Frightful Degree - Death of an Old Soldier 1825

Richmond, Nov. 20.— We understand that Mr John Brown, a venerable old man, one of the door-keepers of the House of Delegates, for a great many years, was killed on Saturday last by an unfortunate son, who is said to be deranged. What particular provocation could have induced him to attack the life of his father, we have not understood; but he first shot his father, and not haying dispatched him in this manner, he struck him with an axe, separated -the head from the trunk, and horrible to tell! cut and mangled the head of his victim in a frightful degree. Another of his brothers hearing of the murder, came up with a gun; and the wretch attempting to escape, he shot at him, only one small shot striking him on the cheek. The calamity does not terminate here. For, the destroyer of his father, being thus wounded, fired in his turn at his brother, and lodged the contents of the gun in .his thigh. The life of the brother too is said to be in jeopardy Some negroes who were by, no longer fearing bis gun, came up and seized him he was committed to New Kent jail on Sunday morning.  [Compiler.

-Phenix Gazette (Alexandria), 3 December 1825

PARRICIDE. 

Thousands in the Commonwealth are acquainted with John Brown, an old Revolutionary Soldier, who has served so many years aid so faithfully as Door-keeper to the House of Delegates. The unfortunate man has fallen by the hands of his own son. On Saturday last, the son shot the father; but as the old man did not fall dead, the son seized an axe struck him on the head, perhaps nearly separated it from the body, and mangled it in a most distressing manner. Another of the sons hearing of the terrible catastrophe, approached his brother with a gun, who immediately attempted to fly; but the irritated son shot at him, and merely grazed him on the cheek with one partridge shot. The parricide then stopt, and returned the fire, which unfortunately took effect on the body of his brother, whose life is despaired of; some negroes, who had been prevented from interfering by the fear of his gun, then stept up and arrested the murderer. On Saturday morning, he was committed to the jail of New Kent County. Our informant states that the unfortunate Parricide is supposed to have been for some time deranged.

-Richmond Enquirer, 29 November 1825

John Brown

John Brown, 2nd (File No. S. 39,319; certificate no. 4732). May 15, 1818, when he was 55 year of age John Brown, 2nd, of New Kent County, Va., made affidavit in open court that he enlisted in James City Co., Va., in May 1778 as a private in Colo. Porterfield's regt*., and served to the end of the war. He was in the battle when Gates was defeated, and received his discharge at Little York, Va. 

The signatures of the presiding judges of New Kent County Court appear on this paper and are: Robert Warren, Robert Graves, Seaton W. Crump, Wm. Douglas and Beverly Crump. Bartholomew Dandridge signed as Clerk of Ct. 

The pension of $8 per month was granted Oct. 21, 1818 commencing May 15, 1818. This was dropped Nov. 26, 1819 upon information that Colo. Porterfield's was a State Regt. and not Continental.

http://genealogytrails.com/vir/newkent/revwarpensions.html

* I assume this to be the Virginia State Garrison Regiment, meant to guard various sites along the coast of Virginia. It was sent south and was decimated at the American defeat at Camden.