Biography of T. Fred Brown - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 553 T. FRED BROWN is the manager of the Brown Coal Com- pany, with headquarters at Princeton, Mercer County, and his associate in the ownership of the business is his father, William A. Brown. Thomas Fred Brown was born near Oakvale, Mercer County, June 15, 1887, and is a son of William A. and Olivia (Broyles) Brown, both likewise natives of Mercer County. The latter died in 1901. William A. Brown, who was born August 10, 1863, has long been prominent and in- fluential in connection with business and civic affairs in his native county, and in earlier years was here actively en- gaged in farm enterprise. He served as county superin- tendent of roads and also as county sheriff, his political allegiance being given to the republican party. In addi- tion to being identified with the coal business he is a suc- cessful contractor in concrete work and in road and street construction. He is a member of the church organization formed by Pastor Russell, and in adopting this faith he gave up his affiliation with the Masonic and Elks fraterni- ties. T. Fred Brown supplemented the discipline of the public schools by attending the Concord State Normal School at Athens, and thereafter he was for ten years associated with his brother J. W. in the retail grocery business at Prince- ton. He then became associated with his father in the or- ganization of the Pioneer Coal Company, with coal yards on the east side of the Virginian Railroad, at Princeton. Later the father and son organized the present Brown Coal Company, which has well equipped yards and which controls a substantial wholesale and retail trade. Mr. Brown and his wife are members of the First Bap- tist Church. In 1908 Mr. Brown married Miss Bessie Curt- ner, daughter of Crockett Curtner, of Mercer County, and the two children of this union are Isabelle and T. Fred, Jr. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************