From: "Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and
Brown Counties, Illinois 1892", by Biographical Review Publishing
Company, Chicago, Illinois; pages 398-399, a reprinted by Stevens
Publishing Co., Astoria, Ill., 1971, is sold by the Schuyler County
Historical Society, Rushville, Illinois.
John J. Browning was born in Woodstock township, Schuyler
county, Illinois, July 4, 1857, a son of James H. and Sarah E. (Hall)
Browning. The paternal grandparents, Abner and Nancy Browning, were
natives of Virginia, but passed their last days in Hancock county,
Illinois, dying at the ages of eighty-two and seventy-eight years.
James H. was born in Virginia, May 8, 1818, and was but four years of
age when his parents moved to Kentucky; there he was reared to
agricultural pursuits until he was sixteen years of age, when he came
to Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois. In 1834, he purchased a
portion of the land on which John J. Browning now resides; there he
lived until his death, which occurred August 19, 1883. His wife, Sarah
E. (Hall) Browning, was born September 28, 1831, in Wayne county,
Kentucky, and died February 28, 1883; she was one of a family of ten
children, and the father was one of eight. Politically he adhered to
the principles of the Democratic party; for twenty years he was Justice
of the Peace, and he held the office of Supervisor at the time of his
death. He was prominently connected with the political history of the
county, and for many years was a preacher in the Christian Church. He
was married to the mother of our subject, September 7, 1856.
Mr. Browning was, himself, united in marriage December 25, 1884,
to Miss Mary Sweeney, who was born in Jefferson county, Missouri, March
25, 1858; her parents, Michael and Margaret (Gavin) Sweeney, were
natives of county Galway, Ireland, and emigrated to America, first
settling in New York State; later they removed to Missouri, and there
Mr. Sweeney was engaged in farming until 1861; in that year he came to
Schuyler county, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Browning are the
parents of three children: Pearl B., born October 23, 1885; Alta M.,
born July 27, 1888; and Lizzie M., born February 27, 1891. Until 1884
Mr. Browning resided on the home farm; he then purchased a tract of
land, which with the inheritance from his father covers 300 acres; the
land is under excellent cultivation, and in all branches of husbandry
he has been successful. Politically he supports the issues of the
Democratic party, but takes no active interest in the movements of that
body.
