James Brown (Louisiana)

James Brown
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office February 5, 1813 – March 4, 1817
Preceded by	Thomas Posey
Succeeded by	William C. C. Claiborne
In office March 4, 1819 – December 10, 1823
Preceded by	Eligius Fromentin
Succeeded by	Josiah S. Johnston
1st Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office June 5, 1792 – October 13, 1796
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Harry Toulmin
Personal details
Born	September 11, 1766(1766-09-11) Staunton, Virginia
Died	April 7, 1835(1835-04-07) (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Alma mater	Washington and Lee University College of William and Mary

James Brown (September 11, 1766 – April 7, 1835) was a lawyer, U.S. Senator from Louisiana and Minister to France. He was the brother of John Brown, the cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge and Francis Preston, the brother-in-law of Henry Clay, the uncle of James Brown Clay, Henry Clay, Jr., John Morrison Clay, the great uncle of B. Gratz Brown and the cousin-in-law of Thomas Hart Benton.

Early life and education

Born near Staunton, Virginia, Brown attended Washington College (later Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia, and William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia. He read law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Frankfort, Kentucky. Brown commanded a company of sharpshooters in an expedition against the Indians in 1789. His wife was Ann "Nancy" Hart, sister of Lucretia Hart Clay, wife of Henry Clay.

Career

Brown served as secretary to the Virginia Governor in 1792. On June 5, 1792, Isaac Shelby, the first governor of Kentucky, nominated Brown as Secretary of State; he was confirmed by the state senate and served until October 13, 1796. Soon after the cession of the Territory of Louisiana, Brown moved to New Orleans and was appointed as secretary of the Territory in 1804. He served from October 1 to December 11 of that year, when he became United States district attorney for the Territory.

Brown was one of the wealthiest slave owners on the German Coast, where his substantial plantation produced sugar through the use of forced labor.

In January 1811, some slaves from James Brown's plantations outside the city rebelled, joining the 1811 German Coast Uprising, including the notorious Kook, one of the leaders of the insurrection. It was the largest slave rebellion in US history, but short lived, and the slaves killed only two white men. In the aftermath of confrontation with the militia and executions after trials, ninety-five blacks were killed. Some of the men were from Haiti, brought to the US by white refugees. Other were from Africa.

Brown was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate on December 1, 1812, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jean N. Destréhan, and served from February 5, 1813, to March 3, 1817. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection, but again elected to the United States Senate in 1819, as an Adams-Clay Republican. He served from March 4, 1819, until December 10, 1823, when he resigned. During his tenure, Brown was the chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations (Sixteenth Congress).

Brown was appointed United States Minister to France 1823-1829. After his return to the United States, he settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He died there in 1835 and was buried at Christ Church, Philadelphia, the church of statesmen.

Citations

• "Secretary of State James Brown". Kentucky Secretary of State. http://apps.sos.ky.gov/secdesk/sosinfo/default.aspx?id=01. Retrieved 2011-05-09. 

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Further reading

• Hardin, Bayless (April 1942). "The Brown Family of Liberty Hall". Filson Club Historical Quarterly 16 (2). http://connect1.ajaxdocumentviewer.com/viewerajax.php?Sv6GqNr5b%2BfIZQlGJtGbbbQQ30xIGSqwrXhZx%2FuMxvrOXGPnid%2BY%2BE205l1M4MwfWRXCCWoJcazVVeTWy901QWRTWNPjqwq%2BBb2h%2BNqhaNtlcojFIHI6hWnSSmRZQFRXoztEZZhwXXQPuLfMW1vd7LLN2sRy07WSAiaFSVMo2d1k1rG7FrP2PYz2auuy48Xw%2FT6TQgi4QIsWEuE2HeymPtLX4prFJXc0w9AAcAC67Ay%2FgZlisWqkCFaJXTCIFlh3BHTd7Y1BhRAFqSujI4zCjwHSZB%2FWkxE0Khz2plyvUGhl84JdV%2F%2BowTxlsE1vcqV52tfyHA6GeyLNjTJ%2FqRqG6EgEYtgoIEG%2B0bwiilV6GvV3z6xaHNdf55EnrwRpEJXG2xjDtoVIkSjuhgGmFE6F150Fk3hVoI4OSn%2FnLe0%2FDL0%3D. Retrieved 2011-12-06. 

External links

• James Brown (Louisiana) at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States Senate
Preceded by Thomas Posey	United States Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana 1813–1817 Served alongside: Allan B. Magruder, Eligius Fromentin	Succeeded by William C.C. Claiborne
Preceded by Eligius Fromentin	United States Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana 1819–1823 Served alongside: Henry Johnson	Succeeded by Josiah S. Johnston
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Albert Gallatin	United States Minister to France 1824–1829	Succeeded by William C. Rives