Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-06
REV. DR.. JAMES Z BROWNS0N.


at Washington, Pa, Tuesday evening,
of Rev. DR.. James /. Brownson, was
received in this city yesterday morning
with much sorrow. DR.. Brownson was
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
of Washington for half a century, re-
signing active work last January, and
was a power for good in Presbyterian
Church circles throughout this portion
of the country. He was a frequent Wis
itor to Wheeling upon church work,
and had many friends and admirers
here who will deeply deplore his death.
He was in his eighty-second year.
DR.. Brownson, born March IA, 1917, al
M~ercerbury, Franklin county, Pa, ana
was married March IA, 1913, to Sarah
Ellen, daughter of John McClay, of
Shippensburg, Pa. She died April ii,
1858. On January g, 1855, be was mar
rled to Eleanor, daughter Of David
Acheson, of Washington. He is sur
vived by his second wife and the fol-
lowing children: John McClay, en-
gagged in business in Pittsburg; Marcus
-, Pooto4 4 SAC lCAtA ICSby lOl ldn
Church, of Philadelphia; James l., Jr.,
member of the Washington county bar;
Robert Mckennan, an attorney and
business man of Cleveland, O.; Sarah,
wife of Henry R. Whitehill, an attor-
ney at Deer Lodge, Mont; Margaret,
wife of Prof. Edwin Linton, of Wash
ington and Jefferson College; Lauretta
Morgan, wife of Rev. Andrew Taylor,
of Philadelphia; Ellen McClay and Mary
Wilson, at home.
Deceased removed to Washington in
January, 1888, his purpose being a col
legiate education. Having been gradu-
ated in 1886, at the age OF nineteen
years, by Washington College, he spent
a veal in teaching the classics and
mathematics in the Bucks county acad-
envy at NewtoWn, Pa, where he nuns
bered among his pupils several who
have become men of prominence. He
subsequently entered as a student the
Western Theological Seminary of the
Presbyterian Church at Allegheny City.
Pa, following thither his friend, DR..
Elliott, who had become one of the
professors in that institution. Both in
college and in the seminary Mr.. Brown
son was accounted a careful and sue
cessful student. ?
Having completed his theological
studies, he was licensed to preach as
a probationary by the Presbytery of
Carlisle, October 10, 1910, at Greencas-
tie, Pa, after the usual course of trials
and examinations. In March following
he engaged to serve the churches of
Greensburg and Mount Pleasant, West
moreland county, as a stated supply fol-
six months, dividing his time between
them, and thus entered on his life work
as a minister. At the termination OF
this engagement he accepted unanimous
calls from both churches to become
their pastor, and accordingly was or
dained and installed as such on Novem-
Der 20, 1S41, by the Presbytery of Red
stone. The relation proved alike happy
and useful. Each of the churches hav-
ing previously been torn with dissen-
sions, was brought to peace; the men,
bership was greatly increased and soon
after = > each church arose, as
the result of his labors. to the support
of a pastor for itself.
His name 10Y stands at the head Of
the roll of the presbytery, as the oldest,
in point of membership, of the minis
tiers composing 1t. His services as a
pTesbyter have been manifold and
fruitful of results for good. He was
a moderator of the Synod of Wheeling
in 1859 . . . and of the Synod of
Pittsburg in 1871. He has been a mem
Der of the general assembly seven
times, viz: In 1s4S, 1854, 1863, 1867,
1875. 1885 and 1883, . 8 3 Besides
taking a leading part in the debates on
the floor, he has served . as a men,
Der and after as a chairman. of import
ant committees and judicial commits
sions, and in these positions his opin-
ions have always commanded respect,
and been accorded great weight. His
eminent fitness for such duties has al
ways been recognized i = = *He was ap-
pointed a delegate from the P~resbyter-
ian Church in the United States to the
first council of the Pan-Presbyterian
Alliance, held in Edinburgh, Scotland,
in 1877, but was unable to serve in that
capacity. He was a member Of the
council of the same alliance when it
met in Philadelphia in 1880, and also
at Toronto, Canada, In 1892.
DR.. Brownson has been closely iden-
titled with the interests of education =
* x y *From the union of Jefferson and
Washington colleges in 1865, until 1882
he was vice-president of the board Of
trustees of the united colleges. In the
latter year he was advanced to the
presidency as the successor of the Rev.
Chas. c. Beatty, d. D., Ii. D., of
Steubenville. Ohio, deceased, and this
position he still fills. He has bean vice
president of the Board of Directors Of
the Theological Seminary since 1883.
lii 1852 and in 1858 he acted as presi-
dent pro TEN of the faculty Of Wash
lngton college, and in 1880 rendered
a similar service to w. e J. college.
For 35 years he has been ihe president
OF the Board of Trustees Of the Wash
ington Seminary. He has taken a lead
ing part in the management of the in
stitutions with which he has been con-
nected, especially in matters pertaining
directly to their educational policies.
In 1871 = = = = he was appointed by
President Grant a member Of the
Board of Visitors, to attend the annual
examination of the U. S. naval acaGe-
my, Annapolis, Nd, inquire into the
state of the discipline and general man
agement of that institution, and report
to the Secretary of the Navy. He dis
charged the duties of this appoin meat
with his customary fidelity and abili-
ty.
~ l~I r