BIOGRAPHY: Jonathan Browning; Ogden, Weber co., Utah

Transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project
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History of Utah
The Storied Domain
A Documentary History of Utah's Eventual Career
by J. Cecil Alter
Vol. 2, published 1932 (expired copyright)
The American Historical Society, Inc.

JUDGE JONATHAN BROWNING was the son of Edmund and Sarah Allen, and was born
October 22, 1805, at Brushby Fork of Bledsoe Creek, near Nashville, Sumner
County, Tennessee. In his youth he was steady, thoughtful and devoted to the
acquisition of useful knowledge. He married his first wife, Elizabeth Stalcup,
November 9, 1826, and there were twelve children born to them, viz.: Sarah A,
David E., Barbara J., John W., James A., Asenath E., Martha C., Mary M., Nancy
L., Emma E., Jonathan A. and Melinda V.

In 1834 he moved with his family from Tennessee, locating in Adams County,
Illinois, where he invested largely in land, and carried on agricultural
pursuits in connection with his trade, gun and blacksmith. In 1842 he moved to
Nauvoo, he having previously been converted to Mormonism. Here he built a nice
twostory brick residence, gunsmith shop, etc., on Main Street, which lie
subsequently left without a cent's remuneration, emigrating west, in 1846 in
common with the general Mormon exodus from Nauvoo. He settled and remained in
Western Iowa, near Council Bluffs (then called Kanesville) on the Missouri
bottoms, close to the little village (of Indian traders) called Sarpy's Point.
Here he engaged in manufacturing guns, wagons, etc., making several
improvements and inventions in firearms. He also carried on farming, and
discharged the duties of magistrate, which office he had previously held in
the states he had left.

Many years after his demise an old gentleman from Idaho sent his family a copy
of the Frontier Guardian, published in Kanesville, Iowa, September 19, 1849,
in which was the following advertisement:
"GUNSMITHING.
"The subscriber is prepared to manufacture, to order, improved Fire-arms, viz:
revolving rifles and pistols; also slide guns, from 5 to 25 shooters. All on
an improved plan, and he thinks not equalled this far east. (Farther west they
might be.) The emigrating and sporting community are invited to call and
examine Browning's improved fire-arms before purchasing elsewhere. Shop eight
miles south of Kanesville on Musquito Creek, half a mile south of     Trading
Point.    JONATHAN BROWNING."

In 1852 he resumed his journey, crossing the plains, of three months' travel,
by ox teams. He was captain of a company in crossing the plains, and being an
expert marksman, he frequently furnished the camp with meat from the vast
quantities of buffalo along their route of travel.

Arriving in Utah, October 2, 1858, Jonathan Browning settled in Oden, where he
continued to reside until the time of his demise.

On March 17, 1854, he married Elizabeth C. Clark, and there were born to them
three children, viz.: Elizabeth C., John M. and Matthew S.

On March 29, 1858, he married Ann Emmett and there were born to them seven
children, viz.: Jonathan E., T. Samuel, William W., Olive A., George E.,
Benjamin F. and Susan 0.

In the history of Ogden City he is recorded as one of its founders and
principal business men and property owners. Much of the real estate on the
principal business street now known as Washington Avenue, once belonged to
Jonathan Browning. He owned four city lots on the west side of this street,
beginning at what is now known as the Eccles Building, and running south to
where the Egyptian Theater now stands, and where some of the finest buildings
of the city have since been erected.

During his residence in Ogden City he held many civil and ecclesiastical
offices. He also, at an early age in manhood, before he gathered with the
Mormon people, was a representative man in society, he having been a justice
of the peace in Sumner County, Tennessee. Soon after his arrival in Ogden he
was elected a member of the Ogden City Council. He also held the various
positions of justice of the peace, probate judge of Weber County, and member
of the Legislature of Utah. In the ecclesiastical sphere he was a bishop's
counselor, member of the High Council, and president of the High Priests
Quorum. In all his official capacities Jonathan Brownirrg proved himself to be
a man of honor, truth and integrity. As one of the founders of the city he did
much in developing its resources and business. He had a gun and blacksmith
shop, where he made fine guns and made the first iron-roller molasses mill in
Ogden. He made plows and all mill irons for sawmills, flour mills, etc., and
erected a tannery, grinding the bark and tanning the hides, and also had a
factory for making boots and shoes. He manufactured nails and many other
articles that could not be brought from the Missouri River by teams. He did as
much or more than any other man for the upbuilding and improving of Ogden City
and Weber County.

In the family of the Brownings there seems to be a large vein of native
talent. Edmund Browning, the father of the Judge, was a fine musician in his
day (a violinist), and Jonathan was a cousin of the late Hon. Orville H.
Browning, the famous lawyer of Quincy, Illinois, and ex-secretary of the
interior, and he was also a cousin of Doctor Browning, of Nashville,
Tennessee. He was a descendant of Capt. John Browning, born in England about
1588. He came to America in the Abigail in 1622, having sailed from Gravesend,
England, and landed on College Lands in Virginia, near the mouth of the James
River, in what was afterwards Jamestown, York County, Virginia.

In fine, Jonathan Browning was very respectably connected in Illinois, as well
as Tennessee, and was, himself, all his lifetime, called Squire or Judge. He
was a prominent man among his fellow citizens; universally respected and an
untiring advocate of temperance; unswerving and true to his convictions as the
needle to the pole; he was one of God's noblemen - a truly honest man. He died
at Ogden City June 21, 1879. He passed away in peace, surrounded by his large
and devoted family, on whom he left his blessing and final farewell, in the
seventy-fourth year of his age.

John M. Browning, a son of Jonathan Browning, and who died suddenly at Liege,
Belgium, November 26, 1926, while supervising the manufacture of arms of his
invention, was world renowned for his genius as an inventor, and took out more
patents for improvements in fire-arms than any other man in the world. Volumes
could be, and have been written of his wonderful inventions. Hon. Dwight F.
Davis, secretary of war, in a long and glowing eulogy of John M. Browning,
said:

"It is a fact to be recorded that no design of Mr. Browning's has ever proved
a failure, nor has any model been discontinued. The war department, through
its agency, the ordnance department of the army, will be greatly handicapped
in its future development work on automatic fire-arms as a result of the loss
of Mr. Browning's services. It is not thought that any other individual has
contributed so much to the national security of this country as Mr. Browning
in the development of our machine guns and our automatic weapons to a state of
military efficiency surpassing that of all nations."

Three of Jonathan Browning's son were elected mayor of Ogden City, and served
with honor and distinction, viz.: Matthew S., T. Samuel and George E.

Another son, Jonathan E., is one of the finest mechanics in the country, and
is also noted as an inventor, he having invented and improved several
automatic and repeating fire-arms, and is still "carrying on."