John James Brown

Company E, 51st Illinois Volunteer Infantry

The muster roll (Dec. 24, 1861) lists John James Brown as follows: "Joined Sept. 30, 1861 at Mt. Pleasant, Ill. for 3 yrs. Age 32, 6'0", Black hair, Brown eyes, Married, Farmer, Nativity-Va., Resident-Urbana, Champ. Co, Ill. Another muster roll (Aug. 18, 1862) states: "absent from Regt. since July 21, 1862 - Sick in hospital near Farmington." In the Detachment Muster roll (Jan. 16, 1865), Huntsville, Al. - "Discharged Sept. 26, 1862 (Aug. 62) at St. Louis, Mo. on surg. Cert. of disability. And, on the Casualty Sheet: "Certified by: J. W. Davidson, Disch. Sept. 26, 1862, St. Louis, Mo. (see Roll 8 Discharges from St. Louis Mo. 1862&3).

This photo was sent to me in the mail by John James Brown's direct descendant, Richard McGee of Jonesboro, Ark. The photo was found in the effects of Eliza Jane Brown Cates (Richard's Gr-Grandmother and daughter of John J. Brown). I am the direct descendant of John J. Brown's older brother, William A. Brown who married Evaline Jewell Airy on 14 Mar 1850 in Greenbriar Co, West Virginia (also on the 1850 census).

His discharge paper lists his birthplace as Charlotte, Va., that he has black hair and blue eyes, his residence is Mt. Pleasant, DeWitt Co., Ill., and that he was in the hospital at Jefferson's Barracks with pneumonia in the right lung. According to Dr. J. D. Carter testified for Brown's pension and certified that he suffered from his war wounds the rest of his life. His application for pension was never completed as he died of lung disease on the 20th of Oct. 1874. He is buried at the Summit Cemetary (graveyard of the Brown Family and allied lines) in Lawrence Co, MO. His headstone has been broken off its mound. It stated he was 49 yrs. of age.

Submitted by Tarrah Wilson Gaines