Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-19
9GR6TZ= BROWN,
his Kenaneky Citations GOv. Brown
il1 Missouri Family and Hfs

ton, the first of the family who came +
America, was born in Ireland in the cit
Of LondonderTy. His father and tire
uncles were Englishmen who served unde
King William, and aided in the de
Tense OF Londonderry, when that cit!
was besieged by King James. He was ;
Protestant of the Presbyterian ldenomina
ton, man Of strong mind and correc
principles. He married Elizabeth Patten, &
sister of Col. James Patten, of Donegal
with whom he removed to Virginia In 1740
Col. Patten had for some years commanded
a merchant ship, and was man of proper
| ty, enterprise and influence. He obtained
an order of council from the Governor o.
I Virginia under which there were apprO
I priated to himself and his associates 10000
acres of the best land lying above the Blue
Ridge, in that State, several valuable tracts
of which felr to the share of his descen.
dants. He was killed by Indians at Smith.
field, Va, in 1853. He left two daughters
one of whom married Capt. William
| Thompson, and the other Col. John Buch-
anan. From the last named are descended
John Floyd, late member of Congress and
Governor of Virginia, James D. Breckin.
ridge, of Louisville, KY, late member Of
OOu0TSSSs anu lu6 ldJC NOls W i AhuC1-
son, Of the U. S. army. 1000 aaL
John Preston, the brother-in-law, also
obtained under the order of the council
above mentioned, a valuable tract of land
called "Robinson's,n which descended to
his son, and until recently remained in the
family. His children were Letitia, who
married Col. Robert Breckinridge; Marg-
aret, who married Rev. John Brown; VII
liam, whose wife was. Susanna Smith; Ann,
who married Col. John Smith, and Mary,
who married John Howard.
From these marriages has come a numer-
Gus and celebrated line Of descendants. In
the list of Letitia's children are John Brock
inridge, who died in 1906, after having serv-
ed in the u. S. Senate, and as Attorney
General in Mr.. Jefferson's Cabinet; John B.
Grayson, a General in the Confederate
army; Col. Peter A. Porter, a Colonel in the
United States army, killed at Cold Harbor,
Va; Jos. Caben Breckenridge, Secretary of
State of Kentucky; John G. Breckenridge,
United States Senator, Vice President of
the United States, a Major General and
Secretary of War of the Confederate States;
Rev. John Breckenridge, Professor at
Princeton College; Rev. Robert j. Breckin-
ridge, distinguished Presbyterian theolO-
gian and political writer; Robert j. Brock
inridge, Colonel in the Confederate army
and member of the Confederate Congress,
and score or more others, officers in both
armies and members of both Congresses.
From Margaret Preston are descended
the Browns. Her first son, John Brown,
was lawyer and politician who repre-
scented the then district of Kentucky in the
Virginia Legislature and in the old Con-
gress of 17S7-8S. He afterward represent
ed Kentucky in Congress, and was the first
United States Senator from the State, a po-
sition which he held for eighteen years.
His Oldest son was Mason Brown, Judge
and Secretary of State of Kentucky, and
his oldest son is Benjamin GIatz Brown,
the present Governor Of Missouri, and the
nominee for Vice President on the Cincin-
natl ticket. One Of Gratz Browns uncles,
James Brown, was the first Secretary of
State Of Kentucky, also for many years
United States Senator from Louisiana and
Minister to the Court of France.
VIM. Preston, the only son Of the first
Preston had no less than eleven children.
Of these John Preston was a member Of
the Virginia Legislature, and for many
years Treasurer of that State. The next,
Francis Preston was a member of the Sen
ate of Virginia, Congressman from that
State, and Brigadier General in the war
of 1912. He married a niece Of Patrick
Henry. Besides these; there are among
those who have attained nOtoriety, VIM.
Campbell Preston, an orator and advocate,
q Senator from South Carolina; Ed. Z.
Darlington, Captain in the Mexican war,
Brigadier General of U. S. Volunteers, and
u. S. Attorney for the District of Columbia;
John S. Preston, Brigadier General in the
Confederate army; Elizabeth Mcdowell who
married Hon. Thomas Benton, the old
Senator from Missouri; Jessie Benton, who
married ten. John G. Fremont; James
Mcdowell, member of Congress and Gov
ernor of Virginia; VIM. Preston, member
of the Constitutional Convention of Ken
lucky, Congressman from that State,
Lieutenant Colonel of Kentucky VOlun-
teers in the Mexican war, Minister to the
Court of Spain, and Major General in the
Confederate army; Randall Lee Gibson,
Brigadier General in the Confederate ar
my; Jas. Patton Preston, a member of the
Virginia Senate, Colonel in the United
States army, and Governor of Virginia;
VIM. Ballard Preston, Secretary of the
Navy in the Cabinet. of President Taylor,
and Senator in the Confederate Congress;
John b. Floyd, Governor of Virginia, Sec
rotary of War in Buchanan's Cabinet, and
General in the Confederate army.
Among the descendants of Ann Preston
are Francis 2. Blair, ST.; Montgomery
Blair, Postmaster General in Lincoln's Cab
met, and Frank p. Blair, Jr., the present
Senator from Missouri. From Mary Pres
ton are descended the long line of Paynes,
Woolleys and Crittendens, and of the last
named is Alexander Parker Crittenden, who
was shot by Laura Fair at San Francisco.
Gratz Brown is now residing at the Ex-
ecutive Mansion of jefferson City, an ele-
CANT building, which was erected last year
under his supervision. he was married to
Miss Mary Gum, who is handsome and
winning lady, and who has borne him seven
children, of whom six are living, the oldest
not being more than fourteen years of age.
OF these children five are girls. 1t is re-
lated of the Governor that he married for
love, when Mrs. Brown was a country
maiden, and that he first saw her swinging
on a gate in front of a country farmhouse,
as he ard two or three other members of
the Missouri Legislature were strolling
out Of town afler one Of its sessions.
OONs DIOWA HIS DCoIOCS LIS IGSl-
dence in st. Louis a country seat in Iron
county, a hundred miles or Whereabouts
south of St. Louis. Upon this farm has
been lately discovered a marble quarry,
which the Governor is now working, and
from which he will ultimately reap a large
income. He is not wealthy man accord
ing to Western quotations, although he is
rated al $250,000.
In his public addresses he has slow,
hesitating manner of speaking, accompanied
by drawing information which prevents
him from becoming popular, although he
never fails of large audience and an atten-
tive one, on account Of the weight Of bis ad-
dresses, which are carefully studied before
hand. His inaugural address, two years
ago, was considered the finest State paper
ever written in Missouri, and obtained a
wide circulation throughout the country.
lie is a man of restless ambition and Of
unusual abilities, but one who is more like
" TO be led than to lead. His administra.
ton of affairs during bis present term has
been unquestioned, save for occasional ex-
hibitiOns of partyism; and yet it is not
claimed for him by his friends that upon
straight party issue he could again carry the
State. That he will leave no stone un-
turned to accomplish this result in this can