The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-02-23
SIX PRESIDENTS HER GUESTS
Elizabeth Brownlow Who Died Re
Gently in Knoxville, Tenn.

cently IN Nno%Vllie, Snn.
The death in Knoxville, Tenn, of
Elizabeth O'Brien Brownlow at the
age of 95 was noted briefly by news
papers which printed columns almost
daily fifty years ago abut the
words and deeds OF her husband,
William Gannaway Brownlow, the
Fighting Parson, whose champions
ship OF the Union and whose flaming
denunciation OF secession were so
valuable to his country in the border
States.
Mrs Brownlow survived her intre.
pid husband for thrty-seyen yeas.
No merely as widow of one of the
great figures of American history, but
also because of her own brave and
unselfish career, she was greatly hon
cred as she neared the end of her
days. In the old Brownlow home,
where the Fighting Pa-son had writ
ten his fearless editorials for tn,
Wing and from which he had gone
out many times to be shot at and
assaulted, she received six President
Of the United States-Johnson Grant
Hayes, Mckinley, Roosevelt and Taft
In her younger days she had cour-
tested 10 Andrew Jackson and Gen
Sam Houston. Her active life GOV
cred eighty yea s of the eventful his
tory of her country
Mrs. Brownlow, born in Kingsport,
Tenn, September 25. 1919. came OF
distinguished ancestry Her father
was William Smith OBrien, who fig
ured prominently in the revolt in Ire
land in 1S4S. She was closely relatet
to Major-Gen. Edmund Pendleton
Gaines. hero of the Revolutionary
war; to Judge Nathaniel Pendleton,
Alexander Hamil ems second in the
fatal duel with Aaron Burr; to Pres
iden Zachary Taylor to Presiden
James X. Polk and to many other
soldiers and law makers Of the early
part Of the nineteenth century.
She met Parson Brownlow when
be was a Methodist circuit rider. and
although her parents objected to the
penniloss and prcspectless preacher
their courtship progressed and they
were mar led in 1896
Shortly after chat William Gamma
way Brownlows voice began to carry
far. When he was still youthful ex-
horter grea. crowds focked 10 his
meetings, but the country began to
know him when he became the edi
tor of the Knoxville Wing in 1898
and conducted it so aggressively a.
to get his name Of THE Fighting Par
SON.
Fer years or until 1861, when the
Confederate authorities suppressed
Che paper, Brownlow Numbered
against disloyalty. He was not op-
posed to slavery, bu. he detested he
secession advoca es. His temper was
fiery and he came to blows many
times with Secession sympathizcrs,
who tried to scare him out OF Ten
nessee. Men attempted to xii HIN.
He was imprisoned. Sometimes he
was hun ed through the mcun.ains.
But he could moi be si'enced and the
al Washington had cause
to thank Parson b 'ownlow for his
splendid championship OF the Union
in all of his dangers and troubles
Mrs. Brownlow was his counsellor
and comrade.
parson Brownlow became Cover
nor OF Tennessee in 1865 and was re-
elected two years later. He served
ono term as United States Senator
and was leade' OF his party in Con
sress. lie spent his last days in the
Old home in Knoxville ana died IN
1877 in his seventy-second year.
Mrs. Brownlow continued to live
in the cid home. She took lively
interest in public affairs and kept
abreast Of the times. Many visitors
from al parts Of the country paid
their respects to Mrs. Brownlow and
were entertained with he, rare fund
Of "reminiscences. Herself CT charm
ing manners and old fashioned cour-
tesy. she often said that she consid-
cred Gen Jackson ;he most courIy
gentleman she had ever known--ai.
tribute Of the Generals which is no.
always emphasized by historians. I'm
til the very last Mrs Browning re
tanned possession of he faculties and
was able to wait on herself until The
last days of her illness.
Col. John Bell Brownlow is the best
known Of the surviving children In
the civil war he commanded the Nine.
tcenth Tennessee Cavalry Another
son. Gen. James z. Brownlow. died in
1872, never having recovered from in
juries received in the war.