Browne, Eppes Wayles

Submitted by Mike Miller 3/98

Browne, Eppes Wayles, attorney at law, Shreveport, La., was born at Lake Providence, La., Aug. 27, 1879; son of Benjamin P. and Laura Ella (Eppes) Browne, the former of whom was born at Troy, Ma., in 1839, and is a descendant of an old Alabama family, the progenitor of which came from England. Since the early formative days in the history of Alabama the family has been well known in that state. At the beginning of the Civil war Benjamin F. Browne enlisted as a private in the 47th Alabama infantry, and served the cause of the Confederacy throughout the war, during which he participated in a number of the fiercely-contested engagements of that memorable struggle. He was wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg, and at the Battle of Seven Pines was promoted to the rank of lieutenant for gallant conduct under fire. He participated in much of the hardest field service during the war. After the surrender he became a planter of East Carroll parish, La., and to this occupation devoted his energies until 1908, when he retired from active business, and now resides with his son, E. Wayles Browne, at Shreveport, La. The mother was born in Louisiana, a daughter of John Wayles Eppes, a native of Virginia and a prominent and wealthy planter of Louisiana. He came of an old Virginia family of Welsh and English origin. Martha Wayles, widow of John Skelton, a Virginia planter, became the wife of Thomas Jefferson, and was noted as a woman of great beauty and talent, possessing the rarest graces of person and character. She was related to that branch of the Wayles family from which Mrs. Browne descended. Benjamin F. and Mrs. Browne became the parents of 7 children, 4 of whom died in early childhood. Those surviving are: Benella Octavia, now Mrs. John T. Barnett of Eufaula, Ala.; Eppes Wayles, the subject of this sketch, and Percy Newby Browne. Both surviving sons are practicing attorneys and members of the law firm of Browne, Williams & Browne of the city of Shreveport. Percy Newby Browne was born at Lake Providence, La., in 1884, and is a representative lawyer. Eppes Wayles Browne passed his boyhood and youth at Lake Providence, where he attended the public schools. After graduating from high school he entered Louisiana State university, but left that institution after having completed his junior year and entered the law department of Tulane university, at New Orleans, where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws with the class of 1904. Shortly thereafter he began the practice of law at Lake Providence, under the firm name of Davis & Browne. After about 2 years of practice here the firm removed to Shreveport, both members changing their place of residence and the firm name remaining unchanged. In Feb., 1907; Percy Newby Browne became a member of the firm and later Mr. Davis withdrew and Mr. Williamson entered the firm. Eppes Wayles Browne is affiliated with the Democratic party and has been active in the support of Democratic principles and the interests of his party. Gov. Hall appointed him attorney to the tax collector, which position he occupies at this time. During the term of his incumbency he has made a marked record in the collection of inheritance and license taxes, of which much more has been collected since he went into office than at any previous time. Attorney Browne is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1908 Mr. Browne was married to Miss Grace Hall Long, a daughter of Bailey W. Long, clerk of court of Harrison county, Tex., and a granddaughter of Judge Harry H. Hall, who was a prominent attorney and jurist at Hallville, Harrison county, Tex. Mr. and Mrs. Browne have 1 son, E. Wayles, Jr., a bright boy of 4 years. The firm of Browne, Williamson & Browne represents several large corporations and enjoys the reputation of being a strong corporation law firm in civil practice.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 71-72. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.