Colonel Thomas Patterson Brockman (December 4, 1797 – August 20, 1859) was an American merchant and planter in the Greenville District and also owned land in the Spartanburg District. He was born in the Greenville District (now Greenville County), South Carolina, the son of Susannah Patterson and Henry Brockman. According to the 1850 slave schedules, he possessed thirty slaves in Greenville.[1] He was also a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate.
Brockman was listed as a noted member of the community in Greenville as early as 1831, when he served as a parade marshal on the Fourth of July, as appointed by Perry E. Duncan and committee. At that ceremony he led three companies of militia, accompanied by Colonel Barron, Colonel Greene, and Major Goodlett.[2] Brockman was colonel of the Third Regiment of the state militia (1831–1834).
Political lifeedit
Brockman was a prominent Unionist in the years before the Civil War. In 1832–1833, he served as Greenville delegate to the state convention on Nullification; he voted against nullification. He was state Senator from the Greenville district from 1836 to 1839, and Commissioner of Roads and of Public Buildings in 1844,
The slavery issue came to a head with the Compromise of 1850. South Carolina secessionists asserted that if the Compromise passed, South Carolina should withdraw from the Union.
Brockman's town of Greenville had long been a Unionist stronghold. In the October state elections of 1850, Brockman was elected state Senator, and fellow Unionists Benjamin Perry and Perry E. Duncan were also elected to the legislature. The Unionist started a newspaper, the Southern Patriot, to support the cause.
Nonetheless, the legislature called for a convention to be held to decide on secession. Brockman and other Unionists worked to delay the convention as long as possible, collaborating with the "cooperationist" faction. ("Cooperationists" did not explicitly opposed secession, but said that South Carolina should not act on its own, but only in "cooperation" with other Southern states.) When the convention delegates were finally elected in 1852, the Unionists and cooperationists defeated the secessionists 25,062 to 17,617. The Union was safe (for the time being) thanks in large part to the efforts of Brockman and the other Unionists of Greenville.
The election of Lincoln in 1860 caused a new crisis. Despite Brockman's efforts, South Carolina declared secession in December 1860, commencing the American Civil War. This was a tragic outcome for Brockman, as both of his sons (Benjamin T. Brockman and Jesse Brockman) died while serving in the Confederate Army with the 13th South Carolina Infantry.
South Carolina Representative to South Western Railroad Bank Stockholder's Meeting (1839)
Commissioner of Roads (1844, 1851, 1854)
Commissioner of Public Buildings (1844, 1851, 1854)
Presidential Elector (1852)
Activities against secessionedit
Brockman, Benjamin Fanklin Perry, and Perry Emory Duncan were all prominent Unionists.
Represented Greenville at Nullification Convention, voted against (1832–1833)
Authored a pamphlet advocating a Southern Convention rather than a state convention (1851)
Southern Rights state convention (1852)
Referencesedit
^Biographical Directory of the South Carolina Senate, pg. 197
^Greenville The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont, Archie Vernon Huff, Jr., University of South Carolina Press, 1995, pg. 101
Sourcesedit
Kibler, Lillian Adele (1946). Benjamin F. Perry, South Carolina Unionist Duke University Publications.
Taylor, C. R., Morgan, M. L., and Bailey, N. L. (1986). Biographical Dictionary of the South Carolina Senate, 1776–1985, Vol I Abbott-Hill. Columbia, South Carolina, University of South Carolina Press.
Clark, Henry William (1905). Clark, Parks, Brockman, and Dean Families.
