Congress 
Welcome to the Brown Family Club's section on "Famous and Notable Browns" which honors Browns and their kinfolk (including descendants) who have served in the United States Congress. The most famous Browns have been in government service and many have been elected to Congress from several states.
If you know family information on any Browns or descendants who have been elected to public office, please send us details with as much family history as you know.
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M
ilton Brown was born 28 Feb 1804 in Lebanon, Ohio, a son of Thomas Brown and Nancy Litton. His family moved to Jackson, Madison, Tn. He later moved to Nashville, Tn. where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. He set up practice in Paris, Tn. and later moved to Jackson. He became Judge of the Chancery Court of West Tennessee in 1835 and held this office until 1840.Milton was elected as a Whig Party candidate to the House of Representatives of the 27th US Congress and to two more terms, serving from 1841-1847. He then resumed his law practice.
He was one of the founders of Southwestern University (later became Union University) and of Lambuth College, both schools at Jackson, Tn. He was president of the Mississippi Central & Ohio Railroad Co. 1856-1871. He was married and had four children. He died at Jackson 15 May 1883 and was buried at Riverside Cemetery there.
Paul Brown was born 31 Mar 1880 in Hart County, Georgia, a son of Alexander Rucker Brown and Martha Thornton. He graduated from the University of Georgia Lumpkin Law School in 1901 and was admitted to the bar the same year. He set up practice in Lexington, Ga. until 1920 and farmed. He was elected Mayor of Lexington and served 1908-1914. He was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1907 and 1908. He moved to Elberton, Ga. in 1920 and served as County Attorney of Elbert County 1928-1933. He was a delegate to the Democratic Party National Convention in 1932.
Paul was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 73rd US Congress to fill a vacancy and to 12 additional terms after that, serving from 1933 to 1961. During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Defense Production. He did not seek reelection in 1960.
Paul died 24 Sep 1961 in Elberton and was buried in Elmhurst Cemetery there.
Robert Brown was born 25 Dec 1744 in Weaversville, Northampton County, Pa., a son of Henry Brown. He was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade. At the start of the Revolutionary War, he was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia in 1776. He was captured six days later at the surrender of Fort Washington and put aboard a British prisoner ship. He was later transferred to the old city hall of New York. He was paroled in 1777. Robert was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate and served 1783-1787.
Robert was elected as a Democrat-Republican to the House of Representatives of the 5th US Congress to fill a vacancy and to 8 additional terms after that, serving from 1798 to 1815. He did not seek reelection in 1814. He retired from public life and lived on his farm near Weaversville, where he died 26 Feb 1823. He was buried at East Allen Presbyterian Churchyard.
Seth W. Brown was born 4 Jan 1841 near Waynesville, Warren County, Ohio. He served in the yankee army during the War for Southern Independence. After the war, he worked with a newspaper and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1873 and set up practice in Waynesville, Oh. in 1873. He served as Warren County Prosecuting Attorney 1880-1883. He was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives 1883-1887.
Seth was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 55th US Congress and to a second term serving from 1897-1901. He lost a bid for reelection in 1900. He resumed his law practice at Lebanon an in Cincinnati, Oh. He was also a writer on political and governmental affairs. He died 24 Feb 1923 at Lebanon and was buried in Miami Cemetery, Waynesville.
Sherrod Brown was born 9 Nov 1952 in Mansfield, Richland County, Oh. He graduated from Yale University in 1974 and Ohio State University in 1981. He served on the faculty of Ohio State 1979-1981. He was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives and served 1975-1982. He was elected Secretary of State of Ohio and served 1983-1991.
Sherrod was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 103rd US Congress and to four additional terms, serving from 1993 to 2003.
Titus Brown was born 11 Feb 1786 in Alstead, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, a son of Elias Brown Jr. and Rebecca Keyes. He was a grandson of Elias Brown Sr. and Abigail Olcott of Stonington, Ct. He graduated from Middlebury College of Vermont in 1811. He studied law and was admitted to the bar. He set up practice in Reading, Vt. in 1814 and moved to Francestown, NH in1817 where he continued in law. He was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives and served from 1820-1825. He was Solicitor of Hillsborough County 1823-1825 and 1829-1834.
Titus was elected to the House of Representatives of the US Congress and an additional term, serving from 1825-1829. He did not seek reelection. He was elected to the NH State Senate and served as the senate president in 1842. He served as chairman of the Board of Banks and Railroad Commissioners until his death. He died 29 Jan 1849 at Francestown and was buried in Mill Village Cemetery there.
Titus married Jerusha C. Hutchinson and they had a son and a daughter.
Webster Everett Brown was born 16 Jul 1851 in Madison County, NY, a son of Everett D. and Helen Brown. His family moved to Wisconsin in 1857 and lived for a while in Newport, then Hull and Stockton. He finished a preparatory course at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wi. and in 1870, a business course at Spencerian Business College in Milwaukee. He graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1874. He then engaged in the logging and lumber business and manufacture of paper. He eventually settled in Rhinelander, Wi. where he established a lumber and logging business. He was elected Mayor of Rhinelander in 1894 and 1895.
Webster was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 57th US Congress and to two more terms, serving from 1901-1907. During his terms, he served as Chairman of the committee on Mines and Mining. He did not seek reelection in 1906 and resumed his business in Rhinelander. He died 14 Dec 1929 in Chicago, IL. and was buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Rhinelander.
