Brown, Orlando (1801-1867) Papers, 1780-1898

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Brown, Orlando, 1801-1867 

Title:  Papers, 1780-1898 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection:  2.66 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A B879 

Scope and Content Note 

The collection is composed of correspondence, articles, genealogical records, and other papers. Included are family correspondence of the Brown and Watt families; correspondence connected with the Commonwealth, a Frankfort, Ky., newspaper edited by Brown; correspondence with Orlando Brown, Jr. at Yale and during his military service in the Civil War; records of the building of the Orlando Brown house in Frankfort in 1835; papers relating to Ky. politics, including the presidential campaigns of William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor; papers, 780-1837, of Brown’s father, Senator John Brown, and of Orlando Brown, Jr.; and other papers. 

Correspondents include Larz Anderson, Francis Preston Blair, James Brown, John Brown, Samuel Brown, John J. Crittenden, Garnett Duncan, Albert Gallatin Hodges, James Turner Morehead, John Neagle, George D. Prentice, Thomas B. Stephenson, Samuel Brown, John Mason Brown, and Charles Stewart Todd. 

Folders 23-25 and 67 have been digitized. To view the PDF scans, click the links provided in the folder list below.

Biographical Note 

1801 Born in Frankfort. 

1820 Graduated from Princeton. 

1823 Received a law degree from Transylvania University. 

1830 Married Mary Watts Brown. 

1833 Became editor of the Frankfort Commonwealth. 

1848 Appointed secretary of state by Governor John J. Crittenden. 

1849 Appointed commissioner of Indian affairs by President Taylor. 

1852 Married Mary Brodhead. 

1867 Died and was buried in Frankfort Cemetery. 

For more information consult The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 

Folder List 

Box 1 

1 Mason family notes.Prevoostfamily notes. Van Wyck family notes. 

2 Memorandum of the Preston family, amplified from an earlier memorandumincluding the Preston, Breckinridge, Brown, Smith, and Howard families.

3 John Brown business papers, 1780-1833.Estate papers of John Brown, 1837-1841.

4 Correspondence.J. Speed, Jr. to John Mason Brown, 1808 Dec. 31John Brown to Orlando Brown, 1819-1835. J. Brown to Mrs. John Brown, 1802-1835. Letter dated 1787 Feb. 7. 

5 Margaret Brown correspondence, chiefly to her son, Orlando Brown, 1820-1835.

6 Margaretta Brown. Papers relating to a Sunday school held in Frankfort, 1819-1837.

7 Correspondence from Dr. Samuel Brown, 1799-1830.Two letters from James Brown.

8 Wade Mosby letters regarding Ky. land owned jointly by him and James Brown,1796-1820. Robert Johnson to James Brown, 1797 Oct. 6. 

9 Preston W. Brown (1775-1826). Account with the Kentucky Penitentiary, 1825-1826.Account book of Brown and Ramsey.

10 S. Worthington correspondence to Elizabeth Brown, 1833-1837.Correspondence to Mason Brown, 1850 Aug. 1.

 

Box 2 

11 General Edward Watts to Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, 1802-1839.Watts to Orlando Brown, 1852.

12 Correspondence from Alice (Watts) Sanders.

13 Mary Louise (Morris) Bolling to Mary W. Brown, 1835.Mary (Watts) Morris to Elizabeth (Watts) Brown, 1815-1831.Temple Gwathmey to Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, 1813 Jan. 31. William S. Morris to Orlando Brown. 

14 Martha Watts estate papers, 1853-1856.

15 Mrs. Annie S. (Watts) Holcombe to Mrs. Elizabeth (Watts) Brown, 1838-1841.

Mary S. (Watts) Gamble to Elizabeth Brown, 1831-1836. 

16 Mary Watts Brown to Elizabeth (Watts) BrownamdMargaretta Brown, 1831-1839. 

Kiyusa V. Rucks to Elizabeth Brown, 1838 Oct. 28. 

 

Box 3 

17 Orlando Brown correspondence, 1818-1839.

18 Orlando Brown correspondence to Mary Watts Brown, 1834-1835.

19 Documents relating to the construction and furnishing of the Orlando Brownhouse, Frankfort, Ky.

20 Orlando Brown house papers, 1834-1836.

21 Bills from the Kentucky Penitentiary to Brown, 1837-1838.

22 Business papers and canceled checks of John Brown (1757-1837) and Orlando Brown, 1835-1844.

23 Orlando Brown correspondence to his son, Orlando Brown, Jr. (click to access PDF)

24 Orlando Brown correspondence to his son, Orlando Brown, Jr., 1857-1858 (click to access PDF)

25 Orlando Brown correspondence to his son, Orlando Brown, Jr., 1863-1866 (click to access PDF)

 

Box 4 

26 Orlando Brown-Mason P. Brown correspondence1856-1859.

27 Orlando Brown writings, letters, speeches, etc.

28 Clippings, legal license, commissions, death notices, and funeral notices.

29 Orlando Brown articles and letters written for the Frankfort Commonwealth.

30 Letters and papers concerning the campaign to elect William Henry Harrison,1840. A Parody on the American Star. Campaign song or poem. 

