This website uses cookies. Learn more via our web privacy policy. For questions, please email dataprivacy@columbusstate.edu.
J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Browne Papers (MC 201) - Columbus State University

{{ rssData.title }}

{{ rssData.description }}

Archives and Special Collections

J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Browne Papers (MC 201)

Biographical Sketch

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.

Scope and Content

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.

1841-1964 4 boxes (4 l.f.)

Note to researchers:

See also:

Royal Crown Cola Collection (MC 204)Rhodes Browne Collection (SMC 3)

Provenance

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.

Permission to Publish

Permission to publish material from the John Rhodes Browne Collection must be obtained from the Columbus State University Archives. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required:

J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Browne Papers

Columbus State University ArchivesColumbus, Georgia

Box and Folder List

Box 1

  • Folder 1 - Bank Receipts, 1859-1933
  • Folder 2 - Bull Creek Farms (dairy), 1882-1938
  • Folder 3 - Bull Creek Sand and Gravel, 1909-1937
  • Folder 4 - Chattahoochee Falls Company, 1898
  • Folder 5 - Confederate States Bonds Accounts, 1865
  • Folder 6 - Eufaula Plantation, Alabama, 1863-1889
  • Folder 7 - Financial Statements of Rhodes Browne, 1926-1936
  • Folder 8 - First National Bank, 1900-1929
  • Folder 9 - First National Bank, 1930-1936, 1951
  • Folder 10 - First National Bank Statements for the estate of Rhodes Browne, 1936-1937
  • Folder 11 - Fulton National Bank, Atlanta, Georgia, 1929-1935
  • Folder 12 - Georgia Home Insurance Company, 1870-1938
  • Folder 13 - Homes Savings Bank of Columbus, 1927-1936
  • Folder 14 - Insurance Policies, 1842-1939
  • Folder 15 - John R. Slade (nephew), 1924-1938Florida Property
  • Folder 16 - Maryland Manor Corporation Tampa, Florida, 1926-1929
  • Folder 17 - Nehi Corporation, 1929-1930
  • Folder 18 - Nehi Corporation, 1931-1932
  • Folder 19 - Nehi Corporation, 1933-1936
  • Folder 20 - Nehi Corporation (C. A .Hatcher Estate), 1932-1936
  • Folder 21 - New York Company Agreements Fishkill, New York, circa 1851
  • Folder 22 - Penn Mutual Insurance Company, 1911-1929
  • Folder 23 - Penn Mutual Insurance Company, 1930-1936
  • Folder 24 - Property Deeds, 1848-1869
  • Folder 25 - Property Deeds, 1870-1899
  • Folder 26 - Property Deeds, 1906-1916
  • Folder 27 - Property Deeds, 1920-1937
  • Folder 28 - Provident Loan and Investment Company, 1932-1935
  • Folder 29 - Receipts and Invoices-non-bank, 1873-1938 and Rental Properties, 1883-1919
  • Folder 30 - Rental properties, 1883-1919
  • Folder 31 - Sale of Slaves, 1853-1865 and Oath of Loyalty 1865
  • Folder 32 - Salisbury Factory, 1844-1849
  • Folder 33 - Stocks and Bonds, 1862-1936
  • Folder 34 -Historical publishing company and Columbus Centenary
  • Folder 35 - Louis and George Hamburger; Civil War letter and stock certificates
  • Folder 36 - "The Best Friend of Charleston" and Southern Railways (see model in Box 3)
  • Folder 37 - Sheet Music - Negro Spirituals - Nina Y. Browne

