CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: JOHN A. BROWN - Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
1 October 2001
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson, p 131-2.

JOHN A. BROWN

John A. Brown, of Tyler, is a native of Albemarle county, Virginia, 
born June 5th, 1844. He is the son of Tarlton W. and Eliza W. (nee 
Thurmond) Brown of that great commonwealth. He was educated in the 
schools of the county, and in Greenwood Academy, and then went to the 
Virginia Military University, and in the latter studied military 
tactics under Commandant Geo. W. Ross. On the 1st of March 1862, 
enlisted in Sturdevant batterv and surrendered May 5th, 1865. Was 
in the battle of Mechanicsville and Gaines' Mill in June 1862. Here 
his command was so badly crippled that they were ordered back to 
Rich­mond. In these battles was attached to Longstreet's corps. He 
was with Gen. Lee, and A. P. Hill in the Mary­land campaign but later
was sent to Eastern Virginia on the Black River and assisted in 
capturing Gen. Butler's favorite Gun Boat, the Smithfield in Isle of
Wight county.  Was in the trenches around Petersburg until the 9th of
March then made the retreat until the surrender at Appomatox, and 
returned home before he was 21 years old. In 1869 he removed to Tyler 
and on Oct 26th he married Miss Emma Sanford, a daughter of John A. 
Sanford, a leading citizen of Smith county. Mr. Brown is a prominent 
business man of his city and a Christian gentleman. His children are 
well known in business circles. His oldest son1 John Jacob Brown, is 
attaining distinction in New York as an electrical engineer.