Thomas Albertus "Bert" Brown was born in Black Mountain (Buncombe County) on March 19, 1873. After serving in the Spanish-American War, Brown worked as a rail road conductor and was employed in building the Panama Canal. By 1910, he returned to Black Mountain where he and his brother Clarence owned a livery stable. Brown continued the business for several years after his brother left in 1922. He died at his home in Black Mountain on December 4, 1939.