Brown's Ottawa Business College, which has been running under its present
management only since 1894, was founded as a commercial college in 1888. The
school is centrally located in one of the best business blocks in Ottawa, a
flourishing little city of perhaps fifteen thousand inhabitants. All of the
methods used in the institution are modern, the equipment of the rooms
substantial and attractive, and everything possible is done to advance the
students in their work.
G. W. Brown, the principal of Brown's Ottawa
Business College, is a teacher of wide experience and possesses a thorough
and practical knowledge of the requirements of his responsible position. The
range of studies which the pupil may pursue is extensive, and an able corps
of teachers further his efforts to give a comprehensive commercial
education. The Ottawa college is a branch of the Brown's Business Colleges
so well known throughout this state. The company, which now owns and manages
colleges in Jacksonville, Peoria, Decatur, Galesburg, Bloomington and
Ottawa, was incorporated under the laws of Illinois in 1888. Five directors
have control of affairs of the company and the president is G. W. Brown,
Sr., who, for thirty years has been the owner and manager of the college at
Jacksonville. Each college belonging to the company has at its head as
principal a gentleman well qualified for the position by years of
educational work and commercial experience. One of the chief advantages of
any of Brown's business colleges to the student is that his scholarship is
transferable to any other of the colleges owned by the company, without
additional expense, and the interchange of practical ideas and business
correspondence between the pupils of the various colleges is of great value
to them.
The eldest of the nine children of Charles I. and Mary
(Ogle) Brown, the subject of this sketch, was born in Fulton county,
Illinois, in 1843. The parents were both natives of New York state, and
their other children were named as follows: Esther, Edgar, John, Frederick,
Frank. Alice, Nora and Charles I. The latter is a successful teacher, and
Edgar is deceased.
Having gained a good English education in the
public schools of his native county, G. W. Brown took a course of commercial
training in the Jacksonville Business College. In 1894 he was placed in
charge of the newly reorganized college at Ottawa, and to his enthusiastic
efforts is due, in a large measure, the success which the school now enjoys.
He likes to associate with young people and is very popular with them, as a
class, for he enters into their plans, aiding and sympathizing with them,
and withal exercising a marked influence for good over them.
The
marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss Jennie Yates was celebrated in Peoria,
Illinois. Mrs. Brown, who was a popular and very successful teacher, is a
daughter of James Yates, and is a niece of Richard Yates, deceased, once
governor of this state. Three children have blessed the union of Mr. and
Mrs. Brown, namely: Louis P., James and Ada. The parents are members of the
Congregational church, and are active in various kinds of Christian
enterprises, having for their object the amelioration of humanity.
Extracted 13 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 645-646.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
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Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
