'Jacob Jennings Brown' (
May 9,
1775 –
February 24,
1828) was an American army officer in the
War of 1812.
Born in
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Samuel and Abi (White) Brown. Raised a
Quaker, he graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania in
1790. He taught school and in
1798 moved to upstate
New York.
When the War of 1812 began, he was brigadier general in the New York militia. Though he opposed the war, he organized the defenses in the Great Lakes region. He defeated the British at the
Battle of Sackett's Harbor on
May 29,
1813. The next year his army
captured Fort Erie on
Ontario. He was wounded twice at the
Battle of Lundy's Lane, one of the bloodiest of the war for both sides. His successes in the northwest made him a national hero.
After the war, the Army was cut and in
1821, he was the only major-general in the service. President
James Monroe made him commanding general of the army, but he was unable to do much in the post because of a stroke. He died in
Washington, D.C..
The following counties, towns and institutions are named after Jacob Jennings Brown:
★
Brown County, Ohio
★
Brown County, Indiana
★
Brownstown, Indiana
★
Brown County, Illinois
★
Brownville (village), New York
★
Brownville (town), New York
★
Brownville, NY
★
Brownsville, Tennessee
★
Brown Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
★ General Brown Central School in Dexter