Issue dated December 7, 1909
Transcribed by: Linda Murray

Constitution Prints Interesting Article About Former Cobb County Veterans

Note: Since the article published below was put in type, Mr. J. M. Brown has died. The Atlanta papers of Tuesday contained the news of his death, which occurred Monday at the Soldiers’ Home. – Editor Journal and Courier

The Constitution publishes an interesting article about two former Cobb County men who are in the Soldiers’ Home – father and son. The father is James M. Brown, aged 88 years and the son is W. J. Brown, aged 65 years. The article in the Constitution will be read with interest and, in part, is as follows:

"These remarkable men are natives of Cobb County. It will be timely here to state that they are no relations of Georgia’s present governor. At the time of the breaking out of the war, the elder Brown, with his family resided on Nickajack Creek, near Smyrna, about 3 ˝ miles from Marietta.

"Father and three sons enlisted, all surviving through the war, and death, two years ago, taking one son, William A. Brown, at the age of 66. This son was wounded twice in the Seven Days battle near Richmond.

"James M. Brown and Wesley J. Brown, the father and son at home, were members of the same company, and side by side served in the struggle. They enlisted in the Second Georgia Reserves, Company E, and from January 1864 to the close of the war were engaged in guarding the northern prisoners held by the Confederates at Andersonville.

"The elder Brown was about 40 years of age at the time of his enlistment, and Wesley was a mere lad, sixteen years of age." Returning to the farm at Marietta, the desolation wrought by Sherman’s march, they discovered, included their belongings with the thousands of other veterans. The father and sons began life over, working side by side as they did in the service, and as they are spending their last days at the home now.

"Feeble health brought the elder man to the Soldiers’ Home on April 1, 1909, and three months ago, in September, Wesley Brown entered the home, more to nurse his aged father than because of his infirmities. A remarkable member of the Brown family is a sister of the elder man. She is Miss Polly Brown who lives on the land given by her father near the Marietta Campground in Cobb County. She is a spinster at the ripe age of 90 years.

Wesley Brown has a wife and three children who live in Cobb County on a small farm near "Fair Oaks", the farm of ex-Mayor Joyner.

"John M. Brown the other Confederate veteran – son of James Brown – resides with his family near Covington, in Newton County. He is 70 years of age. He was a member of the Phillips Legion and saw active service.