My Genealogy Hound

HON. ELI H. BROWN was born in Brandenburg, Ky., November 13, 1843, and is a son of John Mc. and Minerva J. (Murray) Brown, the former a native of Nelson County and the latter of Washington County. His grandfather, Joseph Brown, came from Virginia, and settled in Nelson County. His maternal grandfather, Col. John Murray, served in the war of 1812, and was a native of Maryland. He came to Kentucky and settled in Washington County at a very early day. The father of the subject was a merchant most of his life, and also dealt largely in tobacco. He was one of a firm who had stores in Hardinsburg, Brandenburg and at Stephensport, Cloverport and Hawesville; he died in 1865. He was County Judge of Hancock County the last eight years of his life. Hon. Eli H. Brown was reared in his native town and educated principally at Hawesville, finishing his education at Lewisport College, Kentucky. He read law with Hon. George W. Williams, now of Owensboro, and was admitted to the bar at Hawesville in 1862. In 1872 he removed to Owensboro, and formed a partnership with his old preceptor, Judge Williams, remaining with him until 1878, when he came to Louisville, and has since practiced in this city. While still a resident of Hancock, he was appointed to fill a vacancy as Commonwealth’s Attorney of the Fifth Judicial District In 1872 he was Democratic elector in the Second Congressional District, and had a joint discussion with Hon. Samuel E. Smith, who, in 1867, contested with Hon. John Young Brown his seat in Congress. He was married in February, 1870, to Miss Nannie W. Dorsey, youngest daughter of Dr. W. D. Dorsey, of Kentucky, an eminent physician, who removed to Yazoo City, Miss., and became very wealthy. Four children were born to this union: Horace Stone, Eli Houston, Washington Dorsey and Sarah Ellen. His first wife died in December, 1885. In March, 1888, Judge Brown was married to Miss Elizabeth A. Keegan, of Louisville, Ky., a highly accomplished lady — she being the youngest daughter of an old and prominent family of Louisville.