December 15, 2023
thomas, patterson, brockman, colonel, december, 1797, august, 1859, american, merchant, planter, greenville, district, also, owned, land, spartanburg, district, born, greenville, district, greenville, county, south, carolina, susannah, patterson, henry, brockm. Colonel Thomas Patterson Brockman December 4 1797 August 20 1859 was an American merchant and planter in the Greenville District and also owned land in the Spartanburg District He was born in the Greenville District now Greenville County South Carolina the son of Susannah Patterson and Henry Brockman According to the 1850 slave schedules he possessed thirty slaves in Greenville 1 He was also a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate Contents 1 Title of Colonel 2 Political life 3 Positions held 3 1 State Senate Committees 3 2 Other positions 3 3 Activities against secession 4 References 5 SourcesTitle of Colonel editBrockman was listed as a noted member of the community in Greenville as early as 1831 when he served as a parade marshal on the Fourth of July as appointed by Perry E Duncan and committee At that ceremony he led three companies of militia accompanied by Colonel Barron Colonel Greene and Major Goodlett 2 Brockman was colonel of the Third Regiment of the state militia 1831 1834 Political life editBrockman was a prominent Unionist in the years before the Civil War In 1832 1833 he served as Greenville delegate to the state convention on Nullification he voted against nullification He was state Senator from the Greenville district from 1836 to 1839 and Commissioner of Roads and of Public Buildings in 1844 The slavery issue came to a head with the Compromise of 1850 South Carolina secessionists asserted that if the Compromise passed South Carolina should withdraw from the Union Brockman s town of Greenville had long been a Unionist stronghold In the October state elections of 1850 Brockman was elected state Senator and fellow Unionists Benjamin Perry and Perry E Duncan were also elected to the legislature The Unionist started a newspaper the Southern Patriot to support the cause Nonetheless the legislature called for a convention to be held to decide on secession Brockman and other Unionists worked to delay the convention as long as possible collaborating with the cooperationist faction Cooperationists did not explicitly opposed secession but said that South Carolina should not act on its own but only in cooperation with other Southern states When the convention delegates were finally elected in 1852 the Unionists and cooperationists defeated the secessionists 25 062 to 17 617 The Union was safe for the time being thanks in large part to the efforts of Brockman and the other Unionists of Greenville The election of Lincoln in 1860 caused a new crisis Despite Brockman s efforts South Carolina declared secession in December 1860 commencing the American Civil War This was a tragic outcome for Brockman as both of his sons Benjamin T Brockman and Jesse Brockman died while serving in the Confederate Army with the 13th South Carolina Infantry Brockman s granddaughter Tallulah James Brockman married Alabama politician John H Bankhead a future U S Representative and Senator Their son William Brockman Bankhead was a U S Representative and Speaker of the House their son John H Bankhead II was a U S Senator Positions held editState Senate Committees edit State Senator Greenville District 1836 1839 1850 1855 Committee on accounts and vacant offices 1836 1838 1854 1855 Internal Improvements 1836 1839 Privileges and Elections 1836 1839 Incorporations 1838 1839 Pensions 1850 1851 Roads Bridges and Ferries 1850 1851 Claims and Grievances 1852 1853 Other positions edit Colonel Third Regiment State Militia 1831 1832 South Carolina Representative to South Western Railroad Bank Stockholder s Meeting 1839 Commissioner of Roads 1844 1851 1854 Commissioner of Public Buildings 1844 1851 1854 Presidential Elector 1852 Activities against secession edit Brockman Benjamin Fanklin Perry and Perry Emory Duncan were all prominent Unionists Represented Greenville at Nullification Convention voted against 1832 1833 Authored a pamphlet advocating a Southern Convention rather than a state convention 1851 Southern Rights state convention 1852 References edit Biographical Directory of the South Carolina Senate pg 197 Greenville The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont Archie Vernon Huff Jr University of South Carolina Press 1995 pg 101Sources editKibler Lillian Adele 1946 Benjamin F Perry South Carolina Unionist Duke University Publications Taylor C R Morgan M L and Bailey N L 1986 Biographical Dictionary of the South Carolina Senate 1776 1985 Vol I Abbott Hill Columbia South Carolina University of South Carolina Press Clark Henry William 1905 Clark Parks Brockman and Dean Families Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Patterson Brockman amp oldid 1073063210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
