Thomas Henry Bayly Browne (February 8, 1844 – August 27, 1892) was a Virginia lawyer, Confederate veteran and two-term Republican member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from Virginia's 1st congressional district (1887–1891).

Early and family life

Browne was born in Drummondtown (renamed Accomac shortly after his death) in Accomack County on

Virginia's Eastern Shore The Virginia's Eastern Shore AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes a length of Virginia's Eastern Shore and consists of the counties of Accomack and Northampton. The topography in this AVA is mostly level and ranges from sea le ...

. His father was Dr. Peter Fielding Browne (1813-1880), and his mother, Sally Cropper Bayly (1813-1857), was likewise from an established planter family. He had a sister who died as an infant and an elder brother Orris Applethwaite Browne (1842-1898). Educated by private tutors, Browne later attended Hanover Academy and Bloomfield Academy, both in Virginia. After the American Civil War discussed below, Browne studied law and graduated from the law department of the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

in 1867. After the war, Browne married Anna Drummond Fletcher (1849-1926), and one of their daughters and two sons (including the future World War I artillery commander and Brigadier General

Beverly Fielding Browne Beverly or Beverley may refer to: Places Australia *Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide * Beverley, Western Australia, a town * Shire of Beverley, Western Australia Canada *Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City of ...

) survived to adulthood.

Confederate soldier

During the Civil War Browne dropped out of school to enlist as a private in Company F of 39th Virginia Infantry, where his widowed father served as surgeon (and would by 1864 run a division of Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond). Browne later fought with Chew's Battalion of Stuart Horse Artillery. He was with the Army of Northern Virginia when it surrendered at

Appomattox Court House Appomattox Court House could refer to: * The village of Appomattox Court House, now the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, in central Virginia (U.S.), where Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union commander Ulyss ...

on April 9, 1865. His elder brother Orris, after graduating from VMI in 1862, served on the CSS Shenandoah.

Career

Admitted to the Virginia bar in 1868, Browne and returned to his home town to practice law, and his elder brother also returned and advocated agricultural reforms as well as held a state job regulating the oyster industry. Accomack County voters elected Browne as Commonwealth attorney (

prosecutor A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the Civil law (legal system), civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the ...

) in 1873, and re-elected him as well. In 1886, voters in the surrounding 1st Congressional district narrowly elected Browne as a Republican to represent them in the

50th United States Congress The 50th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887, ...

. He defeated incumbent Thomas Croxton. Two years later Browne won re-election to the

51st Congress The 51st United States Congress, referred to by some critics as the Billion Dollar Congress, was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Rep ...

, but in 1890 Democrat William A. Jones defeated him.

Death and legacy

Browne returned to his law practice in Drummondtown, where he died a few months later. He was buried in the family plot at Mount Custis Cemetery.findagrave.com no. 7688087

Elections

*1886; Browne defeated the incumbent Democrat, Thomas Croxton, with 54.07% of the vote to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. *1888; Browne was re-elected with 50.71% of the vote, defeating Democrat Gilmer S. Kendall. *1890; Browne lost his bid fore re-election, winning only 45.4% of the vote. Democrat William A. Jones won.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, Thomas H. B. Brown, Thomas H. B. Brown, Thomas H.B. Brown, Thomas H. B. Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia Confederate States Army soldiers People of Virginia in the American Civil War 19th-century American lawyers People from Accomac, Virginia 19th-century American politicians