J. B. Brawley

biography

Brawley, J. B., attorney, Meadville, was born July 26, 1844, in Meadville. His grandfather, Hugh Brawley, an early settler of this county, was a farmer and contractor by occupation. He was elected Sheriff of this county in 1823, and served in the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was the parent of six children. Hon. J. Porter Brawley, the second in this family, was educated at Allegheny College, and studied law; served two terms as member of the Legislature; was elected to the State Senate in 1846, serving three years; was Surveyor-General from 1850 to 1856. He had a family of six children, of whom J. B. is the eldest. Our subject acquired his education at Meadville and in Allegheny College, from which he graduated in 1360. He accepted a clerkship in the Census Bureau, and was at Washington, D. C., till 1862 ; then returned to Meadville and commenced the study of law in the office of Finney & Douglass, and was admitted to the bar in 1864. Mr. Brawley began practice before the Crawford bar with Edward Wilson, and was associated with him for two years. In 1868 he became a partner with Judge David Derickson, on whom Allegheny College conferred the degree of LL. D. in 1884, and continued associated with him until July, 1875, upon the withdrawal of Judge Derrickson from practice. He was admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Courts January 18, 1877. In 1880 he formed a co-partnership with John O. McClintock, with firm name of Brawley & McClintock. Mr. Brawley has been twice married; on the first occasion, in 1870, to Miss Fanny C. Ford, who died in 1872. His second marriage was with Maria, daughter of Judge David Derrickson. Our subject and wife are adherents of the First Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a member twenty-two years, and is now an Elder. He was a member of the General Assembly that met at Chicago, Ill., in 1877; also of the National Democratic Convention, 1880.

History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 716-717.