Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/428

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
400
BROWN
BROWN

1st and shortly afterward to the 4th artillery, when he was promoted first lieutenant. After ten years' service in this grade he was promoted captain. He was in the Black Hawk expedition in 1882, but saw no actual fighting. After four years in garrison he was ordered to Florida, in 1880, and took part in the arduous campaigns against the Seminole Indians. He was again in Florida in 1888-9, and later in 1889 was ordered to the northern frontier, to quell expected disturbances on the Canadian border. He was major of the artillery battalion, in the Army of Occupation in Mexico, and was present at many battles of the campaign. For gallantry on these occasions he received successive brevets, including that of colo- nel, 13 Sept., 1847, and was promoted to the full grade of major, 9 Jan., 1851. He was superin- tendent of recruiting in New York in 1851-'2, and was in Florida fighting the Seminoles in 1852-'3, and still again in 1854-'6. After an in- terval of garrison and recruiting duty he was placed in command of the artillery school for practice at Fort IMonroe, remaining there, with brief details on other duty, until the civil war began, in 1861. He commanded the regulars in the defences of Washington until 4 April, 1861, when he was ordered to Fort Pickens, in Pensacola harbor, Fla., and on 28 April was promoted lieutenant-colonel. He repelled the confederate attack of 9 Oct., and in turn bombarded their works, with partial suc- cess, 22-28 Nov., and again 1 Jan., 1862. For these services he was brevetted brigadier in the regular service, and promoted colonel, 5th artillery, 14 May, 1861 ; but he declined a command as brig- adier in the volunteers. He was in command of the forces in New York city during the formidable draft riots of 12-16 July, 1863, and was brevetted major-general, U. S. A., for distinguished services at that time. He was retired from active service 1 Aug., 1868, having been borne on the army regis- ter more than forty-five years, and having passed the legal limit of age for active duty.


BROWN, Henry Armitt, orator, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 1 Dec, 1844; d. there, 21 Aug., 1879. He received a careful preliminary training and was graduated at Yale in 1865. From the first he was a leader among his playmates and fellow-students in all that called for brilliant intellectual powers and natural histrionic talents. He studied in Columbia law school, and afterward in Philadel- phia, whei'e he was admitted to the bar in 1869. But before beginning to practise he spent several years in travel through Europe and the East. On returning to Philadelphia he was called upon to respond to a toast before a large assembly of the bench and bar of that city, and made such an im- pression that he was at once recognized as one of the most promising among the younger generation of lawyers. He took an active part in the presi- dential canvass of 1876, being among the most eflfective speakers on the repviblican side. He was a member of the " Cobden Club " of London, of the Union League in Philadelphia, and of many other prominent social and political associations. His principal orations are historical in character and were delivered on commemorative occasions, such as the one hundredth anniversary of the meet- ing of congress in Carpenter's hall, Philadelphia (1874) ; the two hundredth anniversary of the set- tlement of Burlington, N. J. (1877); the Valley Forge centennial (1878) ; and the centennial of the battle of Monmouth (1878). These addresses were carefully prepared " briefs," and are collected in a handsome memoiral volume, prepared bv Prof. J. M. Hoppin, of Yale college (Philadelphia," 1880),


BROWN, Henry B., painter, b. in Portland^ Me., in 1881 ; d. there in 1860. He learned the- trade of a house, sign, and banner pamter, but early had aspirations for work of a less mechanical description, and eventually devoted himself to landscape and nu^rine painting, with excellent suc- cess. His favorite sketching-ground was the North Atlantic sea-coast, including Nova Scotia and Grand Menan. He was especially successful in depicting coast scenery; and Paul Akers wrote, " in his wonderful rendering of the sea he stands among American artists unrivalled." " East High- lands," " On the Androscoggin," and " On the Coast of ^Alaine " are among the best of his works.


BROWN, Henry Billings, jurist, b. in Lee, Mass., 2 March, 1886. He was graduated at Yale in 1856, studied law, and after a few years' prac- tice was appointed assistant U. S. district attorney (1863-'8). In 1868 he was circuit judge for Wayne CO., Mich., and in 1875 became U. S. district judge, which office he held until 29 Dec, 1890, when he was appointed by President Harrison, and con- firmed by the senate, associate justice of the su- preme court of the United States. He has repeat- edly visited Europe and travelled there extensively. Judge Brown compiled a volume of "Admiraltv Reports" (New York, 1875).


BROWN, Henry Kirke, sculptor, b. in Ley- den, Mass., 24 Feb., 1814; d. in Newburg, N. Y., 10 July, 1886. At the age of seventeen he be- gan to study with Chester Harding, a portrait- painter of Bos- ton. The sum- mers from 1836 till 1889 were spent in survey- ing on the Illi- nois central rail- road, and the win- ters in Cincin- nati painting and modelling in clay. His first finished work in this line was an ideal fe- male head. After a winter in Boston he removed first to Troy and soon afterward to Al-

bany, N. Y., where

he devoted himself to sculpture, executing portrait busts of many gentlemen of Albany and the neighboring cities. Among these are the Rev. William B. Sprague, D. D., Erastus Corning, Dr. Eliphalet Nott, and Silas Dutcher. He also produced two ideal statues, "Hope," and a discobolus. Accompanied by his wife, he went to Italy in 1842 and remained there until 1846. During this period he executed "Ruth," a group representing a boy and a dog. now owned by the historical society of New York, a "Rebecca," and a "David," which was destroyed. On his return to the United States he opened a temporary studio in New York, brought over skilled workmen from Europe, and did some preliminary work in bronze casting, the first attempted in this country. In 1848 he went among the Indians and modelled many interesting subjects, some of which were reproduced in bronze. About this time he made the altar-piece for the church of the Annunciation in New York, and modelled portrait busts of William Cullen Bryant and Dr. Willard Parker, both of whom were his warm personal friends. About 1850 he built a studio in Brooklyn, and for