Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Brown, Ethan Allen

BROWN, Ethan Allen, jurist and statesman, b. in Darien, Conn., 4 July, 1776; d. in Indianapolis, Ind., 24 Feb., 1852. He was educated by an Irish scholar, and acquired a critical knowledge of languages. He read law in the office of Alexander Hamilton, was admitted to the bar in 1802, and removed to the west with his cousin, Capt. John Brown, in 1804. He settled at Cincinnati, and soon acquired an extensive practice. He was a judge of the supreme court of Ohio from 10 Feb., 1810, till 1818; governor of the state from that time until 1822. Resigning the governorship to accept a seat in the U.S. senate, he was a member of that body until 1825, acting with the democrats. From 1825 till 1830 he was canal commissioner for the state of Ohio. President Jackson appointed him minister to Brazil in 1830, and he served until 1834. He was commissioner of the land-office from 24 July, 1835, till 31 Oct., 1836, when he removed to Rising Sun, Ind. In 1842 he was a member of the Indiana state assembly.