Bio of BROWN, Edward O. (b.1852), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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EDWARD O. BROWN - Vol III, pg 321-222
Norway has given to America many substantial citizens and among them is Edward
O. Brown of Minneapolis, He was born on the 21st of February, 1852, in
Guldbransdalen, Norway. His father was a thrifty and progressive farmer and
believed in starting early to impart to his eight children a training that
should be a real help and benefit to them in their future career. Edward was
given the task of learning to sew bed coverings of sheep skin and he showed a
surprising aptitude with the needle. In a short time he was journeying from farm
to farm, making garments for the farmers and subsequently he entered a five-year
term of apprenticeship in Hamer. At the close of his service he determined to
come to America, glowing reports of the many oppor­tunities for business success
here having reached his ears, and he landed in New York in 1871. He proceeded
immediately to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he had relatives, and he secured work
there, making trousers for a merchant tailor by the name of John Schilling, at
seventy-five cents per pair. His ability and close application to his work
commanded the attention of Knute Hanson of Black River Falls and in the fall of
the same year Edward O. Brown went to work for Mr. Hanson, making trousers at
one dollar and fifty cents per pair. His skill in this line of work soon became
widely known and subsequently he took up coatmaking for Messrs. Jacob Smith and
John Horrigan of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. In 1875 he came to Minneapolis and
accepted a position with J. O. Breding, a merchant tailor of note, who was
located near the old St. James Hotel, and the following year he was employed by
George Gallagher. It is well to note that every time Mr. Brown made a change he
sought to improve his standing as a fine coatmaker; and to put the finishing
touches on his already wide and varied experience, he took a coatmaking position
with Charles Gluck, then supposed to be the finest tailor in the city. His work
won him widespread recognition and he received many offers of good positions. He
finally accepted a position with Rothschild & Company, then located in the Pence
Opera House building, and he remained with them until a strike took place. As
strike operations did not appeal to Mr. Brown, and as the Boston One Price
Clothing Store, then located in the Academy of Music, was about to open a
tailoring department, he accepted a position with them, first as a coatmaker and
then as a cutter. He was connected with the company for ten years without
absence or loss of time, except one half-day, putting in full time of real work,
from seven-thirty in the morning to six-thirty in the evening. Subsequently the
proprietor of the Clothing Store wished to retire and naturally he was desirous
of giving his most faithful employes the chance of acquiring the business. Here
was Mr. Brown's opportunity and he did not let it pass by. Owing to his close
application to his work, thrift, and the constant practice of economy, he was
able to buy the Merchant Tailoring department and opened his first store at
Second avenue and Wash­ington. He enjoyed such extensive business the first year
that he was compelled to move to larger quarters, and located in the Temple
Court building. An interesting coincidence of this move is that the Temple Court
building stood on exactly the same site as the former Academy of Music, in which
Mr. Brown some twelve years before was employed as a cutter. Mr. Brown has
always been a man of keen foresight and he had an abiding faith in the future of
Minneapolis and of the tailoring trade. Business of any kind was hardly above
Fifth street, but Mr. Brown leased ground on Sixth street and erected a
four-story building, which he now occupies with men's and women's tailoring and
manufacturing furrier. Aside from the tailoring business Mr. Brown has other
interests. In the early days of Minneapolis he and his brother
operated a refectory and they also acquired a large farm attractively located on
Long Lake, which Mr. Brown still owns and operates. He platted Oxborough Heath,
a growing suburb, and also a large tract now designated as Brown's Addition. He
has built something less than a hundred dwellings and has extensively and
profitably carried on gold mining operations in Alaska. A contemporary writer
has said of Mr. Brown: "It will be seen that E. O. Brown could well be construed
to indicate Energetic Operator Brown instead of Edward Ole, as Ed's dynamic and
reserve energy apparently is unlimited and inexhaustible. When one considers
that when Mr. Brown left his native Norway with but money sufficient for ship
passage and could speak only one language, his education being of the simple
rudimentary form, and then know, by his own industry, he has reached a high
position commercially and financially, one can see that the opportunities
presented by America were readily recognized and grasped by him." Mr. Brown's
tailoring company has a capital of one hundred thousand dollars.
On the 10th of June, 1876, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss
Anna Syverson, a daughter of Sam and Karen Syverson. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have two
children: Mrs. W. H. Kleinssorg of Los Angeles; and E. O. Brown, Jr., a young
man of winning personality, who is fast assuming the responsibility of the
"House of Brown" and is well fitted to take over the labors and multitudinous
tasks of his father.
Mr. Brown is a member of the Odin Club and the Elks Club and also of the Dovre
Society. He has a palatial home on Lowry Hill and his summer home is at Lake
Minnetonka. He has been an unfortunate target for automobilists. Some ten years
ago he was struck by an automobile recklessly driven and was injured so badly
that it was a question of his surviving the severe injuries. Hardly had he
recovered from that accident before both an automobile and a street car ran into
him and less than a year later he was sent to the hospital after a third
encounter with the modern juggernaut. He has survived all three attacks and is
firmly convinced that a Norwegian cannot be killed. Mr. Brown will discontinue
his active business life only when he begins to note the departure of
youthfulness and a loss of desire for vigorous work.