Joseph Emerson Brown

Democrat Senator of Georgia

Congresses Served

Senate Terms

January 1, 1821 (73 years old)

Birthday

January 1, 1894

Death

Served as the 42nd Governor of Georgia from 1857 to 1865, the only governor to serve four terms.
Served as a United States Senator from Georgia from 1880 to 1891.
Initially a Whig, he was a firm believer in slavery and Southern states’ rights and became a leading secessionist in 1861.
Defied the Confederate government’s wartime policies by resisting the military draft and denouncing Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Joined the Republican Party briefly after the American Civil War and was appointed as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia from 1865 to 1870.
Rejoined the Democrats later, became president of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, and amassed great wealth, partly through the use of convict labor in his coal mining operations.
Played a key role in saving the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary financially in the 1870s.
Advocated for public education for poor white children during his governorship.
Criticized for his use of the convict leasing system in his business ventures.
His legacy includes contributions to Georgia’s infrastructure and education, but is also marred by his support for slavery and the convict lease system.