Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions

Preferred Citation

William N. Brown cadet account book, 1889-1893. MS 0028. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

William Nelson Brown was born on August 21, 1873 near Gainesville, Virginia to William Henry Brown and Mary Love Elliot. He entered VMI in 1889 and graduated in 1893. He married Caroline Cator Taylor of Bradshaw, Indiana on October 26, 1901 and the couple had two children, William Taylor and Mary Venable.

Brown spent his entire career as a civil engineer and became a leading national figure in the fields of surveying and mapping. He was one of the first in his profession to use aerial photography and he managed large mapping projects for both government agencies and private firms. One of his most significant assignments was the mapping of the Mississippi River in 1929 for use in a flood control project. Brown died in Washington, D.C. on January 12, 1959.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of an account book owned by William N. Brown. The book contains a listing of school expenses incurred while he was a cadet at VMI from 1889 to 1893.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Account Books
• Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1890-1899
• Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1893