TNGenWeb Project/TNGenNet, Inc., (a Tennessee nonprofit public benefit corporation). "The Howard-Smith Collection" Transcription copyright: 1998, by Mrs. F. A. Augsbury; all rights reserved. The originals are at the McClung Library in Knoxville. This file is in text format. Please use your browser's "back" button to return to the previous page. ******************************************************************************* To: Lida Howard-Smith From: John B. Brownlow, Knoxville, Tennessee ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J.B. & W.G. BROWNLOW REAL ESTATE AND LOANS Rooms 2, 3, and 4 302 W. Clinch Avenue Corner of Gay Street Knoxville, Tenn. Mar 27 /11 Dr. Lide: Until now I have not been able to find the books which, in my opinion, contain evidence which should be satisfactory to your Phil. Com. of S.A.R. entitling your son to membership therein. This is why I have delayed writing you. I have a History of "The Army of the United States in 2 Vols. By Fayette Robinson, late an officer of the army, published at Philadelphia, Pa. in 1848 by E.H. Butler & Co. In Vol. 1, beginning at page 285, is a sketch of Gen. Gaines 22 pages long. In it it is said, "James Gaines was a man of much distinction, and was an officer of the Virginia Line during the revolutionary war, after the close of which he emigrated to the frontier of North Carolina. He was a member of the convention of that State, to which the federal constitution was submitted, and by which it was rejected. He subsequently only voted for it, on the adoption of the bill of rights, which removed his objections. His son represents that he lived long enough to be sure he would have no cause to regret his vote, and died I the belief that this constitution was the best ever submitted to man as a rule of government." This is a small part of what is said of Jas. Gaines. The book was published a year before Gen. Gaines died & the material gathered, probably, several years before that. The context shows that the author got the information from Gen. Gaines himself who was never known to lie about anything. He was not a fakir; he was not a Dr. F.A. Cook. It seems Jas. Gaines was of the Va. line & emigrated to N.C. after Revolutionary War & not during same as I had supposed. The other book I have is "The National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans" in 4 Vols. The first Vol. Published in 1834, 2 in 1835, 3 in 1836 & 4 in 1839. It is elegantly bound in Morocco, gilt-edged with fine steel engravings of all of whom there are sketches & cost $40 for the 4 Vols. The publisher lost money on it because of high prices. The fine steel engraving in it of Gen. Gaines is made from the oil painting of the Gen. taken from life by the famous artist Sully & Gen. G. said, as his son Edmund told me, that it was the best portrait of him ever made & this is what Gen. Jackson said of Sully's portrait of himself. The sketch of Jas. Gaines in the sketch of Gen. G. in this book is substantially that given in Robinson's History of the Army of the U.S. already quoted. And it states it was prepared in 1838 about 12 years before Gen. G. died "The National Portrait Gallery" was published at Philadelphia 1839 by James B. Longacre. If you desire it I well send you the two books by express. They may both be in a Philadelphia Public Library. It seems to me that the evidence they contain should be satisfactory to the doubting Thomas who is to decide upon the matter. If it is not I shall conclude that in mental vision he is as narrow as was the fellow of whose physical vision I have read that while he could see a fly on a barn door at a distance of 50 feet he could not see the door. All our folks are well and mama sends love to you. Yours truly, Jno. B. Brownlow P.S. When I joined the S.A.R. at Washington I submitted these books to the Committee & they congratulated me on furnishing more thorough proof of eligibility through Jas. Gaines than a great majority who were admitted had done.