Born on a farm near
Pikeville, in
Darke County, Ohio, Brumbaugh attended the district schools and Greenville High School in
Greenville, Ohio. He taught school, worked on a farm, and tutored. He was graduated from
National Normal University,
Lebanon, Ohio, in 1887. He was related to the infamous World War I aviator and barnstormer, Dr. David Brumbaugh. He founded and conducted the Van Buren Academy from 1887 to 1891. He attended
Ohio Wesleyan University,
Delaware, Ohio from 1891 to 1893. He graduated from
Harvard University in 1894. ==Early career==