31 To the friends of General Zachary Taylor, signed by Orlando Brown and others,n.d.

 

Box 5 

32 Correspondence to Orlando Brown.Invitations.

33 Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1822-1839.

34 Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1840-1843.Boonesboroughcelebration, 1840. Letters of introduction. 

35 Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1849.

36 Correspondence to Orlando Brown as Commissioner of Indian Affairs.Lucas Brodhead estate papers.

37 Correspondence to Orlando Brown.

38 Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1851-1861.

38a Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1857-1873.Commission as Commissioner, 7th District, 1863 May 26.

39 Correspondence to Orlando Brown.

40 Correspondence to Orlando Brown from Alfred Beckley, 1840-1846.

 

Box 6 

41 Correspondence from A.M. Blanton and W.C. Buck to Messrs. C.S. Moreheadand A.T. Burnley.

42 Correspondence to Orlando Brown from N.B. Buford, 1835-1850.

43 Correspondence to Orlando Brown from William G. Carter, 1841-1844.

44 Correspondence and poem.

45 Correspondence from Lewis Collins to Orlando Brown, 1847.

46 Correspondence from theCraigheadsto the Browns, 1794-1849. 

47 Correspondence from theCrittendensto the Browns, 1836-1867. 

48 Powers of attorney and correspondence to John Brown.

49 Correspondence from the Minnesota Historical Society to Orlando Brown, 1854.

50 Correspondence from Garnett Duncan to Orlando Brown, 1841-1849.Correspondence from John M. Duncan to Orlando Brown, 1845 Nov. 25.

51 Thomas Ewing correspondence to J. J. Crittenden and Orlando Brown and fromThurlow Weed.

52 Correspondence from John W.Finnellto Orlando Brown. 

53 Correspondence from Christopher C. Greenup to Orlando Brown.

54 Correspondence from James Hall to Orlando Brown.

55 Correspondence from Nathaniel Hart and Nathaniel Hart, Jr. to Orlando Brown,1840-1845.

56 Correspondence from Richard Hawes to Orlando Brown, 1837-1853.

57 Orlando Brown-Albert Gallatin Hodges correspondence, 1836-1849.

58 Correspondence from Richard Perkins Letcher to Orlando Brown, 1849.

59 Correspondence from James Y. and Elizabeth Love, 1841-1866.

60 Correspondence from Thomas L. McKinney to Orlando Brown, 1849-1850.

 

Box 7 

61 Correspondence to Orlando Brown.From J.S. Morehead, 1840 Aug. 26;From James T. Morehead, 1841-1849. From C. S. Morehead, 1848 Feb. 26. From Philip C. Morehead, 1849 July 19. 

62 Kean O’ Hara to Orlando Brown, letter, 1850 Jan. 27.Funeral invitation to Kean O’Hara’s funeral.Theodore O’Hara to Orlando Brown, letter, 1851. Newspaper clipping, Bivouac of the Dead. 

63 Correspondence from George D. Prentice to Orlando Brown, 1835-1850.

64 Correspondence from Thomas B. Stephenson to Orlando Brown, 1849-1855.

65 Correspondence from M. Tarver to Orlando Brown, 1842-1852.

66 Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1835-1850.

67 Correspondence from Orlando Brown, Jr. to Orlando Brown, 1856-1866 (click to access PDF)

68 Commissions, etc.Correspondence to Orlando Brown, 1860-1867.

69 Correspondence to Orlando, Mary W., and Mason Brown, 1826-1838.

70 Correspondence from Benjamin Gratz Brown to Mary Watts Brown and OrlandoBrown, 1838-1855.

71 Correspondence from John Mason Brown to Orlando Brown, 1849-1856.Prospectus of History of Kentucky, by John Mason Brown, and S.I.M. Major,1867. 

 

Box 8 

Numbers 72-75 skipped. 

76 Miscellaneous.

77 Documents, indentures, etc.

78 Letter from George Trotter, Jr., 1813 Feb. 6 about General Winchester’s defeat.

79 Printed material, pamphlets, etc.item 80 Diplomas, and an appointment.