John Y. Brown Sr.

John Young Brown (February 1, 1900 – June 16, 1985) was an American attorney and politician.[1] He was a state representative for nearly three decades, serving one term as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and as majority floor leader during the term of Governor Edward T. Breathitt. He was elected to one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1935, to an at-large seat elected statewide on a general ticket. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Kentucky in 1939 and the unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate in 1946 and 1966. He was a member of the Democratic Party.[2]

John Brown
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
from 56th district
In office
1966–1968
Preceded byJohn W. Morgan, Jr.
Succeeded byRobert P. Wooley
In office
1962–1964
Preceded byTed R. Osborne
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
Constituency49th district
In office
1954–1956
Preceded byBart N. Peak
Succeeded byJohn B. Breckinridge
Constituency49th district
In office
1946–1948
Preceded byCharles B. Gentry
Succeeded byChas. J. Bronston
Constituency49th district
In office
1930–1933
Preceded byJesse O. Creech
Succeeded byRobert E. Beatty
Constituency76th district (1930-1932)
75th district (1932-1933)
Personal details
Born
John Young Brown

(1900-02-01)February 1, 1900
Union County, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJune 16, 1985(1985-06-16) (aged 85)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Dorothy Inman
​
​
(m. 1929; div. 1973)​
Children5, including John
RelativesJohn Y. Brown III (grandson)
Pamela Brown (granddaughter)
EducationCentre College (BA)
University of Kentucky (LLB)

Biography
Young testifies before the La Follette Civil Rights Committee in April 1937

Brown was the son of tenant farmers Jesse C. and Lucy Keeper Brown, who named him after John Young Brown, a former governor and neighbor.[3][4] He was born on a farm near Geiger Lake, Union County, Kentucky, attended Union County schools and graduated from the high school at Sturgis, Kentucky. He graduated from Centre College at Danville, Kentucky[2] with an A.B. degree in 1921 where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and a "Scrub" player on the famous Centre Praying Colonels football team. He received his LL.B. degree from University of Kentucky College of Law[2] in 1926 and was admitted to the bar that same year.

He was a well-known trial lawyer who practiced law from 1926 to 1985 in Lexington, Kentucky, with three firms: Brown and Miller, Brown and Son, and Brown, Sledd and McCann. He was noted for his extensive quotation of the Bible from memory during his summations to juries.

Brown sponsored much legislation in the Kentucky House of Representatives including the state's first sales tax and civil rights legislation. He was recognized on many occasions as the most effective legislator in the House.

Personal life

Brown married Dorothy Inman in March 1929 in New Albany, Indiana. They had five children: Dorothy Ann, Betty, John Y. Jr., Diane, and Pamela. They divorced in 1973 after repeated political campaigns strained their relationship.[4][5] Their son, John Y. Brown Jr., made a large fortune as the owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken and was Kentucky governor from 1979 to 1983. Their daughter Pamela died in 1970 in an ill-fated attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon dubbed "The Free Life." He is also the grandfather of former Kentucky Secretary of State John Y. Brown III and news anchor Pamela Brown.

Brown died of pneumonia in Louisville, six months after being paralyzed from the waist down in an automobile accident.[1]

Legacy

Brown is a member of the University of Kentucky College of Law's Hall of Fame and the Phi Kappa Tau Hall of Fame.

References
  1. "John Y. Brown Sr., 85. Father of Ex-Governor". The New York Times. June 17, 1985. Retrieved September 12, 2010. John Y. Brown Sr., a prominent defense attorney and father of former Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. of Kentucky, died of pneumonia today at Humana Hospital Audubon, where he had been treated since June 5. He was 85 years old and had been paralyzed from the waist down since he was hurt in an automobile accident in December. ...
  2. "John Y. Brown Sr.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2014-08-04. John Young Brown, a Representative from Kentucky; born on a farm near Geigers Lake, Union County, Ky., February 1, 1900; attended the county schools and the high school at Sturgis, Ky.; Centre College, Danville, Ky., A.B., 1921, and from the law department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington, LL.B., 1926 ...
  3. "Kentucky Campaign". Evansville Press. 1939-07-24. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  4. "John Y. Brown Sr., noted Kentucky lawyer and politician, dies at 85". The Courier-Journal. 1985-06-17. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  5. "Mr. Brown and Miss Inman Married". Danville Daily Messenger. 1929-03-11. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
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