Richard Brown

As printed in 1905

RICHARD BROWN.

No family of Butler county is more prominently identified with its development, or more thoroughly a part of its history, than the Browns, of Ross township. The ancestors of the present generations of the family bearing the Brown name came to this part of the Buckeye state from Berkeley county, Virginia, about the same time as did the Andersons, Butterfields, Cones, Harveys, Sliaws, Willeys and Wades. They purchased vast tracts of bottom lands on the great Miami river, extending from Venice Well into Crosby township, Hamilton county, the land being purchased at the first sale of government land on the Miami river, in May, 1803. These pioneers, injured to the hardships and privations of frontier life* commenced the hard task of clearing the land, which at that time was covered with dense timber and which to render fit for cultivation required strenuous toil unappreciated at the present date. These early pioneers soon erected the typical log cabins of the period and in a short time their homes were rendered comfortable, and as time passed the families prospered and contented. The immediate subject of this sketch, Richard Brown, was born near Venice, Ross township, this county, November 11, 1838. He received a complete education as gauged by the facilities of that time and period, and by occupation is a civil engineer. During his active practice of this profession he attained considerable note because of the careful and painstaking methods followed by him and his public spirit and popularity soon made him a prominent figure in local affairs. A Democrat in politics, he early became identified with party matters and was for many years connected with the auditor's office, having held that responsible position for six years and having also acted for twelve years as an efficient deputy in that office. “In 1889 there was an interim of ten months in the auditor’s office made so by an act of the legislature. The commissioners tendered Mr. Brown the appointment, for the interim, provided he would depose the late Christian Rothenbush, who was his able, honest and efficient deputy. The offer was spurned with contempt, although it entailed a loss in salary to Mr. Brown of two thousand five hundred dollars. He gracefully retired from the office for ten months, after which he entered upon his second term with Christian Rothenbush as his chief deputy.” Upon retiring from this official position Mr. Brown went to his farm, which is located two and one-half miles south of Hamilton, and has ever since been living in retirement, enjoying the fruits of years of industry. Mr. Brown’s public career, characterized by ability, industry and close application to his duties, gained for him a host of warm personal friends and today he enjoys an enviable reputation as a scholarly gentleman and a useful and influential citizen. Mr. Brown takes a keen interest in the early pioneer history of Butler county, and is also a keen student in the field of achaeology. It has been said that “Honest Dick Brown was one of the best officials Butler county ever had in any capacity,” and he certainly well deserves representation in this volume.

As printed in Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.