Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-07-03
PARsoN BRowNIow's AUToBIoGRA
PLY.
A Curious Chapter of Personal History

"Parson B rownlow's Book" contains the fol-
lowing photographed sketch of the author:
"Perhaps it will be asked, Who is the person
that offers this volume to the wordP In this
the inoustive reader shall be gratifed for
short and simple are the domestic annals of the
writer: though in his fifty-seventh year. l am
the eldest son of Joseph A. Brownlow, who
was born and raised in Rockbridge county,
Virginia, and died in Sullivan county, in East
Tennessee, in 1916. My father died when
was SO Young that | could not have been judge
of his character but it has been a source of
consolation to me to hear him spoken of by his
old associates General Sam Houston among
them) as a man of good sense, brave indepen-
dence, and of sterling integrity He was
private in Tennessee company in the war OF
1912. Two of his brothers were at the battle
of the Horseshoe, under General jackson, two
others of them died naval officers, aud their re-
mains sleep in Norfolk and New Orleans.
"The death of my father was grievous af-
Fiction to my mother, as she was lett with five
helpless children-tree sons and two daugh-
ters-four of whom are now dead, having heard
of the death of the last of the four since my
Punishment from home. My mothers maiden
name was Catharine Gannaway-a Nirginian,
likewise, Of respectable parantage, and slave
owners.
"She departed this transitory life in less than
three months after the death of her husband.
Being naturally mild and agreeable in her tenn
permanent, she warmly endeared to large
circle of friends and acquaintance. But their
consolation was in this, that, Will sinking into
the cold embrace of death, she was happy in
the religion of JESUS Christ
81 was born in Wythe county, Virginia, on
the 29th Of August, 1905. After the death OF
my parents l lived with my mothers relations,
VINO raised me up TO hard labor until was
eighteen years old, when ! removed to Abing-
don, in that state, and served as a regular ap-
prentice to the trade of house carpenter.
have been laboring man all my life long, and
have acted upon the Scriptural maxim OF eat
ing my bread in the sweat of my brow.
Though a southern man in feeling and principle,
do not think it degrading to a man TO labor,
as do most of the southern disunionists.
Whether east or west north or SOUTH recog-
Mise the dignity of labor, and look forward to
a day, not very distant, when educated labor
will be the salvation of this vast country.
"My education was imperfect and irregular
even in those branches taught in the common
schools of the country. Iabored after obtain
ing trade, until acquired the means of again
going to school, | afterwards entered the
Methodist Travelling Ministry, and travelled
ten years without intermission. | availed my
self of this position to study and improve my
limi ed education, which did in all the Eng
fish branches.
81 am about six feet high, and have weighed
as heavy as one hundred and seventy-hve
pounds-have had as fine constitution as any
man need desire. have very few gray hairs
in my head, and, although rather hard favored
than otherwise, | will pass for man OF forty
years / have had as strong voice as any
man in East Tennessee where have resided fol
the last thirty years, and have family OF sever
children. have been speaking all that time
and for the last twenty five years have edited
and published a Wig newspaper having &
larger circulation than any political paper in thu
state, and even larger than all the papers il
East Tennessee put together | have taken
part in all the religious and political contro
versies of my day and tims.
81 have written several books but the on
entitled, The Iron Wheel Examined, and it
False Spokes Extracted being a yindicaton O
the Methodist Church against the attacks O
Rev. j. r. Graves, Nashville. My reply wa
published by the Southern Methodist Publish
ng House, and at the earnest solicitation q
the book agents and other leading members o
the Church. 1t is work of great severity
but was written in reply to one Of still create
severity.
"In September, 1919, was engaged in a de
bate upon the slavery question, IN Philadelphia
with Rev. Abram Pryne, of New York, il
which defended the institution of slavery a
it exists in the South The debate was pub
lished in Philadelphia, and exhibits my senti
ments upon that great question, which hav
undergone no change since then.
81 am known throughout the length an,
breadth of the land as the Fighting Parson
while may say, without mourning the charg
of egotism that no man is more peaceable, a
my neighbors will testify. Always poor, an
always oppressed with security debts, few me
in my section and of my limited means hay
given away more in the course of each year
charitable objects. Ihave never been arraigne
in the church for any immortality. | nev(
played q card. | never was proiane sweare
never drank dram of liquor until within
few years-when it was taken as medicine
never had cigar or chew of tobacco in m
mouth. never was in attendance at theatr
never attended horse-race, and never wi
messed their running, save on the fair-grount
of nv own country. ! never courted but Oh
woman; and her married.
81 may be allowed to say that have BEEF
as still am, quite a politician, though hay
never been an office seeker nor an Office holde
| began my political career in Tennessee,
1928, by espousing the cause OF John Quinc
Adams as against Andrew Jackson. The la
ter regard as having been true patriot, an
sincere lover of his country. The former az