The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-09

late years he had been content to vote for
his principles. relinquishing the active strife
to younger men.
A public service of the ante-beIlum period
was as secretary of the State Board of
Agriculture, to which office he was chosen
in 1856, and he prepared the reports of that
body in 1856 and 1857.
Mr.. Brown was perhaps best known by
reason of his work in connection with the
history of the city. In conjunction with
DR.. r. J. Calling Inventor of the famous
gum, Mr.. Brown was active in the or
ganization of the first Board of Trade of
Indianapolis mot the present board), Mr.
Brown preparing the maps and circulars
issued, advertising the advantages of the
young city. In 1878. at the solicitation of
committee of the City Council, he prepared
large pamphlet, with maps and statistics
This pamphlet, widely circulated by the
business men of the city. aided in produc-
ing the boom of 1874 and 1875.
In 1856 Mr.. Brown wrote the first history
of the city, 1T being published in Towards
city directory of 1857, with outline maps
showing the growth of the town from time
to time. Subsequently, when A. L. Logan
published the directory of 1863 he asked
Mr.. Brown to prepare more extended ar
ticle. The history prepared in response to
this request and published in the 1868 di-
rectOry, is a remarkably full, yet compact,
statement of the important events in the
life of the city from 1920 to 1867. Every
person who has since written upon this or
related subjects has acknowledged his in
debtedness to Mr. Brown, his hundred close
ly printed pages forming wonderful store
house of facts.
Mr.. Brown was of quiet nature and re-
firing disposition, great student and ON
nivorous reader. 1t is believed that he had
read more of the books in the Public Lii
brary than any other patron of that in
stitution.
Mr.. Brown was married on May S, 1857,
in Indianapolis, to Elizabeth, daughter Of
the Rev. Joseph and Rebecca Marsee. She
over. To them were born four children.
who are all still living and all residents of
the city-Hiram Brown. LINDSAY M. Brown.
Mrs. Francis A. Garvin and Mrs. Herbert
NJ. Atkinson.
Until his health began to fail. Mr.. Browns
chief outdoor recreation was fishing. He
was an expert fly caster. and was one of
the original members of the Indianapolis
Fly Fishermen's Club. He tied all his own
flies and made several rods, which were the
admiration of his friends. Mr.. Brown was
a scientific angler. He had flies for all con-
tiles" were the Lord Baltimore, the hackles
and the bucktail. brother fly fisherman,
who accompanied him on many trips after
the wary bass, said last night: MIR. Brown
was a genial companion. He was a store
house of knowledge fishing, scientific
and historical subjects. Fifteen years ago
his mind was a we'll of information He
was familiar with the history of the city
from its foundation and had many stories
to tell about its pioneers. All the streams
about the city had been whipped by him.
and there was not pool or ripple that had
not at some time yielded him bass and a
few minutes of exciting sport. Although
he had caught muskalonge. grayling and
trout in the waters of Michigan and else
where and had lUred five and six pound big
mouth bass from the little lakes of north
ern Indiana, he always maintained that a
two pound small-mouth White river bass
caught with fly and six-ounce rod. af-
forded more sport than any fish he had ever
landed"