Category Archives: Susan Brownlow

Parson Brownlow’s wife Elisa

In the novel, the historical Elisa Brownlow and my fictional Leila Ellis are close friends. This photo of Mrs. Brownlow was taken in Philadelphia, Pa, soon after the war began when the Confederates had kicked her husband out of Knoxville … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Civil War clothing, Parson William Brownlow, Parthenia Leila Ellis, Susan Brownlow | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Reprise: That Yankee-lovin’ parson

Dissent from Confederate political-correctness was not unusual in the Civil War, as professional historian Victoria Bynum’s book relates. Parson Bill Brownlow probably was unique, however, in his willingness to risk all by publicizing his dissent in the pages of his … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Knoxville, Parson William Brownlow, Slavery, Susan Brownlow | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Susan Brownlow’s grave

Susan  Brownlow, daughter of the parson the Confederacy hated, was a young widow (Sawyers) with a five-year-old child at the time of the novel, though she often left the child with one of the family’s house slaves. She was a … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Elisa Brownlow, Knoxville, Parson William Brownlow, Susan Brownlow | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Susan Brownlow

Parson William Gannaway Brownlow was as popular in the North as he was despised in the South. So when the Confederates finally kicked him out of Knoxville, he and his wife Elisa and their daughter, Susan, enjoyed great acclaim in … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Elisa Brownlow, Parson William Brownlow, Susan Brownlow | Tagged , | Leave a comment