Orlando Brown (Kentucky politician)

Orlando Brown
portrait attributed to George Harrison Hite
Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office
1848–1849
Preceded byWilliam Decatur Reed
Succeeded byJoshua Fry Bell
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
In office
1849 – July 1, 1850
PresidentZachary Taylor
Preceded byWilliam Medill
Succeeded byLuke Lea
Personal details
BornSeptember 26, 1801
DiedJuly 6, 1867 (1867-07-07) (aged 65)
Political partyWhig
Parents
RelativesMason Brown (brother)

Orlando Brown (September 26, 1801 – July 6, 1867) was a Kentucky politician, newspaper publisher and historian, who also held the office of Indian Commissioner during the Zachary Taylor administration. Brown was a Whig and an anti-secessionist. He was the son of John Brown, Kentucky's first member of Congress.

Orlando Brown received his appointment as Commissioner of Indian Affairs based on his loyalty to the Taylor campaign, and used it to distribute further patronage appointments. He became disillusioned with the position, and resigned it on July 1, 1850, eight days before Taylor died.

Brown spent most of his later years working on a history of Kentucky governors, but his work was uncompleted when he died in 1867.