Brown, William R., lawyer and member of Congress, was born at Buffalo, N. Y., July 16, 1840. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H., and at Union University, Schenectady, N. Y., graduating at the latter institution when 22 years of age. After leaving college he studied law and in 1864 was admitted to the bar. Soon after that he came to Kansas and located at Lawrence, where he took an active part in political life. In 1866 he removed to Emporia and entered into partnership with Judge R. M. Ruggles. He served as deputy clerk of the supreme court and was journal clerk of the lower house of the state legislature in 1866-67. At the close of the session Mr. Brown dissolved his partnership with Judge Ruggles and opened a law office at Cottonwood Falls, Chase county. The same year he was elected judge of the Ninth judicial district. Always a public-spirited man, with the welfare of the people at heart, he served as judge until March 1, 1875, when he resigned, having been elected to Congress the previous fall as a Republican. After serving one term in Congress, Mr. Brown became the senior member of the law firm of Brown & Zimmerman of Hutchinson.