Chart 10004a

1. John Brownlee, born 22 January 1818, Belfast, Ireland - died 12 December 1869, Algiers, Orleans, Louisiana. John married Mary Anne Spence, born 1 October 1827, New York City - died 18 August 1877, Algiers, Orleans, Louisiana on 21 January 1843, probably in New York City. They came to New Orleans in 1845. John and his wife remained and raised their family there.

2. Edward Brownlee, born circa 1825 in Belfast, Ireland - died 18 Apr 1895, Port Ryerse, Ontario. Edward returned to Canada and married Rachel Oakes, born Circa 1834, Ontario - died 27 June 1911, Vittoria, Ontario circa 1855 in Ontario.

They had issue:

1. William James Brownlee born c1850s married Christine Shaw. William and Christine Shaw were small-town southwestern Ontario shopkeepers or merchants.

They had Issue:

1. John Edward Brownlee, born 27 August 1883[1], at Port Ryerse, on the north shore of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada. John Brownlee was a tall man who stood six foot four inches, had wavy brown hair and blue-grey eyes[2]. He was married in 1912 to Florence Agnes Edy. He received his education in Sarnia Schools and at the University of Toronto (B.A., 1908). Read Law in Calgary and was admitted to the Alberta bar, 1912 (K.C., 1921). For several years he was general counsel to the United Grain Growers and United Farmers of Alberta. He later became president and general manager of the United Grain Growers Limited[3]. Brownlee became Kings Council in 1921[4]. Although he had not been a candidate in the Alberta general election of 1921, he was appointed attorney general in August, after the UFA victory, in the Greenfield cabinet; he was elected by acclamation in a by-election in Ponoka and held his portfolio until 1924. In 1923 he successfully opposed radical financial resolutions that seemed to him to threaten provincial credit. Brownlee was Henry Wise Wood's choice for the premiership; he succeeded to that office on 23 November 1925. He was Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1925 to 1934. During this administration the provincially owned and operated Alberta and Great Waterways Railway and the Edmonton, Dunvegan, and British Columbia Railway were sold to the CPR and CNR. Control of Alberta's resources was transferred to the province by the federal government. Brownlee resigned the premiership on 10 July 1934, but sat in the Legislature as a private member until defeated in the next general election. Returning to private practice in Edmonton he was soon legal counsel for the UGG again. Between 1948-1961 he was president and general manager of that firm. During the 1950s he negotiated the Second and Third International Wheat Agreements and was an original member of the National Productivity Council, the forerunner of the Economic Council of Canada. John Edward Brownlee died at Port Ryerse, Calgary on 15 July 1961 and was buried in the Evergreen Memorial Gardens northeast of Edmonton. A detailed account of John Edward Brownlee’s early life is given in the doctoral thesis prepared at Queen’s University in 1981 by Franklin Lloyd Foster, entitled John Edward Brownlee: A Biography[5].

They had issue:

1. John Edy Brownlee was born December 1915[6].

2. Alan Marshall Brownlee was born September 1916[7].

3. William Brownlee, born Belfast, Ireland - died date unknown, but perhaps St. Paul, MN coming to the United States through Canada in 1832.

None of GGF John Brownlee's papers name his parents, nor were they entered in his family bible. My late brother Buddy Brownlee and his late wife Marguerite Barrett even went to Port Ryerse hoping to find out more info thru Edward's family, but they had no more info than we did. They say if your want your family tree exposed, engage in politics. But in this case, it didn't seem to prove true! John Edward had his share of scandal, but unfortunately his Great Grandparents were never exposed - his detractors were only interested in what went on with his Secretary (or whomever.)

We have no idea in what part of Belfast they lived, if in fact they did. They were likely Church of Ireland members, since John joined the Episcopal Church in New Orleans, and Edward was a member of St. John's Anglican Church in Port Ryerse. Trying to find records in Ireland has been our brick wall!

