West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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A few of the University ' s Distinguished Alumni. Hon. James F. Brown, Honorable Janies Frederick Brown, to whom this Monticola is dedica- ted, was born in Kanawha County, Virginia, in 1852. He is the oldest son of Judge James H. Brown, now one of the few persons living who partici- pated actively in the important events during the formation of the new state. Judge Brown was a zealous Whig prior to the war and was a mem- ber of the tirst Supreme Court of Appeals of the State of West Virginia. Mr. James F. Brown is a Graduate of the West Virginia University of the class of 1873, and among the alumni who have particularly distinguished themselves in their chosen tields of labor he is one of whom the institution may justly be proud. After completing his work at the University, he entered the law office of his father, with whom he subsequently formed a partnership in the prac- tice of law, having been admitted to the Bar in 1875. Upon the retirement of his father, the senior member of the firm, from active practice, he became the head of the law firm of Brown, Jackson Knight. Those familiar with the titles to real property in the southern portion of the state know of the chaotic conditions which have prevailed there in the past. Nothing has so retarded the development of that end of the state as the unceasing litigations of conflicting claimants to those lands. What was practically a wilderness in many of the counties south of the Kanawha river twenty-five years ago is now the scene of wonderful activity in the production of lumber, coal and coke, for which that region is so justly celebrated, and probably no lawyer now living has had so much to do as Mr. Brown, with the adjudication and settlement of these claims, thus, bringing into market this vast and valuable projaerty. In 1882, in the

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classes that have gone out. Your visit has made me feel young again, Joe, I ' m mighty glad you hunted me up. Joe looked at his watch and found with surprise that it was one o ' clock. Hours had slipped away while they were talking, without their l nowing it. He said good night and good bye and went to his hotel feeling that a fellow ' s college days bear a richer fruitage of memories as the j ' ears bear them further away. By Monongahela ' s waters. Where the hills rise rank on rank. West Virginia ' s seat of learning Crowns the river ' s shelving bank. '

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election for Representatives to tbe House of Delegates for Kanawha county Judge James H. Brown and James F. Brown, the former a Republican and the latter a Democi ' at were candidate . Many interesting stories are told of the active canvass of the county by these two gentlemen, both of the same law tirm, the same family, but strong adherents of opposite parties. As an evidence of the esteem in which they are both held in that county, of the four men chosen as delegates, they were both elected. It is needless to say that they served with much credit and usefulness to their county and state. While Mr. Brown has been a very earnest devotee of his chosen profession, having a very extensive practice in the courts throughout the southern counties of the state, in the Court of Appeals, and in the United States Court, he has always found time to pi ' omote the affairs of the state generally and especially to advance ihe development and growth of his Alma Mater, of which he has always been an ardent friend and patron. He -was appointed a member of the Board of Regents of the University by Governor Fleming in IsviO. Until that time no alumnus of the institution had been appointed as a Regent, although the propriety of so doing was very apparent, and bad been strongly urged by the friends of the Univer- versity. He was re-appointed by Governor MacCorkle in l ' 93, by Gov- ernor Atkinson in 1897, and again in l 9y, and is now the Regent oldest in service on the present Board. His familiarity with the history of the institution as student, citizen and member of the Legislature, as well as in his long service as a Regent, make him a liberal, wise and prudent coun- sellor in the management of the affairs of the University. It is the hope of alumni, faculty and students that in the comings and goings of Boards it will be long before the University will be deprived of the services of James F. Brown as a member of the Board of Regents.