Charles Edward Brown was born on February 28, 1830, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

He was a merchant and shipowner in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, carrying on the family business. He was also a Director of several insurance companies and the Bank of Yarmouth. He was well known for his public service involvements in the Yarmouth County Agricultural Society and the town's first library, for which he donated the land. A newspaper article written posthumously about him stated that he was known as “Independent in Thought; Steadfast in Truth; Fearless in Action.”

In 1860, he married Azuba Davis Rose (1838–1891). He died on February 17, 1900, in Milton, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.

David Robertson Brown (1869-1946) was born in Montreal. He began his career in 1885 as a draughtsman and pupil in the office of Alexander Francis Dunlop (1842-1923) and later worked as a draughtsman for Hutchison and Steele. Brown also worked in Boston, first at the firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge and later for the firm of C. Brigham. Brown commenced his solo practice in Montreal in 1895. Donald Norman MacVicar (1869-1929) and John Charles Allison Heriot (1862-1921) practised architecture together in Montreal. Heriot was born in Montreal and studied at Cornell University. Initially he practised in the state of New York, returning to Montreal in 1893, at which time he formed a partnership with Alexander F. Dunlop. Later he became the partner of MacVicar.

David Robertson Brown (1869-1946) est né à Montréal. Il a amorcé sa carrière en 1885 en qualité de dessinateur et d'apprenti au cabinet d'Alexander Francis Dunlop (1842-1923); il a ensuite été dessinateur chez Hutchison et Steele. Brown a aussi travaillé à Boston, d'abord au cabinet de Shepley, Rutan et Coolidge et plus tard, pour le cabinet de C. Brigham. Brown a commencé à travailler de façon indépendante à Montréal en 1895. Donald Norman MacVicar (1869-1929) et John Charles Allison Heriot (1862-1921) ont exercé l'architecture ensemble à Montréal. Heriot est né à Montréal et a étudié à l'Université Cornell. Il a d'abord pratiqué dans l'État de New York puis est revenu à Montréal en 1893 et s'est alors associé à Alexander F. Dunlop. Plus tard, il est devenu l'associé de MacVicar.