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Thomas H. Brown (mayor)

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Thomas H. Brown
Portrait from the United States biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of eminent and self-made men; Wisconsin volume (1877)
25th & 28th Mayor of Milwaukee
In office
April 1888 – April 1890
Preceded byEmil Wallber
Succeeded byGeorge Wilbur Peck
In office
April 1880 – April 1882
Preceded byJohn Black
Succeeded byJohn M. Stowell
Personal details
Born(1839-04-03)April 3, 1839
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, U.S.
DiedJune 19, 1908(1908-06-19) (aged 69)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
  • Emilie J. Fowler
    (m. 1866; died 1868)
  • Alice Louisa Davis
    (m. 1872⁠–⁠1908)
Children
  • Fanny D. (Merkel)
  • (b. 1874; died 1949)
  • Edith Brown
Parent
EducationBeloit College
Signature

Thomas Hoyt Brown (April 3, 1839 – June 19, 1908) was an American businessman and Republican politician. He was the 25th and 28th mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was the first mayor of Milwaukee born in Milwaukee.

Background

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Thomas H. Brown was born in Milwaukee on April 3, 1839.[1] He died at his home in Milwaukee on June 19, 1908.[2]

Career

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Brown served as an alderman and President of the Milwaukee Common Council before serving as Mayor from 1880 to 1882.

In 1888, merchant and former alderman Herman Kroeger ran for Mayor of Milwaukee as a Union Labor candidate advocating public ownership of municipal improvements, the establishment of public baths and a law permitting the recall of city officials. He was taken so seriously that the Republicans and Democrats united to run Brown as a fusion candidate against him. He was nearly elected anyway, with 15,033 votes to 15,978 for Brown. Radical Socialist Labor candidate Colin Campbell, backed by Paul Grottkau (imprisoned editor of the Arbeiter Zeitung) garnered 964 votes, just enough to keep Kroeger from winning if they’d gone to him instead.[3]

Brown was a Republican.[4] He is interred in Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.[5]

References

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  1. ^ The Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Representative men of Chicago, Milwaukee and the World's Columbian Exposition. Chicago, New York: American Biographical Publishing Company. 1892. pp. 844–845. Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ "Former Mayor T. H. Brown Dead". Watertown Weekly Leader. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. June 26, 1908. p. 7. Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Wells, Robert W. This Is Milwaukee New York: Doubleday, 1970; p. 169
  4. ^ "Thomas Hoyt Brown". Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  5. ^ "Historical People". Forest Home Cemetery. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
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Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 1880 – April 1882
Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 1888 – April 1890
Succeeded by