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: Fanny McKinney From: John B. Brownlow, 1411 Corcoran St., Washington, D. C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1411 Corcoran St. Washington, D.C. March 13 / 93. Cousin Fanny: Your letter of Feb. 24 received. I regret much that you have not the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of 1834. Sometime when you are at Rogersville you might be able to get it from some old citizen. I should like to have the Acts of the First Legislature of the State. I should have it nicely bound and prize it as a book curiosity. When I have the leisure I will furnish you a copy, in full, of the genealogy of the Gaines, Strother and Pendleton families. I have the Pendleton as written by Judge Edmund Pendleton himself. I left with Mama a book which combines an interesting story with a history of your kinsfolk of the Dabney family. When you see her tell her that I loaned it to you. I bought the other day the "Life of Gen. Edmund Pendleton Gaines" printed in 1839. It says that "his father, James Gaines, was married while very young to Miss White, who died a year after the marriage, leaving one daughter. He afterwards married Elizabeth Strother, by whom he had four daughters and two sons elder, and three daughters and one son younger than Edmund." This fact as to your great-grand-father, James Gaines, having been twice married is information I never had till I got this book. When I am in Philadelphia again I will call to see your sister. I do not expect the new administration to disturb me. I am of a class of officials whom the law says shall not be removed except for cause, that is , so long as they do their duty and behave themselves and I do both. Already the new President has said that the Civil Service Law shall be enforced, in letter and spirit, and that law covers me. Thos. L. Williams is here after the Knoxville Post Office. You guess correctly that I was not one of Blaine's mourners. Fanny sends love to you. Yours truly, Jno B Brownlow P.S. When you are at Rogersville you might, by inquiry, learn of some one who has the proceedings of the Convention of 1834. I wish you would try it. If the former clerk, Mr. Armstrong, is living please give me his initials and I will write to him. I have not been at Rogersville since about 18 years ago and I can't think of any one there whom I ever knew well except Mr. Armstrong. J.B.B.