Henry Brown

Born into enslavement in North Carolina, Brown was also bound with Quakers in Ohio and Indiana, where he purchased his freedom before moving to Illinois. Ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal church, Brown traveled often to visit small congregations. Remembered as a lifelong humanitarian who helped all in need, he used his connections to participate in the Underground Railroad that assisted escaping slaves make their way to freedom. He also took part in the 1853 Illinois Colored Convention. The Rev. Brown led Lincoln's horse in the Springfield funeral procession for the fallen president. After the Civil War he spoke often at public events, recalling the past and celebrating the destruction of slavery.

1823-1848

The Reverend Henry Brown was born into enslavement in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 17, 1823. He remained enslaved until the age of twelve when he moved to Ohio, leaving his family back in North Carolina. His father was Staten Jones and his mother’s maiden name was Brown, which Henry Brown took as his assumed last name. Henry was moved to Ohio, then later to Rush County, Indiana where he was to be enslaved at a farm under a Quaker family. It was not until Brown grew into his twenties that he was able to attain his freedom from enslavement and shortly after, he became a minister for the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1846. A year later in 1847, Brown first arrived in Illinois in Paris, and met the woman whom he would marry. 

Mary Ann King, an eighteen-year-old widow from Paris, Illinois, first met Brown in that year and the two quickly developed a good relationship from their first meeting. After developing a mutual admiration of each other, they married after only several weeks of knowing each other. After this, Brown would spend the rest of his life in Illinois, living in various towns and cities throughout the state. 

1848-1865

Brown first came to Illinois in the late-1840s; however, he did not make the city his home until 1855. In the years he was not living in Springfield, he had moved around from Paris and Galena. By 1855, he and his wife Mary Ann, had settled in Springfield. Together the two had five children, Louella, Nannie, Thomas T, Katie, and Edward. It was in Springfield where Brown made an acquaintance with Abraham Lincoln and even worked with him in a variety of jobs. 

In town, he continued his work as a minister for the AME Church while working alongside Lincoln. He also was believed to have been part of the local Underground Railroad in Springfield, but also in Quincy, Illinois. Because of his work both in Springfield and Quincy, Brown likely knew of the other local conductors like William K. Donnegan and William H. Butler who also assisted freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. Aside from this, Brown also played a role in the 1853 Chicago Colored Convention. 

Brown was the only person to represent both Edgar and Coles County during the 1853 Illinois Colored Convention in Chicago as he had been living in Paris at the time. His wife and her parents were also living in Edgar County, so he wanted to be able to represent them. During the convention, Brown served on at least one committee and was recognized as one of the Vice Presidents.

1865-1906

Brown is perhaps most known for his role in Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession in Springfield on May 4, 1865. Brown was a friend and admirer of Lincoln and because of their association, it was fitting that he be the one to lead the family horse, “Old Bob,” during the procession. Brown lived out his life in Illinois working as a minister and passed away on September 3, 1906, and was buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery, the same location as his friend Abraham Lincoln.

Sources Used:

- "Henry Brown," Black Organizing in Pre-Civil War Illinois: Creating Community, Demanding Justice, accessed March 15, 2023, https://coloredconventions.org/black-illinois-organizing/delegates/henry-brown/. 

- History of Sangamon County, Illinois; Together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships… Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing, 1881). 

- "Rev. Henry Brown," SangamonLink, accessed June 28, 2023, https://sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=2535. 

Want to learn more? Join us for Walk, Hike, and Bike events where you can learn more about Brown and others like him by signing up here.