A Compendium of Irish Biography/Brown, Andrew

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1482650A Compendium of Irish Biography — Brown, AndrewAlfred Webb


Brown, Andrew, a journalist, was born in the north of Ireland, about 1744. Educated at Trinity College, he went to America as an officer in the British army. He settled in Massachusetts, and fought on the American side at Lexington, Bunker's Hill, and elsewhere—was made Muster-Master-General in 1777, and afterwards Major. After the peace, he opened an academy for young ladies in Philadelphia, for which occupation, however, his irritable temper unfitted him. In 1788 he began to publish the Federal Gazette (changed in 1793 to the Philadelphia Gazette), the channel through which many of the friends of the federal constitution addressed the public. He was the first who regularly reported the debates in Congress. His death (on 4th February 1797) was caused by injuries received while fruitlessly endeavouring to save his wife and three children from the fire which destroyed his establishment eight days previously. His son Andrew until 1803 carried on the Gazette; but, taking the British side in politics, he became unpopular, and removed to England, where he died in 1847. [1]

Authorities
  1. Biographical Dictionary: Alexander Chalmers. 32 vols. London, 1812–'17.