Brown, John Mason, 1837-1890

John Mason Brown was born in Frankfort, Ky., 26 April 1837, the son of Mason and Mary (Yoder) Brown. He graduated from Yale College in 1856. He returned to Frankfort where he taught school and studied law. In April, 1860, he opened a law practice in St. Louis, Mo. He spent several months in 1861 and 1862 traveling in the Northwestern United States and British America. Upon his return from a trip to the Montana Territory in October, 1862, he was commissioned Major of the Kentucky10th cavalry regiment. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the 45th Kentucky Mounted Rifles regiment in December, 1863. He was subsequently appointed commander of the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky in April, 1864 and the 2nd Brigade in July, 1864. He left the service in December, 1864 and resumed his law practice in Frankfort. He eventually opened a law firm in Louisville in 1873 and later was a founder of the Filson Club. He married Mary O. Preston, eldest daughter of Gen. William Preston, 25 November 1869. They had 4 children. He eventually settled in Louisville, Ky., where he remained in practice until his death on 29 January 1890 at the age of 52.

From the description of John Mason Brown Miscellaneous papers, 1862-1864. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 756785453

The Kentucky Gazette was originally published by John Bradford in 1789. The paper became defunct in 1848 but was reestablished in 1866 by Howard H. Gratz. Gratz ran the paper until 1868. Samuel I.M. Major became part owner and publisher of the Kentucky Yeoman in 1853. He continued to help edit and publish the paper until his death in 1886.

From the description of John Mason Brown papers : letter, 1873. (Kentucky Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 36810737

John Mason Brown was a son of Mason Brown, jurist and secretary of state of Kentucky, 1855-1859, and a grandson of John Brown, member of the continental congress, 1787-1788, and first United States senator from Kentucky. After graduating from Yale College in 1856, John Mason Brown worked as a teacher and for the State Geological Survey in Kentucky. In 1860 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he practiced law. After trips to the Northwest in 1861 and 1862, Brown served as a Colonel in the United States Army during the Civil War. He was an author of works about Kentucky history.

From the description of John Mason Brown letters to his family, 1861-1862. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81603128

From the description of John Mason Brown letters to his family, 1861-1862. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702150268

Lawyer, soldier, historian.

From the description of John Mason Brown : papers, 1866-1884. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 46737641

From the description of Diary, 1861. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 46737640