Thomas Pendleton Brown

As printed in 1910

THOMAS PENDLETON BROWN.

There is no positive rule for achieving success, and yet in the life of the successful man there are always lessons which might well be follow'ed. The man who gains prosperity is he who can see and utilize the opportunities that come in his path. The essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the surroundings of individuals differ but slightly, after all; and when one man passes another on the highway of life to reach the goal of prosperity before others who perhaps started out before him, it is because he has the power to use advantages which properly encompass the whole human race.

Such thoughts are prompted by a study of the life record of Thomas Pendleton Brown, of Wooster, one of the most skillful civil engineers in this section of the Buckeye state, and he has achieved his envied position in this calling solely through individual efforts, with many obstacles against him. but he has surmounted them, one hy one, and, while yet a young man, his labors have been crowned by success, and the future holds much of promise for him.

Mr. Brown is a native of Wooster, having been born here on January 19, 1876, and he has continued to make Wayne county his home. He is the son of John B. and Marilla (Koch) Brown, being the eldest of their children. The father, for many years a well-known citizen of Wooster, was at one time deputy sheriff, filling out the unexpired term of Ethan A. Brown, turning over the office, which he had very creditably filled, to his successor in 1889.

Thomas P. Brown was always an ambitious lad. but not having a very flattering prospect to gain an education in his boyhood days, he set out to educate himself and he has succeeded admirably well. He passed through the Wooster high school and the Bixler Business College, and, as already intimated, learned civil engineering by studying at nights. In his younger years he engaged successfully for a time in the real estate business.

When the Spanish-American war broke out Mr. Brown was one of the first to volunteer his services in eradicating the tyranny of Spain, and enlisted in Company D, Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in April, 1898. The company was well drilled and was sent to Cuba, where it remained from July 11th to the latter part of August, but, much to the disappointment of Mr. Brown and his comrades, they had no opportunity to see active service on the firing line. They were ordered home and were mustered out at Wooster on November 10, 1908, being honorably discharged.

Mr. Brown was married on December 8, 1899, to Irene Taggart, daughter of Calvin Taggart, a highly-respected family of Wooster, and this union has resulted in the birth of one child, Marilla Irene, born January 2, 1903.

Mr. Brown is an active and influential member of the Baptist church, and he belongs to the Buckeye Camp, United Spanish-American War Veterans. He was elected ditch supervisor of Wooster township, in 1909, and is giving eminent satisfaction in that capacity.

As printed in History of Wayne County, Ohio (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.