“Henry Hart Brown was born August 24, 1837 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. He died at his home in East Lake, Jefferson County, Alabama on January 9th 1903 at 65 years of age.
He was an attorney and a member of several organizations such as the Alabama Historical Society.
He was initiated at an Entered Apprentice in Northport Lodge No. 252 A. F. & A. M. in Feb. 12, 1859, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft March 26th, 1859, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason April 28th 1859. He evinced great interest and devotion and his development in was sure.” xliv[PRO 1903]
“In his annual address as Grand Master, Henry Hart Brown, urged “the importance of a more efficient system of lecturing the Subordinate Lodges in the work of conferring degrees.” As a result of his effort, the District Lecturer system was initiated in 1891. He appointed five members to take consideration the establishment of a Masonic Home for widows and orphans of deceased Masons of Alabama.” Xlv[Dictionary][1849 Pro][Masonry]
He served as Worshipful Master of Northport Lodge for a number of years. When he moved to East Lake, he became affiliated with East Lake Lodge No. 480 and continued as an honored member of that Lodge until his death. He was for many years a regular attendant upon the Communications of the Grand Body and its members were quick to recognize and reward his great zeal and worth. “He was elected Junior Grand Warden December 1885, Senior Grand Warden December 1886, Deputy Grand Master 1887 and Grand Master December 1888, which exalted station he filled with signal ability until December 1890. At the time of his death, he was Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia near this Grand Lodge.
In the midst of his great usefulness, our beloved brother was stricken down by a hopeless malady, which held him a helpless suffer for four long years, ere the ‘grim monster’ was welcomed as a kind messenger, and his noble spirit winged its eager flight from this imperfect, to that all perfect, glorious, celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides.
Henry Hart Brown was every inch a man. An honest, able attorney, a brave Confederate soldier, a great pillar of strength in the Church, in Masonry, in affairs of government, in society; a tender loving spirit in the home. We miss his genial, noble face! Our sympathies go out to his sorely bereaved family. His memory is enshrined in our hearts. His works do follow him.
‘Brethren a Mighty Craftsman works no more
With maul and level, plumb and square and line;
His tools lie idle on the checkered floor-
The workman gone upon the Master’s sign,
Yet true and polished there his ashlar stands,
The chiseled witness of his cunning skill.
The name of Henry Brown glistens in its sands
The Temple waits the stone on Salem’s Hill.’
