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Brown, Joseph Renshaw "J.R."

Sessions Served  red ball graphic  Other Information


Map of Henderson
Henderson, MN

Territorial Council 1854-55 (District 6); Territorial House 1857 (District 10); Democratic Constitutional Convention 1857 (District 10)

Party when first elected:  Democratic

Counties Served:  Blue Earth, Brown, Dakota, Faribault, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Pierce (defunct), Renville, Sibley, Steele

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 01/05/1805 Date of Death: 11/09/1870
Birth Place: Maryland Birth County: Harford Birth Country: United States
Other Names: J.R.
Gender:  Male Religion:  Not Reported
City of Residence (when first elected):  Henderson

Occupation (when first elected):  Owner, Editor, and Publisher; Minnesota Pioneer, 1852-1854

EDUCATION

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Board/CommissionerSt. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory (County Commissioner) ??/??/18?? to ??/??/18??
Territorial GovernmentWisconsin Territorial Legislature (2 Sessions) ??/??/18?? to ??/??/18??
JudgeWisconsin? (Justice of the Peace) ??/??/18?? to ??/??/18??
U.S. Executive BranchUnited States (Indian Agent) ??/??/18?? to ??/??/18??
MilitaryUnited States Army (Fort Snelling, Drummer Boy and Fifer; Officer, Under General Sibley) ??/??/1819 to ??/??/182?
Judicial AdministrationSt. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory (Clerk of County Court) ??/??/184? to ??/??/184?
Territorial GovernmentMinnesota Territorial Council (Secretary of the Council) ??/??/1849 to ??/??/1851
Territorial GovernmentMinnesota Territorial House of Representatives (Territorial Chief Clerk of the House) ??/??/1853 to ??/??/1853
Municipal Council/AldermenHenderson, Minnesota (Village Council, 1st President) ??/??/1856 to ??/??/1857
Territorial Democratic Constitutional Convention10th Council District, Minnesota TerritoryElected07/13/1857 to 08/29/1857

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Miss Dickson (daughter of Robert Dickson, her mother was a member of the Dakota Indian Tribe)
Children: Had children: Samuel J. (son); (at least 1 daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Minnesota Place Names lists his birth place as Hartford, Maryland. History of Minnesota: from the French Explorations to the Present Time, 1873 lists York County, Pennsylvania.

He came to the Northwest Territory in 1819.

His party affiliation was provided by Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2, p. 438.

Brown County, Minnesota was named after him; Browns Valley, Traverse County, Minnesota was also named after him. He was a founder of Henderson, Sibley County, Minnesota and Browns Valley, Traverse County, Minnesota.

He died in New York City, New York.

Legislative Session: 8th Territorial (1857)   Session Details
Body: Territorial House Elected: 10/14/1856 Term of Office: 1/7/1857 to 12/1/1857
District: 10 Residence: Henderson
Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Pierce (defunct), Renville, Sibley, Steele
Occupation: Founder and Editor, First Newspaper in Henderson, Minnesota, the Henderson Democrat, 1857-1861
Party: Democratic Party Notes: His party affiliation was provided by Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2, p. 438.
Committees:
Legislative Session: 6th Territorial (1855)   Session Details
Body: Territorial Council Elected: 10/12/1853 Term of Office: 1/4/1854 to 1/1/1856
District: 06 Residence: Henderson
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Former Owner, Editor, and Publisher; Minnesota Pioneer, 1852-1854
Party: Democratic Party Notes: His party affiliation was provided by Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2, p. 438.
Committees:
Agriculture and Manufactures
Internal Improvements (Chair)
Legislative Expenditures
Militia
Printing
Territorial Roads (Chair)
Legislative Session: 5th Territorial (1854)   Session Details
Body: Territorial Council Elected: 10/12/1853 Term of Office: 1/4/1854 to 1/1/1856
District: 06 Residence: Henderson
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Owner, Editor, and Publisher; Minnesota Pioneer, 1852-1854
Party: Democratic Party Notes: His party affiliation was provided by Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2, p. 438.
Committees:
Enrolled Bills
Internal Improvements (Chair)
Militia
Printing (Chair)
Territorial Roads

OTHER INFORMATION

Photographs
Joseph R. Brown with Dakota Indians and white men who accompanied him to Washington for a treaty with the government (ca. 1858) From the Minnesota Historical Society's Visual Resources Database

Articles & Books About
Lambert, LeClair Grier. "Reflections (Joseph R. Brown)." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 19, 2002, p. 23.

"Brown County." Minnesota Place Names (Electronic Resource), St. Paul, Minn.: Minnesota Historical Society.

"Traverse County. Browns Valley." Minnesota Place Names (Electronic Resource), St. Paul, Minn.: Minnesota Historical Society.




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