Home

Rev. Hugh L. Brownlee descended from John Brownlee (1665-1747) 3rd Laird of Torfoot through his 5th son, Archibald Brownlee (1705-1788).

Rev. Hugh L. Brownlee, minister, Portland Mills, was born in Marion county, Ohio, December 1, 1837, and is the son of James and Angelina (Danely) Brownlee.  The former is a native of Ohio county, Virginia, and came to Ohio in 1837.  His vocation was that of a miller and farmer.  The latter was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania.  H. L. Brownlee was a student for a time at the Ohio Central Academy, located at Iberia, Ohio.  He went from there to Westminster College, located in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with the degree of A.B.  He then took a four years’ course in theology under the instruction of Dixon and S. G. McNeel, theological professors in the Associate Presbyterian church.  The former died one year after Mr. Brownlee began his course.  Having finished his course in theology he was ordained a minister in the Associate Presbyterian church, and sent out as licentiate minister. While thus engaged he traveled in the states of Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. In 1869 he was called to the pastorship of the Associate church in Portland Mills, which he still retains.  In 1872 he was sent by the church authorities to Philadelphia for the purpose of organizing a society in that place, which he did.  He was married in 1868 to Miss Anna Hindman, of Washington, Iowa, and settled at Portland Mills, in Parke county, Indiana.  By this union they had three children, all of whom are deceased, including the mother, who died April 9, 1875.  In 1876 Mr. Brownlee was married a second time, to Miss Isalina M. McGregor, of Adams county, Iowa.  She is the daughter of John A. and Agnes (Irwin) McGregor, both natives of Pennsylvania.  Mrs. Isalina Brownlee graduated in 1870 at Monmouth College, Illinois, with the honors of her class, in the degree of A.B., and in 1873 she received the degree of A.M. from the same school.  For a time after completing her collegiate course she was a professional teacher.  Mr. Brownlee educated himself in part by alternately teaching and attending school.  He has one child, Agnes by his present wife.  He and his wife are highly respected christians and citizens.  In politics he is a staunch republican, who even when a boy feared not to manifest his principles.  While at Iberia he several times assisted runaway slaves to obtain their liberty, in company with the president of the school.  With others of the students, he assisted, with a gun, in capturing some slave-hunters who had crossed over into Ohio.  The slave-hunters being captured, their heads were soon barbered and they soon tied to a tree.  The same moral (per)suasion was used to induce them to quit the state and cease man-hunting, that slaveholders used when their slaves deviated from their ritual, namely, the lash.  The whip was administered by some colored students.

History of Vigo and Parke Counties (Indiana).  Chicago, H. H. Hill & N. Iddings, 1880