Fred H. Brown

Early life

Brown was born on April 12, 1879, to Dana and Nellie Brown in Ossipee, New Hampshire. Brown attended Dow Academy, and graduated in 1897. He played semi-professional baseball in Somersworth, New Hampshire, before he enrolled at Dartmouth College. He joined the Pi chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon and played college baseball for the Dartmouth Big Green team as a catcher.

Professional baseball career

Frank Selee of the Boston Beaneaters, who played in the National League of Major League Baseball, signed Brown before the 1901 season. Brown made his major league debut on May 4, 1901, as a right fielder. He played in seven games for the Beaneaters in 1901, before he was demoted to the Providence Grays of the Class A Eastern League. He played in two games for the Beaneaters in 1902, and spent the majority of the 1902 season with Providence. He played nine games for the Beaneaters over the course of those two seasons, seven in the outfield, batting .200 (4-for-20) and not making an error in 10 chances in the field.

In 1903, Brown coached the Dartmouth Big Green, and played for Providence and the Jersey City Skeeters, also of the Eastern League. He played for the Haverhill Hustlers of the Class B New England League in 1904, Brown suffered from pneumonia early in 1906, and was not at full strength even after he recovered. Haverhill released him during the season. Brown played baseball as a semi-professional in Somersworth in 1907.

Political career

During his baseball career, Brown attended the Boston University School of Law in 1904 and 1905, earning a law degree. and was elected mayor of Somersworth in March 1914. President Woodrow Wilson nominated Brown to be the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire in June 1914, and reappointed him in July 1918. Brown resigned in April 1922.

Governor of New Hampshire 1923-1925

Brown entered the 1922 election for Governor of New Hampshire. He faced two candidates in the Democratic Party primary election, and won. He defeated Republican Windsor H. Goodnow in the general election. As governor, he cut spending below the levels estimated by the New Hampshire Legislature and advocated for tax cuts. Brown was entered into nomination at the 1924 Democratic National Convention. He ran for reelection as governor in 1924, and he was renominated without opposition. He lost the general election to Republican John Gilbert Winant, while Republican Calvin Coolidge carried the state in the 1924 presidential election. After Winant took office in 1925, he nominated Brown for a six-year term on the New Hampshire Public Service Commission. He succeeded Thomas Worthen on the commission on June 1, 1925.

U. S. Senator from New Hampshire 1933-1939

In January 1932, Democrats from Strafford County began to recruit Brown to enter the 1932 election for the United States Senate. He ran, facing two candidates in the Democratic primary election, and won. Brown defeated Republican incumbent George H. Moses in the general election, with the assistance of Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide victory in the 1932 presidential election. In the Senate, Brown supported Roosevelt's New Deal, served on the joint committee that investigated the Tennessee Valley Authority, voted to confirm Hugo Black to the Supreme Court of the United States and chaired the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications. Brown was not opposed when he ran for renomination in the 1938 election, but he lost in the general election to Republican Charles W. Tobey.

Comptroller General of the United States

Roosevelt appointed Brown to a 15-year term as Comptroller General of the United States in March 1939, and his nomination was approved in April. As comptroller general, he supported the decision to use marble from Vermont in the construction of the Jefferson Memorial and ruled that states could not collect taxes from the federal government. He also approved an $11 million contract ($ in current dollar terms) for cement to use in the construction of the Shasta Dam.

Brown suffered a stroke in December 1939, and resigned as Comptroller General due to poor health in June 1940. The next month, Roosevelt nominated Brown to the United States Tariff Commission, and he was confirmed on August 1. He resigned the position in 1941.

Personal life

Brown married Edna McHarg, who worked as a secretary in the New Hampshire State House, in May 1925. They did not have children.

Brown died from cardiac arrest in his home in Somersworth on February 3, 1955.

