Joseph Mackey Brown
Joseph Mackey Brown ( born December 28, 1851 in Canton, Cherokee County, Georgia, † March 3, 1932 in Marietta, Georgia ) was an American politician and served twice as Governor of Georgia.
Youth and political rise
Joseph was the son of Joseph E. Brown and his wife Elizabeth Grisham. The father was 1857-1865 was governor of Georgia during the Civil War. The younger Joseph graduated from Oglethorpe University in 1872 and then studied at Harvard University law. Due to an eye disease but he could not exercise the profession of lawyer. Instead, he studied business administration in Atlanta and was then employed by the Western and Atlantic Railroad. By 1889 he had risen at this railroad company to transport Officer ( Traffic Manager ) for the entire route network. He received his first political office in 1904, when, he was appointed by the then Governor of Georgia, Joseph Terrell in the Railway Committee of the State. A controversy with Terrell's successor Michael Hoke Smith led in 1907 to his retirement from the committee. Brown decided to embark on as a candidate and to replace Smith in the gubernatorial elections of 1908. Since Smith was relatively unpopular and had lost the support of the influential Senator Thomas E. Watson, Brown could win the election.
The feud with Hoke Smith
In the following years, Brown and Hoke Smith led a feud. From 1909 to 1911 Brown was governor. In 1910, Smith was able to prevail in the internal party primaries and replace Brown. Shortly after taking office in 1911, however, Smith was elected to succeed the late Alexander S. Clay is a U.S. Senator. After John Slaton temporarily led the official duties, Brown decided in 1912 to reapply. He was elected and had thus from 1912 to 1913 for a second term. However, the feud with Smith went on. 1914 Brown ran against his rival for his seat in the Senate. After his defeat Brown then gave up and never competed again for public office.
Governor of Georgia
Joseph Brown was so in the periods 1909-11 and 1912-1913 twice governor of Georgia. As Governor, he advocated a prohibition law for alcohol one, advocated a tax cut and supported the establishment of a new Ministry of Labour. During his tenure, motor vehicles driving licenses and traffic regulations were registered for the first time in Georgia, adopted. Driving under the influence of alcohol was banned.
End of life and death
After retiring from office Brown spent his life in Marietta. There he worked as a banker and vice president of the First National Bank of Marietta. He was involved in the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank. He died on 3 March 1932. Brown was married to Cora Annie McCord since 1889.