O. E. Brown Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 451-452

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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PROF. O. E. BROWN, county superintendent of schools of Davison county, 
South Dakota, is one of that county's all around prominent men. He is 
yet in the prime of vigorous manhood, intelligent and highly educated, 
and as such he commands the esteem and respect of a large circle of 
warm friends. 

The gentleman whose name introduces these brief paragraphs is a native 
of Madison county, Indiana, his natal day being March 14, 1862. His 
father, Lorenzo Brown, a farmer by occupation, was born in Pennsylvania 
and settled in Indiana about the year 1830. In 1865 he moved to 
Illinois, where he died in 1887. He was a son of Martin Brown, whose 
paternal parent also bore the name of Martin Brown. The family is of 
English descent. Our subject's mother bore the maiden name of Nancy 
Harlan. She was born in Hancock county, Indiana, and died in Illinois 
in 1895. Her father was of German descent. 

Professor Brown, the subject of our sketch, is the tenth in the order 
of birth of a family of eleven children, all but one of whom grew to 
maturity. He was three years of age when he moved with his parents to 
Illinois, and received his education in the public and high schools of 
the last named state. After completing his course of study in the high 
school, he began teaching school and followed that occupation during 
the winter months for about four years. In 1883 he migrated to Dakota 
and settled on a farm in section 33, township 101, range 62, Davison 
county, and divided his time between farming and teaching school for 
ten years. In 1896 the voting populace of the county saw fit to 
manifest their confidence in his integrity and superior ability as a 
leader in the cause of education by electing him to the office of 
superintendent of schools and he is still performing the duties of that 
office. He is a man of excellent capabilities, has a clear head, and is 
noted for guiding all enterprises that have been left to his management 
to success. By his gentlemanly and courteous manner he has made many 
friends in his position at the head of the public school system of the 
county, and commands the respect of all who know him. In politics he 
endorses the platform of the Populist party. 

February 20, 1888, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie 
Barnard, daughter of B. S. and Fanny (Daviz) Barnard, who were early 
settlers in Davison county, the date of their settlement being 1883. To 
this congenial union have been born two children, Bernice and Barnard. 
The family are members of the Christian church.