On August 27, 1928, sad new spread throughout the State and Southland when Prof. F. A. Brown died. At the time of his death he was actively engaged in schoolwork, and lacked one year approaching his fiftieth year teaching and other forms of schoolwork. It was because of his large number of students scattered throughout the country that so many sad messages ere heard. Prof. Brown was born at what is now Jefferson City, Tennessee, in the shadow of Carson-Newman College, where he was educated. He also attended Judson College at Hendersonville, NC. His father taught mathematics at Carson-Newman. His mother was a frail woman, but exercised a great influence over her five children. Three of Prof. Browns brothers became preachers; one being the late Rev. A. E. Brown, Superintendent of Mountain Schools of Home Mission Board, one died soon after leaving the seminary. Prof. Brown made a profession of faith in Christ early in life under the preaching of Dr. W. A. Nelson and joined the Fist Baptist Church of Hendersonville, NC At the age of eighteen he started teaching school and taught almost continually up to the time of his death. October 19 1884, he was married to Miss Maggie Bowen of Hendersonville, NC the daughter of the late Rev. N. Bowen. Prof. Brown's long length of service length of service of fifty years teaching is perhaps equaled by few men in the country. He was a great teacher, not only because he was brilliant in intellect and ably endeavored in his academic training, but also because he had a great soul. One of his greatest pleasures in life was to help some boy or girl to a higher plane of living and usefulness in life. He endeavored to inspire every boy and girl I his school to be and do something better; then he worked had as seen below to make it possible for boys and girls to be educated. During his career as a teacher he was also county superintendent of education of Transylvania County, NC. When he resigned there he took up work in Henderson County, where he served as chairman of the county board of education. Prof. Brown and the Rev. A. I. Justice founded the Fruitland Institute. Prof. Brown rang the first bell and assigned the first lessons. After laboring under many difficulties this school was placed on firm basis an was then accepted by the Baptist Home Mission Board. Today Fruitland Institute is on of the best schools controlled by the Baptist Home Mission Board. From Fruitland Prof. Brown was sent by the Home Mission Board to take charge of the Belleview High School in Cherokee County, where he served as principal for several years. Under his leadership this school made great progress. From Belleview he was sent to take charge of the Sylva Collegiate Institute, Sylva, NC. Today, as a result of his labor this school is one of the outstanding high schools controlled by the Home Mission Board. While at Sylva Prof. Brown was chairman of the building committee that built the present Baptist church, of which he was a member at his death. Prof. Brown was really a great pioneer in establishing schools in the Western part of North Carolina. His record, it seems, was that he would establish a school at a certain place, and after spending a few years there would go to other new fields where there was need of schoolwork. After serving as principal of the Sylva Collegiate Institute three years he resigned to accept co-principal ship of the Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, NC, where he remained three years. Under the leadership of Prof. Brown and Prof. J. D. Huggins the Boiling Springs High School has become a Junior College and has a very promising outlook for the future, being one of the strongest Baptist schools in the state. After three years with the Boiling Springs School he decided to return to the State schoolwork. Since he had left the State schoolwork he had helped firmly to establish foundations for the three schools already mentioned. He remained in the State schoolwork up to the time of his death, except for the three years he had charge of Wautagua Academy in Tennessee. Two very striking incidents in Prof. Brown's life are noticeable. One was that he was educated in the two colleges that his father-in-law, the late Rev. N. Bowen founded. The other was the funeral services were held at the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church of which he had served as the chairman and treasurer of the building committee. Burial services were held at the Sylva Baptist Church, where he had also served as chairman of the building committee. Prof. Brown, at he time of his death was principal of Mt. Pleasant Grammar School. Prof. Brown was a great builder of churches, schools and character and high ideals in the lives of hundreds of his students. His labors and influence are still living and always will live in the lives of these students, who are in all walks of life. Signed, A Student.

Printed in the Biblical Recorder 15 months after his death in the Obituaries section Wednesday, May 22,1929 Page 15.