The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-11-13
JOE BROWN.
Senator Brown Gives n Sketch of Ills
Own Life.

Own Life.
In his great speech at the State Fair
in Macon, Hon. Jos. E. Brown gave the
following brief sketch of his life, for the
encouragement of the struggling young
men of to-day:
My father was farmer with small
means, and had wife and ten children
to support; and / was raised upon a
farm and worked hard as farm hand
until l was 10 years Of age, when, with
the consent ofmy parents, I left the farm,
in Union County, Georgia, in November,
1S40, with the view Of going to school at
Calhoun Academy, in Anderson district,
South Carolina. Ny only education was
that could read and write and had
been in arithmetic as far as the "rule of
three" My only earthly goods were a
comfortable home made change of cloth.
ing, made by my good mother and sis
ters, and fine yoke of steers which [
drove before me as walked on my way
to Calhoun Academy, about 1876 miles,
where entered the school under the
control of Mr.. Pleasant Jordan.
I sold my steers for eight months
board, and as / had no money with which
to pay tuition, Mr.. Jordan wes kind
enough to give me credit for that.
Suffice it to say that after the end of the
eight months 1 taught an old.feld school
for three months to get a little money to
aid ME. Under the encouragement of
DR.. o. P. Broyles, of Pendleton. S. c.,
and of his father, Major Aaron Broyles,
of Calhoun, and Of the late Judge J. P.
Reed I returned to school and got board
and tuition on credit for the next two
years. In the meantime, by close appli.
cation and hard study,I had prepared
myself for teaching ia an academy, and I
went to Canton and took charge of the
academy there in 1874, where I had a
fine school, aud made some $500 or 5000,
with which I paid most OF my past in.
debtedness.
Having obtained the text books while
teaching, 1 studied law by myself, but
never read day in lawyers Office, and
in Sept, 1916, was admitted to the bar
in Canton by the Hon. Augustus Wright,
then presiding, who VAS very compli-
mentary to me On the examination which
1 then stood. With the aid of DR..
John Lewis, so we'll and favorably known
to the people of Georgia, was furnished
the money to 60 to Yale College to the
law school, where I graduated in 1886.
was married to Miss Elizabeth Ores.
ham, in South Carolina, in 1S47. Soon
after this came the period when held
my first official position, and the people
delegated to me their first trust.
In lS49 I was elected State Senator
from the Counties of Cobb and Cherokee.
So that the period of my entrance into
public life dates back forty.one years.
In 1852 I was member of the electoral
ticket that cast their vote for Pierce and
King. In 1855 I was elected judge of the
superior court of the Blue Ridge circuit
over the Hon. David Erwin, who vas
then presiding. In 1857 was nominal.
ed by the Democratic convention of
Georgia without any knowledge on my
part that my name was being used for
the Office of Governor. was elected in
October of that year. In 1859 [ was
again elected Governor, and in 1861 I
was elected for third term. In 1868 I
was appointed chief justice OF the su:
preme court of the State for term of
twelve years. After serving little over
two years my health failed and I resign.
ed the Office snd went into the business
of railroading.
I thought 1 had permanently retired
from politics but in 1880 when the
Hon. John B. Gordon resigned his posi-.
ton in the United States Senate, Govern
or Colquitt rendered me the appoint
ment to fill the vacancy. 1 accepted it
and served for about three weeks under
the appointment before Congress adjourn
ed. I then became candidate for re.
election to the Office of Senator to fill the
vacancy of between four and five years
which remained unexpired. The con-
test was heated one and the race an
exciting one, but it resulted in my favor
by over two-thirds majority. Again in
1884 I was candidate for the term of
six years in the Senate. I had no oppo-
sition and was elected by the general as
sembly with practical unanimity was
but one desenting vote.
NV present term will soon have expir-
alton of the term. 1 will under no cir
cumstances be q candidate for another
Office of honor, trust or profit. The few
remaining days of life, if l have any, |
hope to spend in the State where have
been so often honored and among the
people to whom I feel the greatest graft.
tude and to whom I am under everlasting
obligation.
AS a member of the State Senate, /
presided temporarily over that body.
As chief justice of the State | was the
regular presiding officer ofthe judicial de.
partment of the State, and as Governor |
presided over the executive department.
/ never was defeated in any race ever
had where the question was TO be decided
by popular vote.
As already stated, at 10 years of age,
in November, 1S40, illiterate and with
out means, I left my fathers farm on foot
to 20 l25 miles to an academy to school.
In November, 1857, just seventeen years
later ! was inaugurated Governor OF
Georgia, being then little over 36 years
of age, and probably the youngest man
that had filled the place.
If the example is worth anything to
the young of the State, my egotism will
be pardoned. The intention at least is
right. What one boy, un0er the cir.
cumstances mentioned, hiss accomplished
may be accomplished by another, and If
not to the fullest degree, there may be
many approximations by boys of pluck,
energy and perseverance. The way IS
open to every bright boy to better his
condition. May you all determine do so.
Animals Using Fire.