Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/20

 BROWXELL.

BROWNING.

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tutor in the classics, and a year later professor of logic and belles lettres in the college. After this he spent a year in Great Britain and Ireland in the study of the natural sciences, and returned to teach chemistry at Union college, at first as lec- turer, and in 1814 as professor. About this time

he changed his reli- gious belief from the Calvinistic creed to that of the histor- ical episcopacy, and was ordained a deacon of the Protes- ta nt episco pal church. April 11.1816. Two years later he was elevated to the priesthood and ac- cepted the position of assistant minister in Trinity church, New York, and in June, 1819, he was elected to the episcopate of the diocese of Connecticut, which had been va- cant for six years. He was consecrated Oct. 27, 1819. He renewed the efforts to secure a charter for a college in the state, which should be free from Congregational control; and in 1823 the charter of Wasliington college (afterward Trinity) was granted with full academic prerogatives. It was located at Hartford, and scholastic work was begun in October, 1824, with nine students. Bishop Brownell had been chosen president, and with him was soon associated a full faculty, including men of no little ability. Two buildings of freestone were erected on a sightly campus southeast of the centre of the city. The number of under- graduates rapidly increased, partly on account of the provision made for practical work and for special courses, and one of the best Libraries in the country was soon within its walls. For seven years Bishop Brownell guided the plans and the actual work of the college. In 1831, at the re- quest of the convention of the diocese, he re- signed his position as president of Trinity college and was elected to the honorary office of chan- cellor. Before this date, however, the bishop had three times paid a visit to the Southern states in the interest of the advancement of the Episcopal church. For twenty years longer he administered the diocese alone, and in 1851 the Rev. Dr. John "Williams, president of Trinity college, was elected his assistant. Bishop Brow- nell. though suffering much from infirmity, otficiated from time to time as late as 1860. For twelve years he was presiding bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church on account of his seniority. During the closing years of his life,

on each commencement day, the procession on its way from the college buildings to the public hall stopped before his house to salute him, and all stood with uncovered heads while the band played " Auld Lang Syne." A colossal bronze statue of the bishop stands on the college campus. His published writings, besides a lecture on the theology of agriculture, are sermons, addresses, and cliarges. a Commentanj on the Prai/er-book, a Compilation on the Religion of the Heart and Life, and an edition of Holden's Commentary on the New Testament. He died at Hartford, Conn., Jan. 13, 1865.

BROWNELL, Walter A., educator, was born at Evans MiUs, N. Y., March 23, 1838. He acquired an academical education and was grad- uated from Genesee college. His first appoint- ment was as professor of Latin in Fulton seminary ; in 1865 he became principal of the Red Creek seminary; in 1868 principal of Fairfield seminary, and in 1871 principal of the Syracuse high school, which he held for a quarter of a century. In 1872 he was chosen professor of geology and chemistry in the high school. In 1881 he was elected professor of geology in the summer school for teachers. Martha's Vineyard, Mass. He be- came renowned as a lecturer and writer upon scientific subjects; was made a member of the American association for the advancement of science, and one of the original fellows of the Geological society of America. He received the degree of A.M. from Syracuse university, and that of Ph.D. from Hamilton college in 1875. During his vacations he made geological explora- tions in Europe.

BROWNING, Eliza Gordon, librarian, was born at Fortville, Ind., Sept. 23, 1856. After ob- taining a pubUc school education she taught music for two years, and in 1880 became an as- sistant at the Indianapolis public library. She was the librarian's first -assistant from 1883 to 1892, when she was chosen librarian. She be- came a member of the American library associa- tion, and on Dec. 28, 1893, was elected president of the Indiana association of librarians. She was chapter registrar of the Caroline Scott Harri- son chapter of the daughters of the American revolution.

BROWNING, Orville Hickman, statesman, was born in Harrison county, Ky., in 1810. He early in life removed to Bracken county, where he was educated. In 1830 he removed to Quincy, ni., where he was admitted to the bar in 1831. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. In 1836 he was elected to the state senate and served two terms, when he was elected to the lower house, serving for three j-ears. He was a dele- gate of the Bloomington convention, which or- ganized the Republican part}' of Illinois in 1856,