The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-11
W. NJ. BROWN DEAD.
Pioneer in Ncwspapering and Useful
Citizen Passes Away.

Mr.. William NJ Brown. one of tho
oldest and most reSpeSted citizens o.
Raleigh, died late Thursday night a
the home of his son, Mr.. I'D ;. Brown
on West Jones street Mr. Brown WAS
at the time of his death 81 years o.
age and he had been sick for quite
time before he finally passed away
He Is urvived by his wife and nine
children. Messrs Ed s.. William NJ,
Jr., Charles and Bedford Brown, and
by his daughters. Mrs. Frank II. l-umS-
den Mrs. Joseph Hogan. Mrs. Nlihan'
Shaw, Mrs. Florence Kirkland and
Miss Annie Brown.
Mr.. Brown was a member OF the
Hiram Lodge of Masons and the Royal
ArCanum and was one of the charter
members Of the Raleigh Typographical
Union. For years he was engaged in
the thanklcs business of running {
daily newspaper in Raleigh. iii aSSo
citation for some time with W. NJ. II
lev as editor, and as such his integ
rity and honesty commended nm T.
the whole people and he has left hi
impress upon the town, the interest!
of which he had ever at heart.
The funeral will be held today al
Ii o'clock from the Edcnton Stree
Methodist church. of which Mr.. Brown
WAS for wears one of the most conSiS
tent and devoted members, and the
burial will be in lakewood cemetery.
The funeral services will be ATTENDED
by committees of the MasonS, the Ode
Fellows and the Typogra phical Union
in honor Of their deceased and honorcd
brother.
The writer had the fortune 10 be
closely associated with Mr.. Brown IN
the conduct Of the Evening Visitor
al q time when his once comparatively
comfortable circumstances had been
reduced by the lack Of capital to meet
the demands of progress lii newspaper
Ing and by keen and disastrous COM
petition. Mr.. Brown was n that time
en- old man. Faced with the necessity
in his old age OF meeting new condi-
tions and WaginS an unequal battle
against odds. he never for q moment
lost the sweetness OF his disposition
or the purity of his hopes and eudcav-
orS. tie was honest to a passion and
charitable to q fault. Standing at his
case, he worked with a persiStcEcy
that saw the one end of his duty and
did not go beyond He had that best
OF philosophy which knows how to
bear misfortune and disappointment
with d resignation that did not con-
template the cessation Of IN earnest
effort to make way against the storms.
There was absolutely no bitterness il
his soul; he was always frank and good
and kind. \ dcvout Christian, With
d simple faith that took itself and il
few but immut3blc teDctS to be in
fallibIe. he had tho capacity 10 respect
doubt and to pardon errOr-hoWcHer
much he might in private pray for the
wrong doer. He WAS one of those
brave and true and naive men whose
worth did not permit him narroWneSS.
All unhecdng. and with modeSty
that was the index of his value in the
world. he approXimatcd to Il notable
degree the teachings of the great ideal
which Was the rule and conduct of
his uraSaumng life.
w. NJ Brown did a greet work in
Raleigh. He ran Il paper so perSIs-
tcntIy that il lived for II generation
and created record In local journal
istic efforts by that fact alone. He
was not a writer: but he was q work
or. And he believed in the aims Of the
business in which he was engaged.
In one sense he was the pioneer in
successful newspaper life in ltaieiSh
worn with the fight. almost peiniles@
but still courageous he held on TIL.
an old man he sold out at the end
1T modest nrotit, paying his obliSa-
tionS to a farthing.
He was a good aud useful man,
whose life may teach 4 lesson.
Il. l.. c..