Researched by Henry F. Brownlee. My Great Grandfather is 1. John Brownlee, born 22 January 1818. Henry Brownlie’s email address

[1] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 76

[2] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 75

[3] Information obtained from Encyclopaedia Canadiana - held at Penrith City Library, Penrith, N.S.W. Australia. Chart originated 28 April 1990

[4] The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th Edition - held at Penrith City Library, Penrith, N.S.W. Australia. 28 April, 1990

[5] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 75

[6] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 77

[7] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 77


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		Chart 10118 Three Irish brothers, John Brownlee born 1818 in Belfast, Ireland Edward Brownlee born c1825 in Belfast, Ireland and William Brownlee born in Belfast, Ireland
	1. John Brownlee, born 22 January 1818, Belfast, Ireland - died 12 December 1869, Algiers, Orleans, Louisiana. John married Mary Anne Spence, born 1 October 1827, New York City - died 18 August 1877, Algiers, Orleans, Louisiana on 21 January 1843, probably in New York City. They came to New Orleans in 1845. John and his wife remained and raised their family there. 2. Edward Brownlee, born circa 1825 in Belfast, Ireland - died 18 Apr 1895, Port Ryerse, Ontario. Edward returned to Canada and married Rachel Oakes, born Circa 1834, Ontario - died 27 June 1911, Vittoria, Ontario circa 1855 in Ontario. They had issue: 1. William James Brownlee born c1850s married Christine Shaw. William and Christine Shaw were small-town southwestern Ontario shopkeepers or merchants. They had Issue: 1. John Edward Brownlee, born 27 August 1883[1], at Port Ryerse, on the north shore of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada. John Brownlee was a tall man who stood six foot four inches, had wavy brown hair and blue-grey eyes[2]. He was married in 1912 to Florence Agnes Edy. He received his education in Sarnia Schools and at the University of Toronto (B.A., 1908). Read Law in Calgary and was admitted to the Alberta bar, 1912 (K.C., 1921). For several years he was general counsel to the United Grain Growers and United Farmers of Alberta. He later became president and general manager of the United Grain Growers Limited[3]. Brownlee became Kings Council in 1921[4]. Although he had not been a candidate in the Alberta general election of 1921, he was appointed attorney general in August, after the UFA victory, in the Greenfield cabinet; he was elected by acclamation in a by-election in Ponoka and held his portfolio until 1924. In 1923 he successfully opposed radical financial resolutions that seemed to him to threaten provincial credit. Brownlee was Henry Wise Wood's choice for the premiership; he succeeded to that office on 23 November 1925. He was Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1925 to 1934. During this administration the provincially owned and operated Alberta and Great Waterways Railway and the Edmonton, Dunvegan, and British Columbia Railway were sold to the CPR and CNR. Control of Alberta's resources was transferred to the province by the federal government. Brownlee resigned the premiership on 10 July 1934, but sat in the Legislature as a private member until defeated in the next general election. Returning to private practice in Edmonton he was soon legal counsel for the UGG again. Between 1948-1961 he was president and general manager of that firm. During the 1950s he negotiated the Second and Third International Wheat Agreements and was an original member of the National Productivity Council, the forerunner of the Economic Council of Canada. John Edward Brownlee died at Port Ryerse, Calgary on 15 July 1961 and was buried in the Evergreen Memorial Gardens northeast of Edmonton. A detailed account of John Edward Brownlee’s early life is given in the doctoral thesis prepared at Queen’s University in 1981 by Franklin Lloyd Foster, entitled John Edward Brownlee: A Biography[5]. They had issue: 1. John Edy Brownlee was born December 1915[6]. 2. Alan Marshall Brownlee was born September 1916[7]. 3. William Brownlee, born Belfast, Ireland - died date unknown, but perhaps St. Paul, MN coming to the United States through Canada in 1832. None of GGF John Brownlee's papers name his parents, nor were they entered in his family bible. My late brother Buddy Brownlee and his late wife Marguerite Barrett even went to Port Ryerse hoping to find out more info thru Edward's family, but they had no more info than we did. They say if your want your family tree exposed, engage in politics. But in this case, it didn't seem to prove true! John Edward had his share of scandal, but unfortunately his Great Grandparents were never exposed - his detractors were only interested in what went on with his Secretary (or whomever.) We have no idea in what part of Belfast they lived, if in fact they did. They were likely Church of Ireland members, since John joined the Episcopal Church in New Orleans, and Edward was a member of St. John's Anglican Church in Port Ryerse. Trying to find records in Ireland has been our brick wall! Researched by Henry F. Brownlee. My Great Grandfather is 1. John Brownlee, born 22 January 1818. Henry Brownlie’s email address [1] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 76 [2] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 75 [3] Information obtained from Encyclopaedia Canadiana - held at Penrith City Library, Penrith, N.S.W. Australia. Chart originated 28 April 1990 [4] The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th Edition - held at Penrith City Library, Penrith, N.S.W. Australia. 28 April, 1990 [5] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 75 [6] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 77 [7] Information from Alberta in the 20^th Century, Volume 5, Brownlee and the Triumph of Populism 1920-1930, page 77