HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
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the World's Congress Auxiliary held in connection with The Columbian Exposition in 1893.
BROWNE, Thomas C., early jurist, was born in Kentucky, studied law there and, coming to Shawneetown in 1812, served in the lower branch of the Second Territorial Legislature (1814-16) and in the Council (1816-48), being the first lawyer to enter that body. In 1815 he was appointed Prosecuting Attorney and, on the admission of Illinois as a State, was promoted to the Supreme bench, being re-elected by joint ballot of the Legislature in 1825, and serving continuously until the reorganization of the Supreme Court under the Constitution of 1848, a period of over thirty years. Judge Browne's judicial character and abilities ha\7e been differently estimated. Though lacking in industry as a student, he is represented by the late Judge John D. Caton, who knew him personally, as a close thinker and a good judge of men. While seldom, if ever, accustomed to argue questions in the conference room or write out his opinions, he had a capacity for expressing himself in short, pungent sentences, which indicated that he was a man of considerable ability and had clear and distinct views of his own. An attempt was made to impeach him before the Legislature of 1843 "for want of capacity to discharge the duties of his office," but it failed by an almost unanimous vote. He was a Whig in politics, but had some strong supporters among Democrats. In 1822 Judge Browne was one of the four candidates for Governor-in the final returns standing third on the list and, by dividing the vote of the advocates of a pro-slavery clause in the State Constitution, contributing to the election of Governor Coles and the defeat of the pro-slavery party. (See Coles, Edward, and Slavery and Slave Laws.) In the latter part of his official term Judge Browne resided at Galena, but, in 1853, removed with his son-in-law, ex-Congressman Joseph P. Hoge, to San Francisco, Gal., where he died a few years later- probably about 1856 or 1858.
BROWNING, Orville Hickman, lawyer, United States Senator and Attorney-General, was born in Harrison County, Ky., in 1810. After receiving a classical education at Augusta in his native State, he removed to Quincy, Ill., and was admitted to the bar in 1831. In 1832 he served in the Black Hawk War, and from 1836 to 1843, was a member of the Legislature, serving in both houses. A personal friend and political adherent of Abraham Lincoln, he aided in the organization of the Repub
