History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed.
by William Henry Perrin,  O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882.  p. 647.
[Harrison County]   [Cynthiana City and Precinct]

PROF. JAMES A. BROWN, teacher; P. O. Cynthiana, was born near Millersburg,
Bourbon County, Ky., Dec. 9, 1843, and is the youngest of four children,
born to Abel and Elizabeth (Pollock) Brown; the former was born March 2,
1801; the latter March 24, 1825 and died Oct. 14, 1847.  Mr. Brown removed
with his family to Jacksonville, Ill., in 1851, and there successfully
pursued the avocation of farming for many years.  Being an advocate of
thorough education, he sent his sons to Illinois State College from which
James, (the subject), was graduated with honors, in the class of '65. Soon
after graduating he was elected Principal of the High School at Havana,
Ill., which position he satisfactorily filled for four years; having in the
meantime studied law, he was admitted to the bar, and practiced for one
year, but being elected Principal of the High School at White Hall, Ill.,
he gave up his practice and again entered upon his duties of teaching.  He
was married July 29, 1869, to Miss Lizzie Smith, only daughter of William
and Jane (Evans) Smith, of Millersburg, Ky. The former was born in Bourbon
County, April 2, 1810, and died March 2, 1858; the latter was born Feb. 18,
1810, in Maryland, and is still living.  The subject, on the day following
his marriage, was tendered the Presidency of Millersburg Female College,
then owned and controlled by the Kentucky Conference; he accepted the
position and remained in it until the Conference disposed of it to Judge
William Savage.  Professor Brown now removed with his family to Paris, Ky.,
and purchased the buildings, which he afterward chartered at the "Bourbon
Female College."  He and his wife opened this college the week after
purchasing it, with only eleven pupils, having assumed a debt of over
$5,000 at ten percent interest; but believing that success would crown
their efforts, they toiled on in their noble profession, until they built
up a school of over one hundred and twenty young ladies, and in three
years had paid off the debt.  He remained in that college seven years, or
until 1878, when he disposed of it to Prof. W. S. Jones, expecting to go
to Mexico, Mo., where he had been offered the position of Principal of
the High School.  BUt the citizens of Cynthiana, Ky., offered to advance
him $2,400 if he would come there and start a female college, a
proposition he accepted.  He purchased the beautiful place known as the
"Broadwell property," in August 1878, and in September following opened
what is known as the "Harrison Female College."  Professor Brown has
proven to be one of the most successful teachers in Kentucky.  He began
life with nothing but an education, and now has a fair competency for
his old age.  He and his accomplished wife enjoy the confidence of the
people of Kentucky, and are but fair samples of what can be done with an
education.  They have a son Willie A., born May 28, 1870, and a daughter,
Jennie Russell, born Feb. 27, 1876.  They have kept their mother, Mrs.
Smith, ever since their marriage, and within the last three years have
given a home to their father, Abel Brown, both of whom are now quite
stricken in years.

Brown Pollock Smith Evans Savage Jones
=
Bourbon-KY IL MD

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/harrison/brown.ja.txt