Earl Leroy Brewer (August 11, 1869 – March 10, 1942) was the Governor of Mississippi from 1912 to 1916. Elected as a Democrat, he was unopposed in the primary and won the governorship without ever making a single public campaign speech.
Brewer was born in Carroll County, Mississippi, near the town of Vaiden. His father, Ratliff Rodney Brewer, had been a farmer, plantation manager and overseer, and a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. His middle name came from his grandfather, Leroy Brewer (1793–1851), a Mississippi Delta pioneer who migrated from Elbert County, Georgia during the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. His uncle Leroy Jasper Brewer (1833–1911), who was mayor of Holcomb at the time of Earl's gubernatorial election, died just weeks before his nephew's inauguration.
Brewer attended the University of Mississippi and after less than one year of study, obtained a Bachelor of Law degree in 1892. He immediately began practicing law (among his notable clients was Janie Jones, the widow of famed railroader Casey Jones, for whom he obtained a $2,650 settlement after Jones' death[1]) and then was elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1895. In 1902 he was appointed district attorney for the 11th District.
In 1907 he resigned his position as district attorney in order to run for governor. Brewer was narrowly defeated in his first attempt but won handily in the next campaign. As governor, Brewer promoted progressive reforms in several areas. The constitution was changed to create an elective judiciary; banking laws were established to limit interest rates; and a Bureau of Vital Statistics was created.
During his term there was a severe epidemic of pellagra in the state and other portions of the South. When the federal government sent Joseph Goldberger to study the disease and find a cure, Brewer offered full pardons to convicts who would participate in Goldberger's experiments. As a result of these studies, it was determined that pellagra was caused by a vitamin deficiency.[citation needed] Brewer also began a tradition of commuting the sentences of the convicted prisoners who served as servants at the Mississippi Governor's Mansion, after his daughter appealed to him to free a convict who had acted as her bodyguard.[2]
After his term was over, Brewer returned to the practice of law in Bolivar County. In 1924, after an unsuccessful Senate run, he took the case of Martha Lum, a local Chinese American girl who had been denied admission to the Rosedale schools since she was not white.[3]: 87–92 He was able to win a judgement in her favor at trial that was then reversed by the state Supreme Court on the grounds that the state's school-segregation laws were meant to favor white children over all other races, not just Blacks.[3]: 99–106 Brewer appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but was unable to handle the case at that point, so he handed it off to a younger lawyer, and the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision was upheld, with Chief Justice William Howard Taft writing an opinion that greatly broadened the scope of acceptable school segregation nationwide.[3]: 129–137
Brewer had left Lum v. Rice to assist in the defense of three Black defendants accused of murder who had been convicted on the basis of coerced confessions. Brewer argued and won their appeal to the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Mississippi.
Brewer died in Jackson and is buried at Oakridge Cemetery in Clarksdale.
Notable Relatives
Leroy Brewer I (1793-1851) - Grandfather and namesake of Gov. Brewer. He was an early Mississippi Delta pioneer; traveling from Elbert County, GA with his brother William Fletcher Brewer.
Captain Ratliff Rodney Brewer (1831-1881) - Father - Confederate Officer during the Civil War.
Mayor Leroy Jasper Brewer II (1833-1911) - Uncle - Mayor of Holcomb, MS, Civil War officer, civil engineer, and County Surveyor of Carroll County, MS.
Mayor John Ratliff Brewer (1853-1913) - 1st Cousin - Mayor of Holcomb, MS.
Dr. Walter Chew Brewer (1874-1932) - 2nd Cousin - Mississippi's foremost surgeon at the time of his death. Killed in a pistol battle near the hospital that he owned.
Rev. Leroy Jasper Brewer Sr. (1936-1987) - 1st Cousin 1R - Former President of the Baptist Convention of New England (called Southern Baptist General Association of New England at the time).
Sansing, David G.Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society.
"State Mourns Ex-Gov. Brewer". Jackson Daily News. March 11, 1942. from the original on October 30, 2008.
Kirwan, Albert D. Revolt of the Rednecks: Mississippi Politics, 1876-1925 University Press of Kentucky. 1951. Contains several passages about Earl Brewer's relationships with other politicians and lawyers at that time in Mississippi state politics.
External links
"Earl L. Brewer". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
earl, brewer, earl, leroy, brewer, august, 1869, march, 1942, governor, mississippi, from, 1912, 1916, elected, democrat, unopposed, primary, governorship, without, ever, making, single, public, campaign, speech, earl, leroy, brewer38th, governor, mississippii. Earl Leroy Brewer August 11 1869 March 10 1942 was the Governor of Mississippi from 1912 to 1916 Elected as a Democrat he was unopposed in the primary and won the governorship without ever making a single public campaign speech Earl Leroy Brewer38th Governor of MississippiIn office January 16 1912 January 18 1916LieutenantTheodore G BilboPreceded byEdmond NoelSucceeded byTheodore G BilboMember of the Mississippi SenateIn office January 1896 January 1900Personal detailsBorn 1869 08 11 August 11 1869near Vaiden MississippiDiedMarch 10 1942 1942 03 10 aged 72 Jackson MississippiResting placeOakridge CemeteryNationalityAmericanPolitical partyDemocraticSpouseMinnie Marion BlockProfessionLawyer Contents 1 Biography 2 Notable Relatives 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditBrewer was born in Carroll County Mississippi near the town of Vaiden His father Ratliff Rodney Brewer had been a farmer plantation manager and overseer and a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War His middle name came from his grandfather Leroy Brewer 1793 1851 a Mississippi Delta pioneer who migrated from Elbert County Georgia during the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek His uncle Leroy Jasper Brewer 1833 1911 who was mayor of Holcomb at the time of Earl s gubernatorial election died just weeks before his nephew s inauguration Brewer attended the University of Mississippi and after less than one year of study obtained a Bachelor of Law degree in 1892 He immediately began practicing law among his notable clients was Janie Jones the widow of famed railroader Casey Jones for whom he obtained a 2 650 settlement after Jones death 1 and then was elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1895 In 1902 he was appointed district attorney for the 11th District In 1907 he resigned his position as district attorney in order to run for governor Brewer was narrowly defeated in his first attempt but won handily in the next campaign As governor Brewer promoted progressive reforms in several areas The constitution was changed to create an elective judiciary banking laws were established to limit interest rates and a Bureau of Vital Statistics was created During his term there was a severe epidemic of pellagra in the state and other portions of the South When the federal government sent Joseph Goldberger to study the disease and find a cure Brewer offered full pardons to convicts who would participate in Goldberger s experiments As a result of these studies it was determined that pellagra was caused by a vitamin deficiency citation needed Brewer also began a tradition of commuting the sentences of the convicted prisoners who served as servants at the Mississippi Governor s Mansion after his daughter appealed to him to free a convict who had acted as her bodyguard 2 After his term was over Brewer returned to the practice of law in Bolivar County In 1924 after an unsuccessful Senate run he took the case of Martha Lum a local Chinese American girl who had been denied admission to the Rosedale schools since she was not white 3 87 92 He was able to win a judgement in her favor at trial that was then reversed by the state Supreme Court on the grounds that the state s school segregation laws were meant to favor white children over all other races not just Blacks 3 99 106 Brewer appealed to the U S Supreme Court but was unable to handle the case at that point so he handed it off to a younger lawyer and the Mississippi Supreme Court s decision was upheld with Chief Justice William Howard Taft writing an opinion that greatly broadened the scope of acceptable school segregation nationwide 3 129 137 Brewer had left Lum v Rice to assist in the defense of three Black defendants accused of murder who had been convicted on the basis of coerced confessions Brewer argued and won their appeal to the United States Supreme Court in Brown v Mississippi Brewer died in Jackson and is buried at Oakridge Cemetery in Clarksdale Notable Relatives EditLeroy Brewer I 1793 1851 Grandfather and namesake of Gov Brewer He was an early Mississippi Delta pioneer traveling from Elbert County GA with his brother William Fletcher Brewer Captain Ratliff Rodney Brewer 1831 1881 Father Confederate Officer during the Civil War Mayor Leroy Jasper Brewer II 1833 1911 Uncle Mayor of Holcomb MS Civil War officer civil engineer and County Surveyor of Carroll County MS Mayor John Ratliff Brewer 1853 1913 1st Cousin Mayor of Holcomb MS Dr Walter Chew Brewer 1874 1932 2nd Cousin Mississippi s foremost surgeon at the time of his death Killed in a pistol battle near the hospital that he owned Rev Leroy Jasper Brewer Sr 1936 1987 1st Cousin 1R Former President of the Baptist Convention of New England called Southern Baptist General Association of New England at the time References Edit Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley Mississippi Archived from the original on March 14 2008 Eyre Kathy May 29 1988 Convicts Used as Servants Mississippi Prisoners Wait on the Governor Los Angeles Times early ed p 6 a b c Berard Adrienne 2016 Water Tossing Boulders Boston Beacon Press ISBN 9780807083161 Retrieved August 31 2021 Sansing David G Earl Leroy Brewer Thirty eighth Governor of Mississippi 1912 1916 Mississippi History Now Mississippi Historical Society State Mourns Ex Gov Brewer Jackson Daily News March 11 1942 Archived from the original on October 30 2008 Kirwan Albert D Revolt of the Rednecks Mississippi Politics 1876 1925 University Press of Kentucky 1951 Contains several passages about Earl Brewer s relationships with other politicians and lawyers at that time in Mississippi state politics External links Edit Earl L Brewer Find a Grave Retrieved September 2 2010 Profile at National Governors Association websiteParty political officesPreceded byEdmond Noel Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi1911 Succeeded byTheodore G BilboPolitical officesPreceded byEdmond Noel Governor of Mississippi1912 1916 Succeeded byTheodore G Bilbo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Earl L Brewer amp oldid 1132204179, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
