Indian Jim's name was Jim Brown, an Oneda Indian from New York. He raised himself from the slums of New York and acquired a degree in agriculture.

He was the fastest brick layer that anyone had seen. Where he learned the trade and to be so fast was unknown. In Olathe, Kansas, he laid over 67,000 bricks in seven hours, considered a North American record by the St. Louis Journal.

He laid eleven streets in the original town site. It is believed that the second man from the left in the photograph is Jim Brown. He was 6' 1" and would stay bent over until he couldn't see, reaching behind him for another brick and keep laying. He didn't talk and didn't eat. When his wheelbarrows were empty, he would chew out his help to get on the stick. Working feverishly, his help (5 to 6 men) could hardly keep up with him..

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