Mr.. Brown has always said that his main
education was acquired in a printing Office.
After short time at college at Greencastle
he was called to Washington to accept
treasury clerkship under Mr.. Folks admin
istration. Mr.. Brown was then sixteen
years of age. Returning TO Indianapolis
after five years he purchased the Indian
apolis State Sentinel of the Chapmans. and
with the assistance of his father edited
and published the paper for five years.
Retiring from the newspaper business.
Mr.. Brown in 1855 was elected county
auditor on the Democratic ticket. On Dec.
IL 1851, he married Miss Margaret Eliza
Russell, daughter of the Nhig postmaster
of indianapolis. Nineteen years later he
was elected county clerk. Mr.. Brown is
the oldest Marion county officer now living.
While in the printing business he WIS
elected printer to publish the proceedings
of the constitutional convention held in
1851 and a little later was made state prin-
ter.
A VARIED CAREER.
In 1855, before becoming a county officer.
Mr.. Brown, in connection with John NJ.
Commons, of Indianapolis. leased the upper
part of the building now occupied by the
Stewart Drug Company at Meridian and
Maryland streets and opened the summer
season with full but not very strong dra-
matte company. They played a numbeN
of theatrical stars, Maggie Mitchell, Peter
Richings and daughter and John Drew,
father of the present performer OF that
name, being among the number. w. J.
Florence and wife were also leading at
fractions.
After leaving the auditors Office in 1858
Mr.. Brown became acting manager and
treasurer of the Metropolitan Theater, OF
which Valentine Butch. owner of the build
ing, and John Ellsler were managers. Mr..
Brown left the theater in May, 1861. and
took service as first assistant adjutant
general on the staff OF Governor Morton,
holding this position for six years. He was
then appointed by President Johnson COL
lector of internal revenue OF this district.
Retiring from that position in 1869. he on
Jan. l. 1870, became assistant cashier
the banking house OF Woollen. Webb &
Co. In 1873 he went into the fire insurance
business and remained in that occupation
until elected county clerk During the
years 1868 and lS64 Mr.. Brown was city and
military editor of the Indianapolis Journal.
He occupied this place for a year and
half, at the same time serving as first as
sistant adJutant general He
ceeded on the Journal stan by E. w. Hal
ford In 1876 Mr.. Brown was chosen q
member OF the national Democratic COM
mittee for Indiana. serving thirteeh years.
In 1877 he went TO Washington, accepting
an appointment chief OF division in
the Treasury Department under President
Cleveland. He remained there about two
years and a half. In addition to all these
varied occupations. official and otherwise,
Mr. Brown served for thirteen years as a
member OF the City Council and the same
number Of years as member OF the Board
/ of School Commissioners. He was also
deputy surveyor of customs with Mr.. Tan
the indianapolis Stove Company.
Mr. Browns oldest son, William ].
| Brown. is vice president Of the company.
/ and another son is general manager of a
/ large copper mining and smelling company
in Shasta county, California Mr.. and Mrs
Brown also claim as their daughter Mrs.
/ Annie Russell Sullivan, wife Of George R
Sullivan, Of the firm OF Tanner & Sullivan.
/ nd "a Cd
phan of nine years Of age until she was
married. She is the daughter OF Mrs.
Browns brother. James NJ. Russell. who
was at one time postmaster for short
period in this city. Mrs. Browns mother
was the daughter Of James Noble. who
was the first United States senator from
Indiana.
WAS A CLEVER ACTOR
Mr.. Brown during his younger days was
exceptionally clever as an amateur actor.
and was especially good at burlesquinS
feminine characters. He recalls one in
stance in which he borrowed a dress OF
Mrs. Maria Rhodius to wear during his i'm
rersonation OF the character OF -Aman-
thus" in the farce called Little Toddle-
Iins" on the bill Mr.. Brown was known
as Mrs b. II. Austin. John II. Holiday had
/ the character of ''Brownsmith' in the same
piece. On this occasion another farce was
given. II was called Turn Him Out"
one OF the characters being taken by H
/ G. Adams
During the stormy war days Mr.. Brown
was intimately associated with Governor
Morton. In giving an estimate OF Mr.. Nor
ton the other evening Mr.. Brown said:
Governor Morton. after he went 20 the
United States Senate. became one OF tho
most radical partisans In the West and
absolutely the strongest party man IN the
West he dealt heavy blows TO the Democ-
racy especially 20 those who had opposed
the war. But Governor OF Indiana he
was conservative IN the treatment. OF his
political opponents. lie was enc OF tho
ndest-hearted men that ever lived. but
was "A great stiokler for the law. The claim
that Governor Morton was the soldier
/ g.