Prentiss M. Brown
Encyclopedia
Prentiss Marsh Brown was a Democratic
U.S. Representative and Senator from the state
of Michigan
.
and attended the public schools there. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and graduated from Albion College
in Albion, Michigan
in 1911. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1914 and commenced practice in St. Ignace.
Brown married Marion Walker in 1916. The couple had a total of seven children.
Brown was prosecuting attorney of Mackinac County
from 1914 to 1926 and the city attorney of St. Ignace from 1916 to 1928. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1924 to the United States House of Representatives
and in 1928 for election as justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
. He was a member of the State Board of Law Examiners from 1930 to 1942.
to the United States House of Representatives
for the 73rd Congress
and was reelected to the 74th Congress
, serving from March 4, 1933, until his resignation, effective November 18, 1936.
He was elected as a Democrat
on November 3, 1936, to the United States Senate
for the term beginning January 3, 1937, but was subsequently appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Couzens for the term ending January 3, 1937. In total, he served from November 19, 1936, to January 3, 1943.
He was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Claims in the Seventy-seventh Congress. He was also a member of the Banking and Currency Committee
, and in this capacity was instrumental in helping Franklin D. Roosevelt
achieve his desired wage and farm price controls. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1942.
, replacing Leon Henderson
, whose tenure as administrator was listed as one of the major reasons for Democratic losses in the 1942 elections. In 1943 he resumed the practice of law in both Washington, D.C.
, and Detroit, Michigan
. He also served as chairman of the Detroit Edison Company
.
In 1951, Brown was named chairman of the new Mackinac Bridge Authority
and served until his death. During his chairmanship, this authority oversaw the construction of Michigan's Mackinac Bridge
. Brown died in St. Ignace at the age of 84 and is interred there at Lakeside Cemetery.
Two of Brown's children were also active in Democratic party politics. Prentiss M. Brown, Jr., ran unsuccessfully for Congress several times, in 1952, 1956, 1958, and 1960, and was the city attorney for St. Ignace for 50 years. Paul W. Brown
was a member of the Board of Regents
of the University of Michigan
from 1971 until 1994, and ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor
in 1974.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Representative and Senator from the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Biography
Brown was born in St. Ignace, MichiganSt. Ignace, Michigan
Saint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,678. It is the county seat of Mackinac County. From the Lower Peninsula, St. Ignace is the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.St...
and attended the public schools there. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and graduated from Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
in Albion, Michigan
Albion, Michigan
Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The population was 9,144 at the 2000 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1911. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1914 and commenced practice in St. Ignace.
Brown married Marion Walker in 1916. The couple had a total of seven children.
Brown was prosecuting attorney of Mackinac County
Mackinac County, Michigan
-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
from 1914 to 1926 and the city attorney of St. Ignace from 1916 to 1928. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1924 to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and in 1928 for election as justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
. He was a member of the State Board of Law Examiners from 1930 to 1942.
Congress
Brown was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 11th congressional districtMichigan's 11th congressional district
Michigan's 11th congressional district is a United States Congressional District located just northwest of Detroit, consisting of northwestern Wayne and southwestern Oakland counties...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 73rd Congress
73rd United States Congress
The Seventy-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935, during the first two years...
and was reelected to the 74th Congress
74th United States Congress
-House:Also 2 Delegates, 3 Resident Commissioners-Senate:*President of the Senate: John N. Garner *President pro tempore: Key Pittman -Majority leadership:*Majority leader: Joseph T. Robinson...
, serving from March 4, 1933, until his resignation, effective November 18, 1936.
He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
on November 3, 1936, to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for the term beginning January 3, 1937, but was subsequently appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Couzens for the term ending January 3, 1937. In total, he served from November 19, 1936, to January 3, 1943.
He was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Claims in the Seventy-seventh Congress. He was also a member of the Banking and Currency Committee
United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to: banks and banking, price controls, deposit insurance, export promotion and controls, federal monetary policy, financial aid to commerce and industry, issuance of redemption of notes,...
, and in this capacity was instrumental in helping Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
achieve his desired wage and farm price controls. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1942.
After Congress: family
In December 1942, Roosevelt selected Brown to take over as administrator of the Office of Price AdministrationOffice of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
, replacing Leon Henderson
Leon Henderson
Leon Henderson was the administrator of the Office of Price Administration from 1941 to 1942.Henderson was born in Millville, New Jersey, where he attended Millville High School, and later Swarthmore College...
, whose tenure as administrator was listed as one of the major reasons for Democratic losses in the 1942 elections. In 1943 he resumed the practice of law in both Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. He also served as chairman of the Detroit Edison Company
Detroit Edison
The Detroit Edison Company, founded in 1903, is an investor-owned electric utility which serves most of Southeast Michigan. Its parent company, DTE Energy , provides energy services to a variety of clients beyond Detroit Edison's service area.- History :...
.
In 1951, Brown was named chairman of the new Mackinac Bridge Authority
Mackinac Bridge Authority
The Mackinac Bridge Authority is the state agency of the U.S. state of Michigan that operates the Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan.-History of Authority:...
and served until his death. During his chairmanship, this authority oversaw the construction of Michigan's Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
. Brown died in St. Ignace at the age of 84 and is interred there at Lakeside Cemetery.
Two of Brown's children were also active in Democratic party politics. Prentiss M. Brown, Jr., ran unsuccessfully for Congress several times, in 1952, 1956, 1958, and 1960, and was the city attorney for St. Ignace for 50 years. Paul W. Brown
Paul W. Brown
Paul Wesley Brown was a Republican lawyer in the U. S. State of Ohio who served two non consecutive terms as a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court sandwiched around being appointed Ohio Attorney General.-Biography:...
was a member of the Board of Regents
Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan is the legal corporation that controls the University of Michigan, comprising the campuses at Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn. The Board of Regents was created by the Organic Act of March 18, 1837 that established the modern University of Michigan...
of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1971 until 1994, and ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
in 1974.
Honors
- He has been called the "father of the Mackinac Bridge." His import was so great that his visage was placed on a special memorial bridge tokenToken coinIn the study of numismatics, tokens are coin-like objects used instead of coins. The field of tokens is part of exonumia. Tokens are used in place of coins and either have a denomination shown or implied by size, color or shape...
created by the Mackinac Bridge Authority. - In 2004, Albion CollegeAlbion CollegeAlbion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
renamed its Honors Institute the Prentiss M. Brown Honors Institute in memory of the 1911 alumnus. - Between 1976 and 2001, the stretch of I-75 between the Mackinac BridgeMackinac BridgeThe Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
and Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
was known as the Prentiss M. Brown Memorial Highway. - Since 2001, the Prentiss M. Brown Memorial Highway is designated as the name of I-75 in Mackinac County on the north side of the Mackinac Bridge.
- His accomplishments are commemorated as a "Michigan Legal Milestone" erected by the State Bar of MichiganState Bar of MichiganThe State Bar of Michigan is an organization of lawyers in the State of Michigan. Membership is mandatory for attorneys who practice law in the state of Michigan...
.