Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee Patriot

"Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee Patriot" by Brownlow is a historical account written in the mid-19th century. The work focuses on the life of William G. Brownlow, a prominent figure in Tennessee known for his staunch support of the Union during the Civil War, his editorial work, and his resilience in the face of persecution. This biography illustrates his experiences with secession, his imprisonment, and his ultimate dedication to the principles of loyalty and patriotism. At the start of the biography, readers are introduced to Parson Brownlow's background, childhood, and early years as a Methodist preacher. It details his rise as a political figure and editor of the Knoxville "Whig", where he became a vocal critic of the Confederacy during a time of immense regional turmoil. The opening portion highlights his arrest by Confederate authorities for his outspoken Unionist views and illustrates his refusal to capitulate to threats of violence and imprisonment. Brownlow’s indomitable spirit and commitment to the Union cause set the tone for a narrative centered around themes of loyalty, freedom of the press, and the personal sacrifices made in pursuit of justice during a deeply divisive period in American history. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow was an American newspaper publisher, Methodist minister, book author, prisoner of war, lecturer, and politician who served as the 17th governor of Tennessee from 1865 to 1869 and as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1869 to 1875. Brownlow rose to prominence in the late 1830s and early 1840s as editor of the Whig, a polemical newspaper in East Tennessee that promoted Henry Clay and the Whig Party ideals, and also that repeated Brownlow's opposition to secession by the southern slave states in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Brownlow's uncompromising and radical viewpoints made him one of the most divisive figures in Tennessee political history and one of the most controversial Reconstruction Era politicians of the United States.