Judge James Nathan Browning - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Address

2401 Dumas Drive
Amarillo, TX 79107-2069

The marker is located 1 mile west of the Judges Amarillo homesite.

⁽¹⁾James Nathan Browning, attorney and lieutenant governor of Texas, son of William F. and Mary L. (Burke) Browning, was born on a farm near Arkadelphia, Clark County, Arkansas, on March 13, 1850. His father died when James was four, and his mother later married J. F. Stegall. The Civil War ended early school advantages for Browning, but he educated himself during his spare time. In 1866 the family moved to Cooke County, Texas. After working as a cowboy in Stephens County for a year, Browning went into partnership with his brother Joe in the cattle business at Fort Griffin, a venture that often brought the partners in contact with Indian warfare.

While ranching at Fort Griffin, Browning studied law under C. K. Stribling. He was admitted to the bar at Albany in 1876 and served for a while as justice of the peace, then as Shackelford county attorney for two years. He turned reforming zeal against gambling and other frontier vices and taught a Sunday school class. He married Cornelia E. Beckham, who died in childbirth two years later. He subsequently married Virginia Bozeman, on March 9, 1879; they had five sons and four daughters. In 1881 Browning resigned as county attorney and moved to Mobeetie, where he was appointed attorney of the Thirty-fifth Judicial District by Governor Oran M. Roberts. He was elected to four terms as representative in the Texas legislature from the Forty-third District, in 1882, 1884, 1886, and 1890. As a legislator he led the "free grass" elements in opposition to the leasing of large tracts of school lands to big cattle raisers in Northwest Texas. He also served as a member of the committees on penitentiaries and irrigation and was chairman of the judiciary committee. Browning's honesty and fairness won the respect of his constituents, who bestowed upon him the nickname "Honest Jim."

In 1888 he declined to run again for the legislature and moved his law practice from Mobeetie to Clarendon. In February 1896 he moved to Amarillo and formed a law partnership with W. H. Madden, with whom he remained for the next sixteen years. In 1898, after nomination by the Texas Democratic convention, Browning was elected to his first term as lieutenant governor. Before he took office, his son Fred was fatally injured by a fall from a horse. Browning was reelected lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket with Governor Joseph D. Sayers. After leaving office in 1903 he was appointed to the University of Texas Board of Regents by Governor S. W. T. Lanham. In 1904 Browning opened his own law firm in Amarillo. He was elected district judge in 1906 and served for eight years. Throughout his later years he was active in his community as a Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the local Methodist church. He died at Amarillo on November 9, 1921, and was buried there in Llano Cemetery.

(1) Information compiled from various sources but primarily from the TSHA Texas State History Association -- Online Handbook --

Marker Number: 2545 Marker Text: Judge James Nathan Browning Cowboy, lawyer, state official and jurist. Born in Arkansas, Browning received only a few months formal education, but taught himself by reading at night by the dim light of a pine knot. At 16, he came with his family to Cooke County, Texas, but later moved west to become a cowboy. His first job as a trail hand opened a nine-year career as a cattleman. His quick mind and desire for knowledge led him to begin the study of law with a law firm at Fort Griffin. Admitted to the Bar in 1876, he began a dual career of public service and private practice that continued through moves to Mobeetie, Clarendon and Amarillo. He was named first district attorney of the 31st Judicial District, a sprawling area taking in the entire Panhandle; he often had to ride hundreds of lonely miles to attend court. He was elected (1882) State Representative from the 43rd District (which included 69 counties). Re-elected in 1884, 1886, 1890, he became a popular champion of the rights of small farmers and settlers against big ranching interests. He served as Lieutenant Governor, 1898-1902; and on the Board of Regents, University of Texas, 1903-1907. From 1906 to 1914 he served as District Judge in Amarillo. Twice married, he had 10 children. (1969)

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