Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
ADRIAN S. BROWN, the efficient
and energetic auditor of Lincoln county, resides at Davenport. He
was born in Yamhill county, Oregon, March 24, 1868, and although a young
man has had an eventful, influential and stirring career. His father,
William H. Brown, a native of Ohio, crossed the plains in 1865 and located
at Portland, Oregon, where he remained two years, going thence to Yamhill
county. In 1881 he went to Dayton, Washington, and seven years later
to Pasco, where he was clerk and auditor of Franklin county nearly four
years. He was taken suddenly ill and died in the hospital at Walla
Walla in September, 1894. He was a prominent Democrat throughout
Oregon and Washington, and followed the business of contractor and builder
for many years, being highly respected and influential. During the
Civil War he enlisted twice and was drafted once, after having been rejected
four times owing to physical defects. While crossing the plains he
participated in a number of skirmishes with the Sioux and Cheyennes.
Although never an office seeker he was selected to fill a number of official
positions in Oregon, and these duties imposed upon him were invariably
creditably executed. The mother of our subject, Harriet C. (Davidson)
Brown, a native of Ohio, went with her parents to Iowa when she was ten
years of age. She witnessed the building of the first cabin on the
site of the present town of Marshalltown, Iowa. In 1862 she was united
in marriage to the father of our subject, and at present resides at Pasco,
Washington, where she has large landed interests.
Until he was thirteen
years of age our subject, Adrian S. Brown, was reared in Oregon, then went
to Dayton with his parents, where in 1888 he was graduated from the high
school. In 1888 he went to Pasco and entered the service of the Northern
Pacific Railway Company, rising to the position of chief clerk of the freight
office. During the strike of 1894 he severed his connection with
the company. While assisting his father in the office of auditor
of Franklin county, the latter died, and the same fall our subject was
elected to fill the vacancy, serving two years. At the expiration
of the term he was nominated for county treasurer on the citizens' ticket
and, although defeated, ran ahead of his ticket over one hundred votes.
Following a few months residence in Seattle he went to Sprague, Washington,
remaining until December, 1898, working in a flour mill and buying wheat.
He then came to Davenport where he accepted a position in the office of
the county auditor as first deputy and clerk of the board of county commissioners.
In 1902 Mr. Brown was elected auditor of Lincoln county. At the time
of the organization of the irrigation board of Franklin county he was elected
a member--the youngest, being at that period only twenty-three years of
age.
May 24, 1891, at Pasco,
Washington, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Berta B. Flanagan, a native
of Texas, and a niece of Webster Flanagan, eminent in the political history
of the Lone Star State, and a granddaughter of J. W. Flanagan, United States
senator during the reconstruction period of the southern states.
Her father, Robert B. Flanagan, was a native of Texas, his parents of Virginia,
and he was prominent and influential for many years in the political circles
of Texas. She has one brother, James W., a native of Texas, now residing
at Havana, Cuba. For two years he was traveling passenger agent for
a Mexican railway company and subsequently became involved in a number
of rebellions in Central America, and at one time served as a colonel in
the rebel army. At present he holds the responsible position of general
manager of Morgan & Company's steamship lines, with headquarters at
Havana. He was also World's Fair Commissioner, being appointed by
the president of Cuba.
To Mr. and Mrs. Brown
have been born three children, Robert A., Vivien H. and Bernardine.
Our subject is a member of the K. P., and post commander; the K. T. M.,
and past commander; the I. O. R. M., of which he is past sachem, and the
Loyal Americans, being ex-president. He has been a staunch Democrat
since his first vote, and in 1890 was secretary of the Democratic central
committee of Franklin county, and chairman in 1892; a member of the state
Democratic central committee during the campaign of 1892; and has also
served on many other important political committees. During the campaign
of 1900, in Lincoln county, Mr. Brown was secretary of the Democratic county
central committee.