The committee appointed by the President of the Marquette County Bar Association presented the following memorial of the life of the late Honorable Charles RBrown:

"Judge Charles R Brown was born 4 Dec 1836 in Lorain Co, OH. His early education was received at an academy following which he studied at Baldwin University (now Baldwin Wallace) at Berea, OH. After this he taught school for two years. When he was nineteen years of age Judge Burke, a railroad attorney ofElyria and later of Cleveland, OH, took him into his office where he began histraining for his life career. He was admitted to the bar in OH in 1855.

In 1860 he moved to St Joseph, Berrien Co, MI, where he served as circuit court commissioner and prosecuting attorney.

In 1867 he was chosen to represent Berrien Co in the State Legislature. While in the Legislature Judge Brown became acquainted with Mr Marsh Giddings, of Kalamazoo, afterwards Governor of New Mexico, with whom he formed a partnership for the practice of law in Kalamazoo. JudgeBrown removed to Kalamazoo to be associated with Mr Giddings in the latter part of the year 1867. From 1870 to 1876 Judge Brown served continuously as presiding judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, comprising the counties of Kalamazoo,Allegan and Van Buren. During this period of service on the bench, Justice JohnW Stone, Judge H F Severens, former US Senator Julius C Burrows of MI and former US Senator Arthur Brown, of UT, were among the leading members of the bar ofthe circuit.

"Probably the most interesting cause ever tried at Kalamazoo was the celebrated Vanderpool murder case, before Judge Brown which commenced onthe 19th of October and ended on the 21st of November 1870. It was the most noted trial in the history of Western Michigan, and produced an immense amount ofexcitement during the twenty-seven days of its continuance.

George Vanderpool was arrested and tried at Manistee, (MI) in the spring of 1870, for the murder of Herbert Field. The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of his natural life. The murder of Field occurred on the5th of September, 1869.

The case was taken up on the 19th day of October and continued for a period of twenty-seven days, creating intense interest as itprogressed to the final close on the 21st of November. The jury was unable to agree, standing seven to five for conviction and the case was tried a third timeat Hastings, in Barry County, (MI) and the jury rendered a verdict of acquittal." (History of Kalamazoo Co, MI, 106-107)

While Judge of the Ninth JudicialCircuit, Judge Brown published two volumes of circuit court reports known as "Brown's Nisi Prius Reports" as well as school text books upon the Government ofthe states of MI, OH and IN, which were widely used at that time.

From 1876to 1881 Judge Brown resided in Port Huron, MI, where he practiced law with thelate B D Farrand, and where he promoted the construction and was secretary andattorney of the Port Huron and Northwestern Railway, from Port Huron to HarborBeach, now a part of the Pere Marquette system.

In 1881, Judge Brown came to the Upper Peninsula (of MI), residing and practicing law at St Ignace until the spring of 1889, when he removed to Marquette. He rounded out his long and distinguished legal career with twenty- four years as a member of the bar of Marquette County, during which time he resided for two years in Munising (MI).

As a practitioner, he took rank as one of the ablest men of the bar of the UpperPeninsula of MI, his practice extending into all the circuits of the Peninsula. It is the universal testimony of the bar that he possessed a splendid legal mind, and to and unusual degree the power of clear logical statement.

His success as a practitioner came from a combination of eloquence and sound logical judgement, for he was a clear and forceful speaker as well as a keen logical thinker.

Judge Brown was a man of impressive char

1. 2. George Perry BROWN  
2. 3. Emma Celinda BROWN  
3. 4. Charles Henry BROWN  
4. 5. William Arthur BROWN  

1. 6. Mable Delia BROWN  
2. 7. Clarence Barrett BROWN  
3. 8. Gladys Frances BROWN  

1. 9. William C BROWN