From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Candy Grubb (candyg@theofficenet.com)
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WILLIAM COMPTON BROWN
	William Compton Brown.  The subject of this sketch is a native of
Minnesota, in which state he always lived until coming to the Pacific
coast in 1897.  The city of Rochester, in Olmsted county, is the place of 
his birth, and the date thereof February 15, 1869, at which place his 
parents have resided many years, and he is their only surviving son.  His
father, who also bears the given name of William, is Canadian by birth,
of Scotch parentage.  Together with our subject's mother, he is spending
the autumn of life at their home in Rochester, Minnesota.
	Our subject grew up to early manhood in the city and county of his
birth and received his education entirely at the public schools thereof, 
with the exception of a short course in a local business college and part
of one year spent at school on Cleveland, Ohio.  At the age of eighteen he
began the study of law, and pursued his studies in various law offices in 
his native city in the next two ensuing years, devoting, however, the greater
portion of his time during the same period to newspaper reporting and 
corresponding, for which he had a natural liking, and at times was undecided
whether to fit himself for the profession of law or for that of journalism.
He finally made his choice for the former, entered the law college of the
University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and graduated therefrom in May, 1891.
Immediately upon receiving his degree from that institution and being 
admitted thereon to the bar of the state, he went to Stephen, in Marshall
county, Minnesota, and opened a law office at that place in June, 1891, and
practiced there during the subsequent six years.  Shortly after locating
at Stephen, he became associated in business at that place with Greeley E.
Carr, which law partnership, under the firm name of Brown & Carr, continued
until Mr. Brown departed from the state in 1897, and the firm enjoyed a 
large and lucrative law business in that section throughout the term of
its existence.  Our subject was elected county attorney of Marshall county
in 1892 and served two successive terms, which extended up to the end of
the year 1896.  In 1897 he came west on a pleasure trip, visiting extensively
throughout the southwestern states and territories and in Old Mexico, and 
traveled throughout the Pcific coast states.  His observations during this
tour induced him to decide to change his location and upon his return to 
Minnesota he discontinued his business relations there, but before settling
in a new field the great rush of 1897-98 to the Klondike came on and Mr.
Brown, becoming imbued with its spirit, went north with the tide of that
famous stampede, going in by the Skagaway route, and the year 1898 was 
spent in Dawson and the surrounding region and at other Yukon river points.
Fortune failed, however, to favor him in the far north, and at the close of
the year he decided to return to the states.  While at St. Michael's on the
way out he heard reports of new placer discoveries being made up the coast.
These in fact were the initial strikes around Cape Nome, but as the reports
were vague and indefinite, and, as unreliable rumors of new finds were rife
everywhere in that country, he took a steamer for Puget Sound without
realizing what he was passing by.  After returning from Alaska he first
spent a few months in Seattle with a view of establishing himself there, but
upon the passing of the bill by the state legislature creating the new
county of Ferry he decided to locate in Republic, which place had been made
the county seat of the new county of Ferry, and was then enjoying a great
boom and looked upon as having excellent prospects of speedily becoming
one of the greatest mining towns on the Pacific slope.  He opened a law
office in republic in March, 1899, and has been carrying on the practice
of his profession there at all times since.
	Our subject was married in April, 1901, at Spokane, Washington, to
Miss Sidney, only daughter of Andrew F. Burleigh, the well known lawyer
and politician, who a few years ago was a man of great influence in the 
affairs of this state, and was receiver of the Northern Pacific railway
during that road's financial difficulties in the middle 'nineties, and whi
is now practicing law in New York City.
	Mr. Brown cast his first vote in 1892, and prior to 1896 was an 
upholder of Democratic principles, but declined to follow that party upon 
the new alignment of issues brought about by the free silver campaign of
1896, and since that time has affiliated with the Republicans and has now 
for a number of years been prominent in the councils of that party.  In 1900
he was nominated by that party for the office of prosecuting attorney of 
Ferry county but was defeated at the polls, together with all the rest of 
the Republican county ticket, save one candidate alone, the county being 
at that time overwhelmingly Democratic.  In 1902 the same party again placed
him in nomination for the same position and he was elected to the office
by a good majority and is the present incumbent thereof.  His election in
1902 speaks very well for him as the county was still at the time strictly
Democratic.
	Mr. Brown is rated as a careful and upright lawyer of first-class
ability, and is a good and useful citizen, ever ready with his efforts
and his talents to assist and further any and all enterprises for the
public benefit and advancement.  He is a leading man in this section and
looked upon as a young person for whom the future holds bright prospects.
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