WILLIAM CHARLES BROWNING, dry goods merchant, born in New York city, Nov. 13, 1833, is a son of the late John Hazard Browning, merchant.

The young man was educated in his native city. He began business life as a boy in a broker's office, remaining there a little over one year, when he became associated with his father for seven years.

In 1858, he formed the firm of Hanford & Browning, succeeded in 1863 by Wm. C. Browning & Co., in which latter firm he associated himself with two brothers. In 1868, the partners established the firm of Browning, King & Co., to represent the manufacturing and retail interests of their clothing trade, their wholesale business being carried on in Chicago under the name of Henry W. King & Co.

At the present time, they are the largest manufacturers of clothing in the world. They have retail branches in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Kansas City, St. Paul, Omaha, New York (Harlem), Minneapolis, Brooklyn, Boston, Lincoln, Providence and Cleveland.

The firm made large contracts for army clothing during the war, and were pioneers in the method of bringing their material at manufacturer's prices directly to the consumer through their retail houses. Sound in judgment, able in enterprise, Mr. Browning ranks among the leading merchants of this generation.

He is a director of The Mercantile National Bank, vice-president of The Northern Railroad of New Jersey, and a large owner in The Cherokee Iron Co. of Cedartown, Ga.

In 1861, he married Adelaide a daughter of John D. Scott, and their children are John Scott, William Hull and Henry King Browning. He belongs to the Union League and Merchants' clubs and is a member of The New England Society.

America's Successful Men of Affairs: The city of New York published 1895 page 118-119

WILLIAM CHARLES BROWNING, dry goods merchant, born in New York city, Nov. 13, 1833, is a son of the late John Hazard Browning, merchant.

The young man was educated in his native city. He began business life as a boy in a broker's office, remaining there a little over one year, when he became associated with his father for seven years.

In 1858, he formed the firm of Hanford & Browning, succeeded in 1863 by Wm. C. Browning & Co., in which latter firm he associated himself with two brothers. In 1868, the partners established the firm of Browning, King & Co., to represent the manufacturing and retail interests of their clothing trade, their wholesale business being carried on in Chicago under the name of Henry W. King & Co.

At the present time, they are the largest manufacturers of clothing in the world. They have retail branches in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Kansas City, St. Paul, Omaha, New York (Harlem), Minneapolis, Brooklyn, Boston, Lincoln, Providence and Cleveland.

The firm made large contracts for army clothing during the war, and were pioneers in the method of bringing their material at manufacturer's prices directly to the consumer through their retail houses. Sound in judgment, able in enterprise, Mr. Browning ranks among the leading merchants of this generation.

He is a director of The Mercantile National Bank, vice-president of The Northern Railroad of New Jersey, and a large owner in The Cherokee Iron Co. of Cedartown, Ga.

In 1861, he married Adelaide a daughter of John D. Scott, and their children are John Scott, William Hull and Henry King Browning. He belongs to the Union League and Merchants' clubs and is a member of The New England Society.

America's Successful Men of Affairs: The city of New York published 1895 page 118-119