THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, December 19, 1929
 
One of Flagler County's most beloved men, Dr. David Benton Brown, died at about seven o'clock last Friday morning in a hospital in Daytona Beach at the age of 77 years. The doctor had been ill for several weeks before his death.

Born in Ohio in 1856, Doctor Brown was educated in the public schools of that state and later studied medicine, was licensed and practiced his profession until about eighteen years ago when he with his family moved to Flagler County, first residing at Dupont and after several years' residence there moved to Bunnell.

Entering politics in 1920 he was elected superintendent of public instruction for Flagler County, and succeeded himself in the next election, serving Flagler County as superintendent of public instruction from January 1, 1921 to January 1, 1929.

During the time he was superintendent he planned and pushed to completion many of the modern facilities of our present school system. He was largely responsible for the issuing of bonds with which to build the moderns school plant being used here at present. He also was the power behind the movement for consolidating the schools of the county.

Doctor Brown was a member of the Baptist church and up to his last illness taught a class in the Sunday school of that church. He was a thirty-second degree mason, an active member of the Civitan club here and was actively identified in many fraternal, religious and civic movements.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock in the local Baptist church, where the largest number of people ever gathered in this county to pay 1ast respect to a friend was present. As an indication of' the people's esteem for him can be seen from the fact that all religious creeds, political lines, social status, nationalities and colors were at the church. Harden men shed tears as freely as members of the family and none came away with dry eyes.

Late in the afternoon his body was laid to rest in Hope Cemetery amid familiar scenes and with great banks of flowers around the grave, and nearly as large a gathering present as at the church. These apparently had followed the body as far as they possibly could to say, “farewell – friend.”

His wife, a son, Dale B., and a daughter, Mrs. H. A. Eisenbach, all of whom reside here, survive, beside a number of grandchildren.