Brown was born at North Shields in September 1784, and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and also in London.
Though the son of a quaker, and educated as such, he entered the army medical service, was attached to Wellington's staff in the Peninsular war, and was present at Busaco, Albuera, Victoria, and the Pyrenees, gaining high commendation for his services.
He settled at Sunderland, and took a leading part in local philanthropy and politics, being a strong liberal and a zealous but not bigoted Christian.
He was highly cultured, of dignified manners, yet deeply sympathetic with the poor.
Besides numerous contributions to medical reviews, and several articles in the ‘Cyclopædia of Practical Medicine.'