The Last Roll: John Milton Brownson.

Confederate Veteran
Volume 14, Number 3, Page 131
March 1906

It is with sincere sorrow that the news is received indicated by this Last Roll caption. During the first reunion at Nashville, in 1897 (our Centennial year), Comrade Brownson, wife, and daughter made a prolonged visit to Nashville, and he honored the VETERAN quarters by his presence.

Mr. Brownson died at Victoria, Tex., January 26, 1906, after an illness of many months, when every remedy that medical skill could suggest and every effort that wealth could employ was found unavailing to prolong his life. He was born in Illinois December 28, 1836, and had entered his seventieth year. He was of distinguished ancestry, being ninth in his line from John Brownson, who came with Hooker to Hartford, Conn., in 1636, and who was in the Pequod war, and was one of the seven who organized the Church of Farrington, Conn., in 1652. Two of the line held office under the English king. His military record is replete with acts of daring and heroic deeds. In 1852 he went to Texas with his parents, who settled at Clinton, Dewitt County. He was living in Dewitt County when the call was made for volunteers from his adopted State to resist invasion, and he volunteered promptly, enlisting as a private in Company E, 8th Regiment Texas Cavalry, the regiment known as Terry's Texas Rangers. He fought at Woodsonville, Ky., and shared the retreat to Corinth. On the first day of the battle at Shiloh, on April 6, 1862, he was severely wounded, causing partial paralysis from which he always suffered. The conical shell which wounded him at the same time passed through this horse. He was sent home on furlough, but by June 1 he had recovered and was again with his regiment. He was tendered a position on the staff of a Confederate brigadier general, but preferred to continue with his company. Being disabled and on account of his qualifications as well as his wound, he was made assistant quartermaster for the regiment in the winter of 1862. Being practically on the staff of Gen. Thomas Harrison, he shared the service of Gen. Wheeler's cavalry in the Tennessee, Georgia, and Carolina campaigns, his final battle experience being Bentonville.

In 1866 Mr. Bronwson settled in Victoria. He was married there August 23, 1870, to Miss Kate Fleming McDow. He engaged in banking at Victoria from 1869, having associated with him for several years Mr. Eugene Sibley. Later it became the First National Bank, and Comrade Brownson was chosen president.

The Victoria Daily Advocate states: "In every department of life he was influential. He was noted for his numerous acts of kindness and charity. In Church affairs he was always a leading member, having held sucessively the offices of deacon and elder in the First Presbyterian Church of this city. He held many positions of honor and trust. At the time of his death he was president of the school board, was a Mason and Knight Templar, and was a member of the Benevolent Order of Elks. He was also a member of the W. R. Scurry Camp of Confederate Veterans. At the annual reunion of the Terry Rangers held in this city in 1899 he was elected President. As a mark of respect all the business houses of the city closed for the funeral. His widow and two children, Mrs. B. B. Burns, of Bristol, Va., and John M. Brownson, Jr., of this city, survive him."