William N. Brown Account Book 1889-1893

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The William N. Brown account book contains a listing of school expenses incurred while Brown was a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute, 1889-1893.

Biographical / historical:

William Nelson Brown was born near Gainesville, Virginia on August 21, 1873. His parents were William Henry Brown (born Alexandria, VA) and Mary Love Elliot (born Washington, DC). Brown entered the Virginia Military Institute in 1889 and graduated in 1893. He married Caroline Cator Taylor of Bradshaw, Indiana, on Ocotber 26, 1901. The couple had two children--William Taylor and Mary Venable.

Brown spent his entire career as a Civil Engineer, and became a leading national figure in the fields of surveying and mapping. He was one of the first in his profession to use aerial photography and he managed large mapping projects for both government agencies and private firms. One of his most significant assignments was the mapping of the Mississippi River in 1929 for use in a flood control project. Brown died in Washington, DC on January 12, 1959.

Acquisition information:
The collection was donated to the Virginia Military Institute by the Arlington (VA) Historical Society in 1976.
Physical description:
The collection consists of one item.