J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Brown Papers

Collection

Identifier: MC 201

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Browne Collection primarily consists of financial and legal records, documents of the Columbus, Georgia companies and holdings of John Rhodes Browne and his son, Rhodes Browne, and additional personal family records. There are many folders on the genealogy of the family members. There are also papers relating to the wives of both men, Roberta Harrison Yonge Browne (1841-1932) of Savannah and Nina Young Browne (1869-1946) of Lexington, Kentucky. The earliest papers and receipts date to before the Civil War.

The folders in Box 1 and 2 are arranged in alphabetical order by topic with the date delineating the contents of the folder. There is no division between the papers of John Rhodes Browne, the father, and Rhodes Browne, the son, except by dates on the folders. Box 2 also contains the photos of the family silver collection which was compiled into the book, From London to Shanghai, 1780-1920.

Box 3, an over-sized flat box, contains over-sized items, photos, letters and newspapers. Again the folders are in alphabetical order. Additionally this box contains books belonging to the family including prayer books, hymnals and a date book.

Box 4 contains a number of miscellaneous items of the family; receipt books, an autograph album, scrapbook, medal pin, opera glasses, r. Browne's ring, and an iron locomotive replica, along with other momentos.

Box 5 contains material added after original collection was created.

Dates

Creation: 1841-1964

Biographical / Historical

John Rhodes Browne (1819-1900) was born in Taunton, Massachusetts and learned the cotton manufacturing trade in New York and North Carolina before moving to Columbus, Georgia in 1851 to install machinery at the Eagle Mill, where he later became mill superintendent.

Although born and raised in New England, Browne threw in his lot with his adopted state during the Civil War, being appointed a colonel on the Governor's staff. After the burning of the Eagle Mills in April of 1865, he helped in their rebuilding.

He left manufacturing to become president of the Georgia Home Insurance Company. He organized the National Bank of Columbus in 1876 and became its president. In addition to his banking and insurance interests, he was also president of the Columbus Manufacturing Company, Swift Manufacturing Company, a director of the Muscogee Mills, Tallassee Falls Manufacturing Company, Hamburger Cotton Mills and was the owner of the Steam Cotton Mills.

The Browne family attended Trinity Episcopal Church. John Rhodes Browne had two sons, Henry Glover Browne (1850-1895), and Rhodes Browne (1865-1936). Upon his father's death Rhodes Browne became the president of the Georgia Home Insurance Company. He later became president of the First National Bank, Home Savings Bank of Columbus, Muscogee Bank and Trust, Provident Loan and Investment Company, Bull Creek Sand and Gravel, and Bull Creek Farms. He served as Mayor of Columbus from 1908-1911.

Extent

5 Linear Feet (5 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The items in the John Rhodes Browne collection were donated to the Columbus State University Archives by Sandra Strother Hudson of Watkinsville, Georgia, a great-great-granddaughter of J. Rhodes Browne, in 2005 and 2008. Additional materials were added in 2016 and 2017. Additional Materials were added in 2022/2023.