Theron G. Brown Biography


	This biography appears on pages 842-845 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JUDGE THERON G. BROWN. 

	Theron G. Brown is engaged in the real-estate, loan, insurance 
and abstract business at Belle Fourche, conducting his interests under 
the name of the Belle Fourche Realty Company. He is perhaps even more 
widely known as county judge of Butte county, serving for the fourth 
term upon the bench. He was born near Ithaca, in Tompkins county, New 
York, March 21, 1856, a son of Aaron and Elizabeth (Gibbs) Brown, who 
were natives of Lansing township, Tompkins county, the former born 
August 23, 1832, and the latter on the 30th of July, 1836. The father 
followed farming practically throughout his entire life, but in 1865 
removed to Rochester, Minnesota, where he engaged in merchandising for 
a number of years. Later, however, he resumed farming and continued to 
make his home in that locality until the death of his wife in 1912, 
after which he removed to Belle Fourche to live with his son. He is 
still the owner of property in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was a 
well known and highly respected citizen, holding various local offices 
there. 

	Theron G. Brown, the oldest of five children, was about nine 
years of age when his parents removed to Rochester, Minnesota, where he 
attended school until he had completed the work of the eighth grade. 
Later he became a student in the Phonographic Institute at Ithaca, New 
York. He remained with his parents until he attained his majority, and 
it was after this that he attended the shorthand school at Ithaca, in 
which he spent two and a half years. He then made his way to Sioux 
Falls, South Dakota, where he accepted the position of official 
stenographer for the eighth district under Judges Kidder and Palmer, 
acting in that capacity for eight years. During that time he was at the 
head of a shorthand school for five or six years and likewise acted as 
state agent for the Remington typewriter, being the pioneer agent in 
that field in South Dakota. He afterward spent one year in the Moody 
County Bank and then returned to Sioux Falls, where he conducted a 
shirt factory for two years. On leaving Sioux Falls in 1897 he removed 
to Howard, where he engaged in the real estate and insurance business 
for about a year. He then went to De Smet, where he conducted an 
abstract business for about four years, and while the family resided in 
De Smet he was employed as bookkeeper at Iroquois for a year. Later he 
was bookkeeper in the state auditor,s office under Richard Halliday, 
and when the latter retired from office Judge Brown removed to Belle 
Fourche in 1907, opened a set of abstract books and also established an 
insurance, loan and real-estate business, which he is now conducting 
under the name of the Belle Fourche Realty Company. He owns land and 
has handled much property for others, having secured a good clientage 
in these different branches of the business. 

	Judge Brown has been married twice. In Sioux Falls, in 1881, he 
wedded Miss Cora B. Chamberlain, who was born near Rochester, 
Minnesota, a daughter of Henry J. and Catherine Chamberlain, who were 
natives of New England. They removed to Minnesota, where the mother 
died, and the father now makes his home in Los Angeles, California. 
Mrs. Brown passed away in August, 1890, leaving three children: 
Florence H., who has charge of vital statistics in the office of Doan 
Robinson: Curtis C.. associated with his father in business; and Bessie 
E., who died in Sioux Falls at the age of seven years. In 1896 Mr. 
Brown wedded Miss Harriet O. Griswold, who was born in Beaver, 
Pennsylvania, December 22, 1854, a daughter of Lester and Fannie 
(Gates) Griswold, the former born October 28, 1817, and the latter 
April 5, 1820. They removed westward to Spring Valley, Minnesota, where 
the father engaged in merchandising, but both he and his wife are now 
deceased. To the second marriage of Judge Brown there have been born 
four children, of whom one died in infancy, the others being Huldah M., 
Harold G. and Wallace A. 

	The family attend the Congregational church, of which the parents 
are members, and Judge Brown also holds membership with the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. He has taken the degrees in various branches of 
that order, is the present secretary of the local lodge and was grand 
master of South Dakota in 1902. In politics he is a republican and is 
now serving for the fourth term as county judge. He filled the office 
of city auditor of Sioux Falls and was justice of the peace in Sanborn 
county, South Dakota. He acted as official stenographer at both of the 
constitutional conventions and the original state constitution is 
largely in his writing. He has proved himself a worthy and valued 
citizen during the years of his residence in South Dakota and has been 
actively connected with various important events which have shaped its 
history.