Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/476

BROWN.BROWN. although commerce was disturbed by the French revolution and the war of 1812. Mr. Brown did not so confine himself to business interests as to neglect the duties to neighborhood and country. He was active in pub- lic affairs, and for fourteen years was a member of the Rhode Island legislature, and a delegate to the presi- dential convention in Harrisburg, Pa., Dec. 4, 1839, where General Harrison was nomin- ated. He was associ- ated during his entire lifetime with the Bap- tist church, but %vas never a baptized mem- ber. He was gener- ous, almost without stint, to all worthy religious enterprises. The church where his fathers had worshipped received from his hand an organ, held in those days to be of great value. Within a half-dozen years of his graduation, he began his benefactions to the col- lege by the gift of a valuable law library. Not long after he established a professorship of rhet- oric and oratory by the gift of five thousand dol- lars. His continued interest and generosity induced the corporation of the college to change its name in 1804 to Brown university. Through- out his life he was its munificent patron. He built in 1822, at an expense of nearly $20,000, a sec- ond college building, and named it Hope college, in honor of his sister Hope, wife of Thomas P.

Ives; Manning hall, in honor of Dr. Manning, was erected by him in 1835, and he gave generously towards the erection of Rluxle Island hall and the residence for the pre.sident. It is estimated that at the very least he gave to the university in money and real estate $160,000. He was a trustee from 1791, its treasurer for twenty-nine years, and from 1825 a member of its board of fel- lows. The university did not limit his benefac- tions. He gave to the Newton theological insti- tute. Mass., to Waterville college. Me., and to numerous necessitous churches. He was active in founding the Providence athemvum, contrib- uting four thousand dollars to the library fund, six thousiind dollars toward the erection of tlie library building, and the land on which it stands. In his will he remembered the Northern Baptist educational society, and the American and foreign Bible societies, and gave §30,000 for a lunatic asylum in Providence. He died in Providence, R.I., Sept. 27, 1841.

BROWN, Obadiah, merchant, was born in Providence. R. I., July 15, 1770; son of Moses and Anna (Brown) Brown. In 1790 he engaged in the business of cotton manufacture at Pawtucket, R. I., the firm name being ALmy, Brown & Slater, and accimiulated a large property. He was a member of the society of Friends, and treasurer of the Rhode Island j^eace society. He married, in 1798, Dorcas, daughter of John and Elizabeth Hadwen, of Newport, R. I. He be- queathed the sum of one hundred thousand dol- lars and a valuable library of books, maps, etc., to the yearly meeting boarding school, of which his father was the founder, and during his life gave generously to charity. He died Oct. 15, 1822.

BROWN, Olympia. See Willis, Olympia Brown.

BROWN, Orvon Groff, educator, was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland county. Pa., July 1, 1863. His education was under the supervision of W. K. and M. McClellan Brown, presi- dent and vice-president, respectively, of Cin- cinnati Wesleyan college, in which institution he became professor of science at the early age of nineteen. In 1885, with the assist- ance of the citizens of Germantown, Ohio, he founded the Twin Valley college. The people contributed land, a building and some ten thou- sand dollars in money, and the college opened under most favorable conditions with Professor Brown as its president. He became president of Miami military institute in 1894.

BROWN, Robert, representative, was born in NortJianijiton county, Pa., in 1745. He was a blacksmith by trade and at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war he was appointed an officer in the Pennsylvania " flying camp." He was taken prisoner on Long Island and wiiile confined he was allowed to work at his trade and the wages thus earned he distribute<l among his fellow pris- oners. He was brigadier-general of the Pennsyl- vania militia; a state senator; a representative in the 4tli congress, 1795-'97, to fill a vacancy, and in the 5-13th congresses, 1797-1815. He died in Northampton county. Pa., Feb. 26, 1823.