Adam Mercer Brown was born in
Butler County, Pennsylvania just north of
Pittsburgh in 1826. He originally wanted to become a doctor but instead went west to find his fortune during the
California Gold Rush, during his stay in the west he had a brief military career and earned the rank of Major. Upon his return to Pittsburgh, he was chosen as the first president of the
Allegheny County Bar Association. Adam Brown also became a common pleas judge and founded a bank. ==Pittsburgh politics==