Lewis Brown
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Father of the General Assembly Lewis Brown | |
|---|---|
| Church | Presbyterian |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 8 January 1788 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1760 near Caledon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 21 April 1851 (aged 92) Sixmilecross, Northern Ireland |
| Occupation | Clergyman |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Lewis Brown (c. 1760 – 21 April 1851)[1] was a prominent Burgher Presbyterian Irish clergyman and father of the General Assembly from 1848 until his death.[2] He was principally the minister of Sixmilecross from 1791, succeeding the Rev. James Dickson, until at least 1838,[3] being succeeded by William Stewart Hazlitt and later Thomas H. Junk.[4] Additionally, he officiated in various other places around Ulster, such as Glendavagh, Drumlegagh, Glenhoy, and Aughentain[4]
Early life
Lewis was born in Aghaloo Parish, near Caledon, County Tyrone, around 1760 as the eldest son of James Brown, a farmer. In 1781, he was matriculated into the University of Glasgow.[5] While in Scotland, he studied at Haddington, ostensibly under John Brown of Haddington (no relation).[2]
Career
Upon returning to Ireland, Brown was "ordained in the Seceding Congregation, in Moss-lane, Dublin" (Lowry-Corry, 1888) on 8 January 1788. After working in Dublin for approximately three years, he became the minister at Sixmilecross in 1791.[4] Brown was the moderator of the Burgher Synod in 1803,[6] reflecting his position in the church. He remained a venerable figure in Irish Presbyterianism, retiring sometime after 1838.[3] Upon the death of the Rev. Adam Boyle, Brown became the earliest ordained member of the General Assembly, and hence was given the title "Father of the General Assembly".[2]
Personal life and death
It is unknown whom Brown married, however it is known he had at least four children:
- Eliza Brown (c. 1796–1878), a spinster who was the primary beneficiary of Lewis' will[7]
- Frances Brown (died 1861), married Edward Colquhoun on 10 October 1823[8]
- Lewis Brown[9]
- Robert Brown[10]
He died in Sixmilecross on 21 April, 1851 aged 92 years old.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Deaths". Belfast News Letter. 5 May 1851. p. 3. Retrieved 26 January 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Historical Account of Boveedy Congregation – In The News | Co. Tyrone People From The Past". Retrieved 2026-01-26.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Cummins & Cummings Family Notes, Co. Tyrone 1822-68 | Original Rootsweb Co. Tyrone Community Site". freepages.rootsweb.com. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Belmore, Somerset Richard Lowry-Corry (1881). The history of the two Ulster manors of Finagh, in the county of Tyrone, and Coole, otherwise manor Atkinson, in the county of Fermanagh, and of their owners. The Library of Congress. London, Longmans, Green & Co.; [etc., etc.]
- ↑ University of Glasgow; Addison, W. Innes (William Innes) (1913). The Matriculation Albums of the University of Glasgow From 1728-1858. Transcribed and annotated by W. Innes Addison. Glasgow: James MacLehose and Sons. p. 130 – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ "Moderators of Seceder Synods 1779-1840". Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
- ↑ "Ireland, Inland Revenue Wills & Administration, Will Registers, 1828-1879", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6TCB-DD68 : Wed Mar 19 20:24:57 UTC 2025), Entry for Revd Lewis Brown and Eliza Brown, 1851.
- ↑ Croslegh, Charles (1904). Descent and alliances of Croslegh, or Crossle, or Crossley, of Scaitcliffe;. University of Michigan. London, Priv. print., The De La More press.
- ↑ "The Registered Papers of the Chief Secretary's Office: National Archives: 1828 (Browse records)". csorp.nationalarchives.ie. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ↑ "Mar 10, 1840, page 2 - Belfast News-Letter at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
External links
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