William B. Brown, attorney at law of Grand Rapids, was born in Cascade township, Kent county, Mich., July 1, 1865, a son of Hugh B. and Harriet (Lewis) Brown, the former of whom is a native of Scotland and the latter of London, England, but whose marriage took place in Kent county, Mich. William B. Brown attended a district school until he was sixteen years of age, and then took a six-months’ course at Northern Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso. In 1882 he began teaching in his home district, although but seventeen years old, and in 1884 returned to Valparaiso, Ind., for six months, after which he resumed teaching in Kent county, and followed the vocation until the spring of 1889, when he entered Olivet college, took a scientific course, and graduated in 1892 as advanced junior, closing up the senior class studies from 1892 to 1893. For a short time he traveled for the Franklin Educational company of Chicago, and then came to Grand Rapids, entered the law office of Alfred Wolcott, who was then prosecuting attorney for the county, studied assiduously, and was admitted to the bar May 8, 1895. He remained in Mr. Wolcott’s office until the expiration of the latter’s second term as prosecuting attorney, in January, 1897. In the fall of 1896, Mr. Brown was elected circuit court commissioner, taking his seat in January, 1897, giving such general satisfaction in the discharge of his duties that he was re-elected in the fall of 1898. October 30, 1895, William B. Brown married Miss Mattie Patterson, a native of Kent county, Mich., a daughter of Frank and Laura (Stow) Patterson, and this felicitous union has been blessed with one child-William Kenneth, born May 22, 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Brown attend the Christian church, of which Mrs. Brown is a member, and in politics Mr. Brown is a republican. Fraternally, Mr. Brown is a member of R. C. Hathaway lodge, No. 387, F. & A. M.; Columbian chapter, No. 132, R. A. M.; Eureka lodge, No. 2, Knights of Pythias; Kent camp, Modern Woodmen, and Kabba temple, No. 69, Knights of Khorassan (dramatic order). Socially Mr. and Mrs. Brown mingle with the best circles in Grand Rapids, by whom they are held in the highest esteem