Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-01-26
La SOUTH CAROLINA, wEDNHsDAY, JAN. 2o, 1921
COL. JOS. N. BROWN is DEAD.
Noted Citizen Of Andcrson-Iromi-
ncnt Lawyer and Business Man.


Army in South Carolina, died at his
home here this morning at 9 o'clock,
Joseph Newton Brown, lawyer,
business man and banker, had been
prominently identified with the prac-
tice Of law in this part Of the State
and with the business interests of
Anderson since the close Of the War
Between the States. He was born
near Anderson on Dec. 16. 1882. His
father, Samuel Brown, was mer-
chant and planter, and solid busl-
ness man, though he never held pub
lie office, but made activity and in
tegrity in business his leading aim
in life. His mother, Mrs. Helena T.
(Vandiver) Brown, like his father,
had strong religious convictions and
much of practical benevolence in
life, and they both gave religious
training to their son from his earli-
est years His fathers father was
John Brown, native Of Baltimore,
Md, and was Of English descent. His
mother was a descendant OF Jacob
Van der Weer, a Dutch settler Of
New York In 1850, who served in
the Dutch army which captured from
the Swedes Fort Christina tnow Will
mington, Del.,) in 1655, and sctrled
there. Edward Vandiver, Col.
Browns great grandia.her was .
Revolutionary soldier, who fought at
Eutaw Springs, and he had six sons
who were preachers of the Baptist
church, among them Rev. Sanford
Vandiver, Mrs. Browns father, be-
ing prominent.
enjoyed the sports of hunting and
fishing, and he early became habit
uated to moderate labor on the farm
with the negroes who belonged to
his fibher, and this, he always felt,
gave him "health and strength and
the habit Of perseverance. He at
tended the country schools within
reach Of his home-the old field
schools. and when an accident to his
father interrupted his attendance at
school, he took place as clerk in
his fathers store. Later he attended
the classical school Of Wesley Lev
erett, at Williamson.
In 1866, when he was % years of
age, he entered thes .nlagcantile-l life
In Laurens. Soon afterward he be-
gan the study Of law in the office OF
Col. j. II. Irby, and was admitted to
the bar In 1853. With his preceptor.
he formed a partnership and the law
firm Of Irby & Brown was establish
ed This was dissolved at the death
of Col. Irby in 1860. A partnership
with Col. p. r. Todd was then form
ed, but in 1861 both partners entel-
ed the Confederate Army. The for
mer attained the rank Of lieutenant
colonel Of the Third South Carolina
Regiment, while Mr.. Brown, by sue
cessive promotions, became colonel
Of the Fourteenth South Carolina
Volunteers.
Enlisting as a private in Co. B,
Capt. James VI. Perrin, Gregg's Reg
iment, on Sullivan's Island, Jan. II,
1861, he was transferred March 5th
to Morris Island, where he served
through the bombardment Of Fort
Sumter. Returning to Laurens he
organized Co. r, Fourteenth South
Carolina Volunteers, and as captain
Of that company, re-entered the SER
vice on Aug. 16, 1861, On Feb. 20,
1868, he was commissioned lieuten-
ant colonel OF that regiment, and be-
came colonel Of the regiment on the
18th of September, 1868, continuing
in that command until the close of
the war. He commanded the regi-
ment in most Of the important bat
ties from Charlottesville until on
April 2, 1865, when he was captured
at the fall OF Petersburg, and was
held as a prisoneS Of war at John
sons Island until July, 1865.
AS senior colonel Of MCGOWAN 8
Brigade he commanded the brigade
in the battle Of the Bloody Angle,
Spottsylvania Court House, Va, on
May ~, 1864. lie had command Of
this regiment in the Battle Of Gettys-
burg, July |, 1868, and with the
First Regiment, Col. McCrary's, his
men were the first troops to enter
gettysburg. He was severely wound
ed at Gaines Mill, June 81, 1862,
and at Gettysburg on July 3. 1868.
re participated in most Of the bat
ties Of Stonewall Jackson's Corps,
his military record appearing in
Caldwell's "fIistory of McGowan's
Brigade"
After his release at the close of
the war, Col. Brown removed to An
derson, and in October, 1865, formed
partnership with the Hon. ]. p.
Reid, then solicitor Of the Western
Circuit, which continued until in
1874. For the succeeding six years
he practiced his profession alone,
while from 1880 to 1888 he was in
partnership with J. l.. Tribble and
William S. Brown. In 1888 he virtu-
ally retired from the practice Of his
profession, having acquired from
large and lucrative practice hand
some competence.
In his political relations, always
Democrat, he voted the regular
ticket, even for VIM. J. Bryan, al
though he differed from him on f.
nancial uuostiOnS Yet ha wae NOT