References

References

1. Lamb, Bill. "Fred Brown".
2. (November 17, 1922). "Franconia". Groton Times.
3. Benedict, W.H.W.. (November 12, 1922). "Granite State Governor-Elect Sure of a Hit in Any Big Democratic Batting Rally". The Boston Globe.
4. (February 4, 1901). "Baseball Notes". Democrat and Chronicle.
5. (July 10, 1901). "Chat About Sports". The Portsmouth Herald.
6. (April 17, 1903). "On The Diamond". The Portsmouth Herald.
7. (May 17, 1906). "On The Diamond". The Portsmouth Herald.
8. (May 29, 1906). "On The Diamond". The Portsmouth Herald.
9. (June 6, 1906). "N.E. League Notes". Fall River Globe.
10. (June 14, 1907). "News For Sportslovers". The Portsmouth Herald.
11. (March 11, 1914). "Old Ball Player Is Elected Mayor". Norwich Bulletin.
12. (June 20, 1914). "United States Attorney". The Boston Globe.
13. (September 3, 1922). "Five Ask To Be Named For New Hampshire's Governor". The Boston Globe.
14. (September 7, 1922). "Goodnow Far Ahead: Nominated for Governor by New Hampshire Republicans". The New York Times.
15. (November 9, 1922). "Biggest Flop In N.H. Since 1856". The Portsmouth Herald.
16. (June 24, 1924). "New Hampshire Booms Governor Fred H. Brown". The Baltimore Sun.
17. (July 5, 1924). "Who's Who In The Day's News: Gov. Fred H. Brown". Palladium-Item.
18. (September 4, 1924). "Capt. Winant Wins in Charlestown". Springfield Reporter.
19. (November 5, 1924). "New Hampshire Goes Republican". The Boston Globe.
20. (March 13, 1925). "Ex-Gov. Brown Made Member of Board". The Portsmouth Herald.
21. (June 2, 1925). "Ex-Governor In New Office". The Portsmouth Herald.
22. (January 19, 1932). "Ex-Democratic Governor Boomed For U.S. Senate". The Journal.
23. (September 11, 1932). "Political Spotlight of Week Focused on State Primaries". The Times Dispatch.
24. (September 14, 1932). "Davidson is Defeated By Chas. W. Tobey". The Caledonian-Record.
25. (November 9, 1932). "Brown Tops Moses in New Hampshire". The Boston Globe.
26. (November 15, 1932). "Moses' Successor, Ball Player, Will Continue Game With Public". Intelligencer Journal.
27. Dery, J. Leo. (November 4, 1938). "Lack Of Republican Harmony Encourages Democrats In Close New Hampshire Fight". Telegraph-Forum.
28. Hennessy, M.E.. (April 11, 1938). "Brown, Bridges May Clash Due to T.V.A. Inquiry Report". The Boston Globe.
29. (February 16, 1935). "Brown Made Chairman Of Committee". The Portsmouth Herald.
30. (July 29, 1938). "No Opponent Seen For Sen. Brown". The North Adams Transcript.
31. (November 9, 1938). "Tobey Beat Brown In New Hampshire". The Barre Daily Times.
32. (March 30, 1939). "F.H. Brown Named New Controller". The Indianapolis News.
33. (April 7, 1939). "With New Hampshire In Washington". Groton Times.
34. (April 14, 1939). "With New Hampshire In Washington". Groton Times.
35. (May 6, 1939). "Comptroller General Fred H. Brown Will Not Override Commissions' Choice". The Barre Daily Times.
36. (May 13, 1939). "U.S. To Escape State Sale Tax". The San Francisco Examiner.
37. (June 9, 1939). "Shasta Cement Contract Okehed". Oroville Mercury Register.
38. (December 14, 1939). "U.S. Comptroller General Collapses". The Knoxville Journal.
39. (June 20, 1940). "U.S. Comptroller Resigns His Post". The Akron Beacon Journal.
40. (July 2, 1940). "Fred H. Brown Named To Tariff Commission". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
41. (August 1, 1940). "Warren Confirmed". Stevens Point Journal.