G.C. BROWN IS BURIED

G.R. LAWYER, FATHER OF PRIEST, 2 NUNS

Atty. GEORGE C. BROWN, 87, a life-long resident of Western Michigan who practiced law in Grand Rapids for over 60 years, was buried from St. James church here Monday, with a Solemn Requiem Mass, offered by his son, the Very Rev LOUIS E. BROWN, C.Ss.R., pastor of St. Joseph's church, Lebanon, Ind.

Mr. Brown, who resided at 310 Sunset Ave., N.W., died in St. Mary's Hospital last Friday after an illness of over two months.

The son of JOHN P. and MARGARET (O'BRIEN) BROWN, he was born Oct. 22, 1871, in Muskegon. His early education was in the country schools of Ottawa County and Berlin (Marne) high school, after which he taught school while attending Northern Indiana University, where he received his A.B. in 1895. He studied law at the University of Michigan, obtaining his LL.B. in 1898. The same year he opened a law office in Grand Rapids, where he practiced law until retiring several years ago.

FATHER OF 11

Mr. Brown and MISS ANNA MARY SCHMIDT of Grand Rapids were married in June, 1901, in St. Mary's church. The couple, who have lived in St. James' parish all of their married life, have had eleven children, of whom eight are living. These are, besides FR. LOUIS BROWN, DR. CLEMENT R. BROWN of Clarksville, Md., MRS. THOMAS D. ANDERSON of Rockford, MRS. EDWARD R. DRAPER of Kensington, Md., MRS. FREDERICK CAMLING of Grand Rapids, SISTER MARY GEORGIA, R.S.M. and SISTER MARY CARMEN, R.S.M., both of Detroit, and PAUL G. BROWN of this city.

Mr. Brown was a charter member of Council No. 389, Knights of Columbus and also a member of the Holy Name Society of St. James' parish. At the time of his death, he was the oldest lawyer in Grand Rapids. Besides his widow and their eight children, he is survived by 19 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Assisting Fr. Brown at the Mass were Father FRANCIS J. TOBIN, C.Ss.R., a nephew, as Deacon, Father Schiller, assistant at St.James, Sub-Deacon, and Father John F. Porter, also an assistant of St. James, as Master of Ceremonies. The sermon was given by the Very Rev. John Britz, C.Ss.R., pastor of St. Alphonsus parish. Other priests attending were Msgr. Raymond H. Baker, Pastor of St. James' Church; Monsignor Thomas Bolger, Diocesan Superintendent of Schools, the Very Rev. John McCormick, C.Ss.R., Redemptorist Provincial, St. Louis Province, and the Rev. Fathers RAYMOND SCHMIDT, Francis Fagen, Thomas Landers, Henry Costello, Francis Frunner, and Thomas O'Connor, all Redemptorists.

~~Newspaper Source Currently Unknown

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DEATH TAKES LAWYER, 87

GEORGE C. BROWN PRACTICED 60 YEARS

GEORGE C. BROWN, 87, of 310 Sunset av., NW, a practicing lawyer here more than 60 years, died Friday morning at St. Mary's hospital after a two-and-one-half month illness.

A native of Muskegon, Mr. Brown was a graduate of the University of Michigan law school in 1898. He was a former member of the charter commission of the city of Grand Rapids and a charter member of the council No. 389, Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Holy Name society of St. James church.

He made a specialty in his later years of finding old heirs.

Surviving are his widow, ANNA MARY; three sons, DR. CLEMENT R. of Clarksville, Md., REV. LOUIS E., CSsR of Lebanon, Ind., and PAUL G. of Grand Rapids; five daughters, MRS. THOMAS D. ANDERSON of Rockford, MRS. EDWARD R. DRAPER of Kennsington, Ind., MRS. FREDERICK L. CAMLING of Grand Rapids, and SRS. MARY GEORGIA, RSM, and MARY CARMEN, RSM, both of Detroit.

The body is at the Alt mortuary.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Fri., Mar. 13, 1959, Pg. 1, Col. 1, Art. 2

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BROWN – Funeral Mass for GEORGE C. BROWN, of 310 Sunset Ave., NW, will be offered Monday morning at 9 o'clock in St. James' Church. Interment Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Mr. Brown reposes at the Alt Mortuary where the Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus, and friends will recite the Rosary Sunday evening at 8:30.

THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sun., Feb. 15, 1959, Pg. 16, Col. 3, Obit. 8

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NOTE: The only child of GEORGE CLEMENT BROWN & ANNA MARIA SCHMIDT that is not LINKED below is VIRGINIA ELIZABETH BROWN (1907-1995) who was married 3 March 1939, in Washington, D.C., to EDWARD R. DRAPER (1900-1977). I don't know where Virginia & Edward are buried.

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GEORGE C. BROWN
Democratic Candidate
FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE

Courts Should Not be Partisan nor Judges be in Politics

With due respect to our present Circuit judges here are a few reasons why a change on the Kent Circuit bench would benefit the county.

All three of our Circuit judges are confirmed politicians and repeatedly have been delegates to political conventions and served on political campaign committees. All of them have left the bench and openly campaigned for political friends.

Two of them were at each other’s throat a year ago to satisfy their ambitions to become a justice of the Supreme court. You remember the spectacle.

Judges cannot be politicians and fair judges at the same time.

NO JUDGE CAN DABBLE IN POLITICS TODAY AND DO EXACT JUSTICE BETWEEN MEN TOMORROW.

The assignment clerk of our Circuit court, chosen by our Circuit judges, spends much of his time in operating a political clearing house for his benefactors.

We recently witnessed an unbecoming attempt to “sneak” upon the ballot the forbidden direction to “vote for three” candidates for Circuit judge.

Equally unbecoming are their coercive requests this week to attorneys who practice before them for letter heads and lists of clients to whom their campaign committee may write letters of indorsement over the attorneys’ signatures. Attorneys who practice daily in Circuit court feel obligated to yield to such requests for fear of disfavor.

THERE IS A LIMIT TO EVERYTHING…EVEN POLITICS.

That is why GEORGE C. BROWN, the lone Democratic candidate, is needed on the Kent Circuit bench.

Vote for him Monday.

Fred C. Temple
Chairman Democratic County Committee

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sat., Mar. 31, 1917, Pg. 2, Cols. 5-6 (George C. Brown)

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BITTER FIGHT ENDS IN JUDGESHIP RACE

KENT JUDICIAL CAMPAIGN IS ONE OF MOST HOTLY CONTESTED IN YEARS.

What is considered to have been the most hotly contested judicial campaign in Kent county in years closed Saturday when the three Republican and one Democratic candidate for Circuit court judges rested on their oars and started waiting for the verdict of the voters. Judge William B. Brown, Judge Willis B. Perkins and Judge John S. McDonald, incumbents, are the Republican nominees. The Democrats have but one candidate, GEORGE C. BROWN. Three judges are to be elected.

Charges of hocus pocus and political strategy of a questionable nature have been flying thick and fast the last few days. The Republicans say the Democrats put one over when they induced the election commissioners to order the instruction “vote for three” left off the judicial ballot. They declare the voters will think only one judge is to be elected and that ballots not marked for all three G.O.P. candidates will benefit the enemy.

On the other hand the Democrats are charging that the Republican campaign managers are sending out letters written on the personal stationary of practicing attorneys, indorsing the Republican candidates. They see in this a most unethical and dangerous practice. These are only samples of the campaign methods charged by both sides against the other.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sat., Mar. 31, 1917, Pg. 2, Col. 3, Art. 1

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1920 U.S. CENSUS, GRAND RAPIDS (1st Ward), KENT CO., MI, 20 January 1920
Brown, George C. (Head), 47, b. MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. MI), Attorney - Law Office
Brown, Anna M. (Wife), 41, b. MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. MI)
Brown, Clenent R. (Son), 17, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Roberta L. (Daughter), 14, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Virginia E. (Daughter), 12, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Margaret K. (Daughter), 10, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Georgia C. (Daughter), 9, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Agatha A. (Daughter), 8, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Louis E. (Son), 7, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Brown, Paul G. (Son), 2, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Live at 310 Sunset Ave.

NOTE: Errors in census records are common, such as Anna's mother being born in "Michigan" or the misspelling of Clement's name.

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NOTE: There is a cemetery note that states that Sec. 3, Lot 65-W, Grave #2, belonging to George C. Brown, cannot be used.