Orville Hickman Browning (February 10, 1806 – August 10, 1881) was an attorney in Illinois and a politician who was active in the Whig and Republican Parties.

Born in Kentucky, and trained as a lawyer, Browning settled in Illinois, where he served in the militia during the Black Hawk War, established himself as a successful attorney, and became involved in politics as a Whig.

In 1861, Browning was appointed to the United States Senate seat left vacant by the death of Stephen A. Douglas; he served until January 1863, after which he resumed practicing law.

[1] After becoming an attorney, Browning moved to Quincy, Illinois,[1] where he established a practice in partnership with Nehemiah Bushnell.

[1] In 1844, Browning successfully defended five men who had been accused of the murder of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.

In May 1856, he was a delegate to the convention in Bloomington, Illinois which was held in opposition to the Kansas–Nebraska Act, one of the events that led to the creation of the Republican Party.

[3] After leaving office, he worked as a Washington lobbyist and lawyer[1] in partnership with Edgar Cowan, Thomas Ewing and others.

[2] Emma Lord (1848–1885) resided with the Brownings from the age of five;[3] she became the wife of Orrin Skinner,[2] an attorney who practiced in New York and later moved to Chicago.