Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-16
PIONEER LAWYER
OF IDAHO PASSES
Jonas Brown Succumbs to
Heart Attack at the Age
of 81 Years.

Uncle" Jonas Brown, one of Idaho'S
best known and beloved pioneers who
lived a noble, useful Christian life.
PASSED over the great divide late yes
terday afternoon, at the age of 81 years.
An attack of heart trouble which was
the third suffered this week, was the
cause of his demise. Mr.. Brown. who
was a prominent Mason of the state.
was in attendance at the grand lodge
session at Twin Falls and actively par
ticipated in the deliberations of that
body. He arrived home Friday morn
ing in good spirits md apparently none
the worse for slight attack of heart
trouble which he suffered while there.
After short rest at his home, he was
preparing to go to his office for the
day when he suffered q second attack.
A physician was called and he was adj
vised to be quiet ana consequently re-
manned at home. At $3.50 the third at
tack came, which proved fatal and he
died little later, apparently with no
suffering.
Mr.. Brown was a magnificent ex-
ample of hardy Industrious manhood.
Not only did he look after his own
business interests, but because of his
good judgment and activity was placed
upon important business committees in
both the Blue lodge and grand lodge
Of Masons and was the teacher of a
Sunday school class in the First Meth
odist church. His life was one of SER
vice-service to mankind, his state, his
country. his lodge and his church
During the last 10 years of his life his
work In the lodge and the church had
been more active as he gradually
dropped his law practice and had more
time to give TO the work for others
which he deemed more important
Crossing the plains with an oX-team
from Ohio 10 Shasta county, California,
In 1853 he spent his entire life from
early manhood. more than half cen
fury, In the golden west and his life
has been inseparably interviewer with
the history of three states-California
Washington and Idaho. When he first
went to California he worked for a
time as a carpenter and later engaged
in mining. In 1855 he was elected
county clerk of Siskiyou county, which
office he held two years. He was
afterwards deputy county clerk for two
years and next held the important po-
sition of deputy sheriff in those stir
ring days. He moved to Florence
Idaho, and held the offices OF clerk OF
the district court. clerk of the probate
court. deputy county auditor. recorder
and deputy treasurer of Idaho, all al
the same time. In 1868 he moved t
Idaho City, where for nearly 20 year.
he was successfully engaged in TIL,
practice of law, being associated with
Thomas Catalan, one of the pioneer
attorneys and with whom Mr.. Brown
had offices in the Soma building fo
the past five or six years. He moved
to Boise in 1882 and engaged in tn,
practice of law and was twice elected
probate judge of Ada county.
Mr.. Brown was one of the charte
members of the Masonic lodge of Idaho
was active in the order in the pionee
days of the Boise basin and was a pas
grand master of the grand lodge H
held all the important positions in TIN
Masonic lodge and was as faithful il
his attendance at lodge as he was q
church. Every Sunday found him oc
cupying an honored chair as one of tn
elders of the First Methodist church.
Mr.. Brown was married twice and i
survived by one son by his first wife
James Edgar Brown. a resident O
lPrather, Ind, who Is now 81 years O
age. The body is at the Fry & Sum
mers chapel and no funeral arrange
ments will be made until word is re
ceived from his son.