Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Brown, Thomas Lewis 1839 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2008, 3:58 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) PROF. THOMAS LEWIS BROWN. The gentleman whose name is given above is the oldest professor now connected with the State School for the Deaf. He is a remarkably well informed man one whose learning has a sparkle and effervescence that makes it most agreeable to the one with whom he is conversing. He and his cultured wife, who is a lady possessed of all the faculties and gifted with great fluency of speech, are the center of an admiring host of friends. Prof. Brown is keenly alive to the kernel of a good joke. His scholastic work is connected with the historical department of the Michigan School for the Deaf and in this institution he has made himself a high reputation as a man whose methods are unparalleled in his line. Prof. Brown was born in West Henniker, N. H., July 8, 1839. He is a son of Thomas and Mary (Smitt) Brown, both deaf mutes like himself. Our subject was reared in New Hampshire until 1851, and his home life was very beautiful. His only sister, now deceased, was endowed with speech and our subject attributes his affliction to the fact that when but a week or so old, a careless nurse let him fall upon the floor and to this his mother assigned the cause of his deafness. In 1851 our subject entered the school for the deaf at Hartford, Conn. While there he showed marked ability and was the foremost in his class and in 1857 graduated with high honors. Two years later Prof. Brown determined to follow Greeley's advice and came West. He obtained a position in the Michigan School for the Deaf and has been connected with that institution ever since, his professorship extending over a term of thirty-two years. Formerly our subject taught in all the English branches, but in 1890 was given the Chair of History exclusively, and now bends his whole attention to that interesting subject. In 1876, Prof. Brown was married to Miss Sarah Hoagland, who was born in Scipio, Cayuga County, N. Y. She was a graduate of Elmira Female College of New York and for nine years was in charge of the intellectual department of the blind school, which has since been removed to Lansing, Mich. She was well liked by everyone and at her death, which occurred January 18, 1885, was greatly mourned. Our subject was again married, August 7, 1888, to Miss Grace E. Judd, who was born in Devonshire, England, and is a daughter of John Judd, a farmer of the same locality, who brought the family to America in the fall of 1856, coming hither on the vessel, "Rose," which landed in Quebec. Thence he came to Flint, but the following year was accidentally killed by the fall of a tree. Mrs. Brown's mother was in her maidenhood a Miss Ann Crooke, born in Morchard Bishop, England. After her husband's decease, she reared a family of three children and now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Brown, being seventy-five years of age. Mrs. Brown is the second child in order of birth. She was educated in the union schools of Flint and later learned dressmaking and, had charge of that department at the mute school for some years. The second year after the location of the State Blind School at Lansing she became a teacher there, being in charge of the girls' fancy work department for several years. The subject of our sketch has a very pleasant home located at No. 800 Grand Traverse Street. He has besides other investments that bring him a comfortable income. Both he and his amiable wife are members of the Congregational Church and he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. It will not be out of place to here add a few interesting facts regarding the family to which our subject belongs. His father, Thomas Brown, was born in the village of Henniker, N. H., February 25, 1804. His father, Nahum Brown, was a deaf mute like himself, but never had opportunity for an education, being far advanced in life when the art of deaf-mute instruction was introduced into America. He married Miss Abiah Eastman, a hearing neighbor who was of much assistance to him, and just such a helpmate as a farmer needs. Thomas Brown, Sr., entered the American Asylum for the deaf and dumb at Hartford, Conn., May 22, 1822. His native town annually made an appropriation to assist him in paying his educational expenses until legislative action rendered it unnecessary by appropriating a sum to be expended "in educating such deaf mutes from this State (N. H.) as might desire an education." The town never had occasion to regret its outlay in helping Mr. Brown for he was thus enabled to become a thrifty, intelligent citizen and repaid the investment many times over. Mr. Brown was a fine looking man and the following description also suits his son, our subject: He was tall, rather slender though of powerful build. He had a fine large head with gray eyes, high forehead, slightly receding, brown hair and a full beard of a reddish color. He was a practical, deliberate, methodical and far-seeing man, slow in making up his mind and correspondingly firm after arriving at a conclusion. He took great interest and an active part in politics and often wrote speeches to be read at political gatherings. Of religion he made no public profession until late in life. He had a keen sense of humor and a peculiarly dry wit of his own. lie was always ready to do his share to forward any plan which promised to promote the welfare of his class. It was under his roof that the constitution of the New England Gallaudet Association of Deaf Mutes was framed by a committee of deaf mutes appointed for the purpose. At the second convention of the association held at Concord, in September, 1856, the Rev. William W. Turner, in a speech at the banquet, alluded to Mr. Brown as the Mute Cincinnatus of America, a title that clung to him ever thereafter. Me held official positions in several societies that left lasting monuments of their being. He died March 23, 1886, his mind being clear to the last. So ended the life of a man, who, while he waxed neither rich nor famous, made his way through the world creditably and left his mark therein, having done much for his deaf brethren. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/brown1048gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb