Biographical Note
James Brown was a lawyer, United States senator from Louisiana, United States minister to France, and brother-in-law of Henry Clay. He was born near Staunton, Virginia, on September 11, 1766. After attending Washington College (now known as Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia, and William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia, he was admitted to the bar and began a law practice in Frankfort, Kentucky. He moved to New Orleans in 1804 and served as secretary and then United States district attorney for the Territory of Orleans. In 1812 he was elected to represent the state of Louisiana as a United States senator. He lost his initial bid for reelection in 1817 but was reelected in 1819 and served until 1823, when he resigned following his appointment as United States minister to France. He served in that capacity until 1829. When he returned to the United States he settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he died on April 7, 1835.