Thatcher M. Brown

Thatcher M. Brown went to Lawrenceville School and graduated from Yale in 1897. That same year he entered the banking house of Brown Brothers, and there he worked all the rest of his life. After a time he became a senior partner. He was a director of an amazingly long list of foreign insurance companies, and one of his activities was the supervision of their complicated investment problems in New York.

Besides being a banker, Thatcher was for many long years an Elder of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, President of the Board of Directors of the Union Theological Seminary, and a member of the Board of Managers of the Presbyterian Hospital. To these responsibilities he brought a deep and intelligent interest and an extraordinary competence. His manner was wholly disarming, and he could preside over meetings of diverse and disparate personalities without hurting anyone’s feelings.

This was, indeed, a wonderful gift that he had. He never seemed to impose his own opinion on anyone; but, when a discussion came to an end and the last word had been said, the action usually taken was what he had rather diffidently suggested at the outset.

He believed in God—not like the rest of us, in our spare time, but truly and profoundly. And this it was that led him to labor in the Lord’s vineyard—in the Church, and the Hospital, and the Seminary-—-and prompted men to follow him with confidence.

Thatcher was at the Century a great deal after his wife died; and he had developed there a characteristic circle of congenial friends who appreciated him and were exceedingly fond of him. He was warm-hearted and friendly. He seemed to glow with just plain goodness. The Lord made his face to shine upon him and was gracious unto him.

George W. Martin
1955 Century Association Yearbook