William Brown was born 19 Apr 1779 in Frederick County, Va., a son of James Brown Jr. and Anna Davis; he was a grandson of James Brown Sr. and Elizabeth Poole. William moved with his father to Bourbon County, Kentucky in 1784 and to Cynthiana, Ky. about 1795. He studied law and was admitted to the bar. He was appointed a colonel during the War of 1812. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
William was elected to the House of Representatives of the 16th US Congress and served 1819-1821. He moved to Jacksonville, Morgan County, IL. in 1832. He died there 6 Oct 1833.
William Gay Brown Sr. was born 25 Sep 1800 in Kingwood, Preston County West Virginia, which later became part of West Virginia. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He set up practice in Kingwood, Va. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1832 and 1840-1843..
William was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 29th US Congress and to a second term, serving from 1845-1849. He was a delegate to the Virginia State Constitutional Conventions in 1850 and 1861. He was a delegate to the Democratic Party National Conventions in Charleston and Baltimore in 1860.
William was elected as a Unionist to the House of Representatives of the 37th US Congress and served 1861-1863. When the radical Republicans in Congress defied the Constitution and admitted western Virginia as the state of West Virginia during the War for Southern Independence, William was elected as an "Unconditional Unionist" to the House again, serving from 1863-1865. He died 19 Apr 1884 at Kingwood and was buried in Maplewood Cemetery. His son, William G. Brown Jr. was also elected to Congress.
William Gay Brown Jr. was born 7 Apr 1856 in Kingswood, Preston County, West Virginia, a son of Congressman William Gay Brown Sr. He graduated from the University of West Virginia in 1877. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1877. He set up practice in Preston County.
He was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the US Congress and to two additional terms, serving from 1911-1916. He died 9 Mar 1916 and was buried at Kingwood Cemetery, Kingwood.
His widow, Izetta Jewell Brown, ran for nomination to the United States Senate in 1920.
William John Brown was born 15 Aug 1805 in Mason County, Kentucky, a son of George Brown and Hannah John; he was a grandson of Thomas Brown and Mary Osborn Ball. His family moved to Clermont County, Oh. in 1808. He attended Franklin Academy in Clermont Co. He moved to Rushville, In. in 1821. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1826. He set up practice in Rushville. He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives and served 1829-1832. He served as Prosecuting Attorney 1831-1835. He served as Indiana Secretary of State 1836-1840. He moved to Indianapolis in 1837. He was again elected to the State House of Representatives, 1841-1843.
William was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representative of the 28th US Congress and served from 1843-1845. President James K. Polk appointed him as Second Assistant Postmaster General of the US and he served from 1845 to 1849. He was elected to Congress once again in 1848, serving from 1849-1851. He lost a bid for reelection in 1850. He became chief editor of the Indianapolis Sentinel newspaper 1850-1855. He served several times as chairman of the Democratic Party Central Committee of Indiana. He was appointed by President Pierce as special agent of the Post Office Department for Indiana and Illinois, from 1853 until his death. William died 18 Mar 1857 near Indianapolis. He was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.
William Ripley Brown was born 16 Jul 1840 in Buffalo, NY. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH and graduated from Union College, Schenectady, NY. He then moved to Emporia, Ks. where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1864. He served as Judge of the Ninth Judicial District of Kansas 1867-1877.
William was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 44th US Congress and served 1875-1877. He was defeated for reelection in 1876. He resumed the practice of law at Hutchinson, Ks. He was named register of the US Land Office at Larned, Ks. 1883-1885. He moved to El Reno, Ok. in 1892. He was named Probate Judge of Canadian County 1894-1898. He died 3 Mar 1916 at Kansas City, Mo. and was buried in Lawrence Cemetery, Lawrence, Ks.
William Wallace Brown was born 22 Apr 1836 in Summer Hill, Cayuga County, NY, a son of Rasselas W. Brown and Mary P. Brownell. His family moved to Elk County, Pa. He attended Smethport Academy and graduated from Alfred University in 1861. He enlisted in the yankee army during the War for Southern Independence. He was appointed recorder of deeds of McKean County in 1864 and Superintenent of Schools in 1866. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1866, when he set up practice. He was elected McKean County District Attorney the same year. He moved to Corry, Pa. in 1869 and served three years as City Attorney. He was elected to the City County there and served two years. He ws elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives and served 1872-1876. He was appointed an aide-de-camp to Governor Hartranft in 1876 and worked with the Pennsylvania National Guard. He moved to Bradford, Pa. in 1878 and practiced law.
William was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 48th US Congress and reelected a second term, serving from 1883-1887. He received a doctorate of law degree from Alfred University in 1886. He was defeated in a bid for a third term. He resumed his law practice and became city solicitor of Bradford 1892-1897. He was appointed an auditor for the War Department 1897-1899 and for the Navy Department 1899-1907. He was appointed Assistant United States Attorney General by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and served until 1910. He was in charge of claims from the treaty with Spain resulting with peace after the Spanish-American War. After 1910, he resumed his law practice in Bradford. He died there 4 Nov 1926 and was buried in Alfred Cemetery, Alfred, Pa.
He married Ellen Crandall in 1862.
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