Neill S. Brown

Neill Smith Brown ( born April 18, 1810 Giles County, Tennessee, † January 30, 1886 ) was an American politician and 14th Governor of Tennessee.

Early years

Smith had his education largely appropriated itself. In 1831 he studied at the Manual Labor Academy, later the Jackson College emerged from the. A law school he financed by working as a teacher. In 1834 he was admitted as a lawyer and a year later he opened a law firm in Giles County. In 1836 he took part in the so-called Semiolenkrieg.

Political rise

As a member of the Whig Party, he was elected in 1837 for two years in the House of Representatives from Tennessee. In 1843 he applied unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. Congress, four years later, he ran against incumbent Aaron V. Brown for the governorship of Tennessee. He could decide this election just for themselves. One reason for his election victory was, despite the victory against Mexico, the war-weariness of Americans. This should also be a year later in the presidential election show as Zachary Taylor, a Whig candidate was elected.

Governor of Tennessee

Although his Whig Party in both houses of Congress from Tennessee had the majority, he could move as governor not much. A law to a school reform failed in practice in the implementation in each district. It is noteworthy that in his time the era of telegraphy began in Tennessee. In 1849, Brown was defeated in the gubernatorial elections his Democratic challenger William Trousdale.

More career

1850, the ex-governor of President Taylor was appointed ambassador to Russia. This office he held until 1852. From 1855 to 1857 he was again a deputy in Congress from Tennessee. Since his Whig Party had now resolved more or less themselves Brown now joined the so-called American Party. 1861 at the start of the American Civil War he was a member of the military and Finance Committee of the State. In 1870 he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of Tennessee. Later he worked as a lawyer again. Neill Brown died in January 1886.

With his wife, Mary Ann, with whom he had been married since 1839, he had eight children. His brother John Calvin Brown was 1871-1875 Governor of Tennessee.