The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-01
Death Results from Complication Of
Diseases After Illness of Five
Months Duration.
IDENTIFIED WITH CITY LIFE
DECEASED PROMINENT IN MANY
PHASES OF CITY's GROWTH.
He Had Been Postmaster, Collector of
Internal Revenue, Councilman
and Business Man-His Career.

Austin H. Brown died this morning at 2:10
O'Clock i'm his apartments at the Blacherne.
His death was the result of a complica-
tion of diseases from kidney and bladder
trouble. from which he had suffered for
several months. For a time ne showed
Improvement but lately his condition be-
came so serious that he became bedfast.
He leaves a widow, Mrs Margaret, r.
Brown, and two sons, Austin III. Brown. jr.,
general manager of the Trinity Copper
Company. of Kennett, Cal, and William j.
Brown. of this city. The latter was at the
bedside of his father when death occurred.
1t is not likely that Austin III. Brown, jr..
will attend the funeral, as he could hardly
arrive here in time. AS vet nothing def
mite has been decided upon regarding fu-
neral arrangements. but the burial will be
held in this city.
Few men have figured more prominently
in the varied activities OF city life than the
late Austin Raymond Brown. He was iden-
titled with a period of the city's growth
from the days of a small town to the be-
ginnngs of metropolitan life. With what
ever he was connected Mr. Brown was
known as a man of force and vriity, in
whom there vas little of the mediocre man.
High character. extreme ability, warm
sympathy, were attributes of his character
which were displayed at every turn of his
active career.
He was horn in Milroy. Rush county. this
State, March 49, 1923. and with his father,
the late William j. Brown, formerly rep
resentative in Congress from this district,
came to Indianapolis in January 1897 his
father at that time having been elected Sec
retary of state. The first work secured by
Mr.. Brown when he came to this city was
office boy for the Indiana Democrat.
He afforded private school for three
months, and afterward was a student at
the Marion County Seminary, then smituate
what is now University Square. Still
later he went to old Asbury College, now
De Pauw University, where the finishing
touches were given TO his education.
Under the administration of President
James X. Polk he secured a clerkship i'm
the Treasury Department when he was six
teen years old. He lived five years in Wash
ington, and then came back to indianapolis
the owner of the State Sentinel, which
he purchased from the Chapman Brothers.
With his father he edited and published the
State Sentinel. then the organ of the Demo-
cratic party. for five years.
MARRIED IN 1851.
Dec. II, 1851, he married Miss Margaret
Eliza Russell, daughter of Col. Alexander
Russell then postmaster of indianapolis
The wedding was a notable affair. 1t took
place at Colonel Russelrs home which
then stood on the lot now occupied by the
Ward Brothers Drug Company on South
Meridian street, which at that time was
considered the finest residence locality in
the city. Three hundred guests attended
the wedding. The constitutional conven-
tion and the Legislature were in session az
that time, and Mr.. Brown. because OF
his newspaper work and as state printer,
knew practically all the members of both
bodies, they We're invited to the wedding
almost en- masse. The wedding trip was
10 have been made to Cincinnati. but, be-
cause of insurmountable natural difficulties
the bride and groom were forced TO turn
back at Madison after the trip over the one
lonely railroad then running out of In
dianapolis. because the Ohio river was
frozen solid
After his retirement from the newspaper
business in 1855 Mr.. Brown was elected
auditor of Marion county. At that time
also he became interested in the theatrical
business. and. with John NJ Commons ne
leased the upper stories of building al
the northwest corner of Meridian and
Maryland streets, where a theater was
opened known for some years afterward as
the Athaneum. In that old theater ap-
peared many of the leading Thespians OF
the day, among whom may be mentioned
Mr.. and Mrs. w. j. Florence, John Drew
father of the present John Drew. Maggie
Mitchell, and others. OF these old days
when he had been a pioneer theatrical mag
nate Mr. Brown was accustomed to refer
frequently and To tell numerous interesting
stories. Subsequently he became acting
managdy and treasurer of the metropolitan
Theater. 1.-THE predecessor OF the present
Park Theater. He became interested in