Browne EL01

Waupaca Republican Post

September 24, 1925

EL BROWNE DIES

DEATH CAME AT THE HOME OF DAUGHTER LAST FRIDAY

OLDEST LAWYER IN THE STATE

Became a President of Waupaca in 1852

Took Prominent Part in Republican Party

Was a State Senator and Candidate for Congress

E.L. Browne, who has resided in Waupaca since 1852, one of Waupaca’s oldest and most respected citizens, and the oldest lawyer in Wisconsin, died Friday at eleven o’clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C.R. Truesdell.

Mr. Browne fell about six weeks ago dislocating his hip, from which injury he was confined to his bed until his death.

The funeral services were held at St. Mark’s church, Waupaca, of which Mr. Browne was a member and one of the founders seventy years ago. Rev. Alfred L. du Domnine, rector of St. Mark’s church, conducted the services at the church, and the Masonic Fraternity of Waupaca, F.A.M. 123, of which Mr. Browne was a charter member, had charge of the Masonic ceremony at the grave.

Edward L. Browne of Waupaca, Wisconsin was born June 27, 1830, on a farm in the town of Granville, New York. He was of a family of twelve children. His father, Jonathan Browne was a captain in the war of 1812. May 25^th, 1845, with his father and mother, he came to Milwaukee and settled in the town of Granville, where his father took up a homestead and which he and his brothers helped clear and make into a farm.

Edward attended the District school and alter attended Professor Buck’s Institute at Milwaukee for three years, renting a room in the city of Milwaukee and boarding himself.

Later he taught school at Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee County, reading law evenings, and borrowing his law books from the law firm of Finch & Lynde of Milwaukee. In the year of 1850 he continued his study of law in the law office of Graham & Davis, attorneys at Fond du Lac, Wis., and was admitted to the bar in 1851.

In September, 1854, he located at Waupaca, Wis., where he began the practice of law. The county of Waupaca at that time was not organized and the circuit court was held at Oshkosh to which place his business frequently called him. Roads were poor and no regular stage, so he frequently walked to Oshkosh and Fond du Lac and sometimes to Milwaukee. Mr. Browne, until he met with is accident a few weeks before his death, went to his law office practically every day in the year, and while not engaged in active practice of the law, was frequently called upon for advice and consul. Mr. Browne’s name appears in cases he had before the Supreme court in the Wisconsin Reports beginning with the 13 Wis. (P. 549) and continuing down to a few years ago, a period of nearly seventy years.

March 4^th, 1856, Edward L. Browne married Miss Mary Parish, daughter of Judge Parish of Randolph, Vermont, who with her sister taught a private school at Waupaca. The ceremony was performed by Wisconsin’s pioneer Bishop Kemper. Mrs. Browne died March 6^th, 1920, after having celebrated her 64^th wedding anniversary. From this union four children were born, all of whom are living: Paul Browne, Rhinelander, D.P. Browne, Berkley, California; Mrs. Jennie H. Truesdell, Waupaca; Edward E. Browne, Waupaca, who is now the representative of the 8^th Congressional District of Wisconsin, in Congress. Besides the four children surviving him, there are ten grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

Mr. Browne was a Republican in politics and represented Wisconsin in the State Senate in 1861 and 63, and also in 1867 and 68. He was a member of important committees in that body and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1862 he received the Republican nomination for Congress in the 5^th District at a convention held at the city of Oshkosh. On account of most of the soldier voters in the district being in action, they were prevented from voting and notwithstanding, he received ninety per cent of the soldier vote, he was defeated by less than five hundred majority. He was a delegate to every Republican State convention in Wisconsin for over thirty-five years, and also a delegate to several national conventions and served as presidential elector for his party. Mr. Browne was always in demand as a campaign speaker and although not a candidate for office, spoke under the auspices of the state and national committee’s in every presidential campaign beginning with the Fremont campaign of 1856, when the Republican party was started, until a very few years ago. Mr. Browne ranked high as a lawyer and always enjoyed a large law practice, and his name is associated with much important litigation in Northern Wisconsin.

In the United States Biographical Directory of Wisconsin appears the following from a contemporary attorney as to Mr. Browne’s reputation as a lawyer:

“He is a close, logical reasoner, has a sound, discriminating judgment on legal points, and as an advocate is always strong with a jury. His style of address is very earnest, his appeals are often eloquent; while his clear, candid statements of facts, and his deductions from them are always convincing as his almost invariable success in jury trials will attest.”

Mr. Browne was a member of the Episcopal Church and served for many years as Senior Warden of St. Mark’s Episcopal church at Waupaca, Wisconsin, and was a Knight Templar Mason.

The successful life of a man like Edward L. Browne should be an inspiration to the youth of the country, and is a splendid tribute to our Republican Institutions, whose doors of opportunity are wide open to all those who have the ambition and make the most of their opportunities. Reared in humble circumstances it was by hard work and self-denial in his early life that he was able to obtain an education and afterward attain the prominence and honor of his later life.