Thomas H. B. Browne


Thomas Henry Bayly Browne was a Virginia lawyer, Confederate veteran and two-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st congressional district.

Early and family life

Browne was born in Drummondtown in Accomack County on Virginia's Eastern Shore. His father was Dr. Peter Fielding Browne, and his mother, Sally Cropper Bayly, was likewise from an established planter family. He had a sister who died as an infant and an elder brother Orris Applethwaite Browne. Educated by private tutors, Browne later attended Hanover Academy and Bloomfield Academy, both in Virginia. After the American Civil War discussed below, Browne studied law and graduated from the law department of the University of Virginia in 1867.
After the war, Browne married Anna Drummond Fletcher, and one of their daughters and two sons survived to adulthood.

Confederate soldier

During the Civil War Browne dropped out of school to enlist as a private in Company F of 39th Virginia Infantry, where his widowed father served as surgeon. Browne later fought with Chew's Battalion of Stuart Horse Artillery. He was with the Army of Northern Virginia when it surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. His elder brother Orris, after graduating from VMI in 1862, served on the CSS Shenandoah.

Career

Admitted to the Virginia bar in 1868, Browne and returned to his home town to practice law, and his elder brother also returned and advocated agricultural reforms as well as held a state job regulating the oyster industry. Accomack County voters elected Browne as Commonwealth attorney in 1873, and re-elected him as well.
In 1886, voters in the surrounding 1st Congressional district narrowly elected Browne as a Republican to represent them in the 50th United States Congress. He defeated incumbent Thomas Croxton. Two years later Browne won re-election to the 51st Congress, but in 1890 Democrat William A. Jones defeated him.

Death and legacy

Browne returned to his law practice in Drummondtown, where he died a few months later. He was buried in the family plot at Mount Custis Cemetery.

Elections