Born in the Town of Lorraine on March 27, 1818, Levi H. Brown was the son of Aaron and Betsy Burpee Brown and was educated in local schools.
He entered the Junior Class at Union College in 1841, and, after graduation from Colgate College, read law in Schenectady. He was employed in the office of Calvin Skinner at Adams. He was admitted to the bar in 1846, relocated to Watertown and entered into partnership with Joshua Moore to create the firm of Moore & Brown. In 1854, Mr. Brown withdrew from this partnership and joined Allen C. Beach in a partnership known as Brown & Beach. They built up an extensive business and excellent reputation as lawyers. This partnership continued until 1871 when Mr. Beach was elected Lieutenant Governor. The firm was then dissolved and Mr. Brown continued to practice alone, becoming one of the most widely known lawyers in Northern New York.
He was active in politics, attending the Democratic State Convention in 1844. He was the Democratic nominee for New York State District Attorney in 1853 and State Senator in 1868. He represented the City on the Board of Supervisors.
He was elected Mayor of the City of Watertown in November of 1875 and served one term.
A bachelor until later in life, he married Delia M. Cole of Palmyra in 1861.
He died September 10, 1903 at his home on Stone Street in the City at the age of 85. At the time of his death, he was the senior member of the Jefferson County Bar and the oldest attorney in New York State. He is buried in Brookside Cemetery.