Box 2

  • Folder 1 - Browne family obituaries and memorials/tributes
  • Folder 2 - Browne family social clubs and activities
  • Folder 3 - Browne's City Commissioner resignation, 1930
  • Folder 4 - Businesses-clippings and notes, envelopes 1-2
  • Folder 5 - Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Folder 6 - Genealogy: Browne
  • Folder 7 - Genealogy: Harrison, Harlow, Warren, Hanson families
  • Folder 8 - Georgia Society of Colonial Dames
  • Folder 9 - Hanson family genealogy, original letters
  • Folder 10 - Henry Glover Browne (son of J. Rhodes and Mary Van Wyck Browne), 1887-1898
  • Folder 11 - Leila Slade Gallagher (granddaughter of J. Rhodes Browne), 1915-1925
  • Folder 12 - Nina Y. Browne papers, 1909-1929
  • Folder 13 - Nina Y. Browne papers, 1936-1948
  • Folder 14 - Personal papers of J. Rhodes Browne and his son, Rhodes Browen, 1865-1954
  • Folder 15 - Photos Friends/Family
  • Folder 16 - Photos of 1410 Stark Ave, Browne family home/ workers and family
  • Folder 17 - Photos - Rhodes Browne Jr. baby photos (2), 1892
  • Folder 18 - Photos - miscellaneous (3)...one is original of 1st National Bank, Columbus
  • Folder 19 - Photos - Nina Y. Browne - 9 photos
  • Folder 20- Photos - River trips - Apalachicola, FL
  • Folder 21 - Photos -Warm Springs, Georgia
  • Folder 22 - Raphael Moses, Jr., 1878-1880
  • Folder 23 - Residence of Rhodes and Nina Browne, 1410 Starke Ave - Deeds, architectural contracts and landscaping plan, 1927
  • Folder 24 - Residential remodeling contracts 1410 Stark Ave, 1926-1927
  • Folder 25 - Rhodes Browne funeral flowers, 1936
  • Folder 26 -Rhodes Browne - 6 photos
  • Folder 27 - Will of J. Rhodes Browne and settlements, 1898-1917
  • Folder 28 - Wills and settlements/Financial papers, 1848-1910
  • Folder 29 - Wills and Settlements/ Financial papers, 1911-1917
  • Folder 30 - Wills and settlements/Financial papers, 1922-1929
  • Folder 31 - Willa and settlements, 1930-1937
  • Folder 32 - Wills and settlements, post 1940
  • Folder 33 - Yonge family, Savannah, 1854-1894
  • Folder 34 - Yonge family genealogy
  • Folder 35 -- Photographs used in From London to Shanghai, 1780-1920: Five Generations of Family Silver and the accompanying CD.
  • Folder 36 -- Newspaper advertisements of Columbus jewelers and watch makers.
  • Folder 37 -- Connections, Georgia in the World: the 7th Henry D. Green Symposium of the Domestic Arts.

Box 3

  • Folder 1 - Eufaula Plantation, 1863-1869
  • Folder 2 - Browne children's play photo; Marquis de Lafayette, George and MarthaWashington
  • Folder 3 - Floral parade-photograph, 1899
  • Folder 4 - John Rhodes Browne, 1899 photo
  • Folder 5 - Handwritten note: J. Rhodes Browne 1898
  • Folder 6 - Newspaper clippings - 1900, 1953, 1964
  • Folder 7 - Nina Browne's garden and Lily pool photos
  • Folder 8 - Nina Y. Browne photograph
  • Folder 9 - Nina Y. Browne photograph by Marceau Photography, New York Studio

Books

  • The Order for Evening Prayer and the Order for Daily Morning Prayer, 1886
  • Reflections of the Morning After, Meader, Herman, 1903
  • Hymnal according to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1871
  • Hymnal according to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1880
  • The Sands of Time; A Book of Birthday Gems, 1885/1889
  • The Book of Common Prayer, 1868
  • Recessional, Rudyard Kipling, 1898 (inscribed to Mrs. Nina Browne)
  • Don't Fret, 1905
  • Additional Hymns Licensed for Public Worship in the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1868 (Inscribed Rhodes Browne 1872)
  • Tidewater Maryland by Paul Wilstach, 1931

Box 4

  • Folder 1 - Receipt book - household, 1936 and Valuable papers folder - empty
  • Folder 2 - black leather folder - empty; Check book of Rhodes Browne, trustee for J.G. McNulty - empty; Bank book for National Bank of Columbus, J. Rhodes Browne, 1910-1918
  • Folder 3 - envelopes separated from documents
  • Folder 4 - Autograph album, 1882
  • Folder 5 - Bank book -The National Bank of Columbus; Rhodes Browne trustee for Leila J. Slade; Receipt book-empty - Rhodes Browne, trustee for Leila J. Slade
  • Folder 6 - Postcards (3); Georgia Home Building, St. Elmo and Third Ave, Columbus
  • Folder 7 - Cookbooks
    • Culinary Echoes from Dixie. Vaughn, Kate Brew. 1914
    • Community Service League Cook BookCottage Herb GardenFor the Hostess, 1928; compliments of the First National Bank
    • Forty Famous CocktailsVictory Gardens, Dept. of Agriculture, 1940s
    • Wells Dairies Cooperative Cook Book
  • Folder 8 - Photographs and Artifacts

Photographs

  • Farmer's Market on 10th Ave, Kinfolk's Corner, railroad bridge, 1965

Artifacts

  • Pearl opera glasses, engraved "Nina"
  • Stationery embossed with initials RBM
  • Man's signet ring, black/gold with "B" and small diamonds
  • Iron model of "First Locomotive on Southern Railway System" given to Rhodes Browne, 1930
  • PEC Gold insignia pin for Rhodes Browne
  • Scrapbook-flowered cover - empty
  • Boxed Memory book for Mrs. Rhodes Browne 1869-Dec 4, 1946
  • Cardboard photo frame - empty
  • Leather zippered file embossed "RB"
  • Receipt book for Rhodes Browne, 1935-1936

Ask Cody

Ask Cody