John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) was born on December 17, 1861, at the family homestead in Providence, Rhode Island. He was the eldest son of John Carter Brown and Sophia Augusta (Brown) Brown. John Nicholas Brown was a member of one of the most prominent and distinguished families in Rhode Island, and an eighth generation descendant of Chad Brown, one of the original settlers of Providence Plantations. The family was active during the American Revolution and a supporter of the Federal Constitution. The Browns proved to be resourceful and prosperous merchants and manufacturers, pioneers in the China trade, and well-known manufacturers of spermaceti candles. During the nineteenth century, the Brown family transferred their vested interests from commerce to cotton manufacturing. The Brown family was a political, economic, philosophical, religious and philanthropic leader in Rhode Island.
During his childhood, John Nicholas Brown resided at 357 Benefit Street on the East Side of Providence. There he received his early education under the direction of private tutors. The family summered in Newport, Rhode Island, at their Mansion House located on Bellevue Avenue. Due to the nature of his father's business activities, John Nicholas Brown and his family lived and traveled throughout Europe for many years. Following the death of his father in 1874, John Nicholas Brown spent two years abroad traveling with his family. He resided in Cannes for the winter season, and during the summer months, he visited museums. As a young teen, John Nicholas had the opportunity to tour the Louvre, the Bibliotecque Nationale, various churches, art museums, and private libraries.
John Carter Brown was an avid collector of Americana, and Sophia Augusta Brown was a self-proclaimed bibliophile. This love of books and libraries, whether inherited or cultivated, was present in John Nicholas Brown. Often, as a young teen, he would accompany his mother to various booksellers and tour private libraries. In Milan, Sophia Augusta Brown had a letter of introduction to the Ambrosian Library where the prefect showed them valuable books and documents. There John Nicholas Brown saw a Columbus letter, the missal of the French monarch Francis I, the drawings and papers of Leonardo daVinci, a Virgil with notes by Petrarch, and original Galileo correspondence.
In 1881, John Nicholas Brown entered Brown University as a freshman. However, he left school after completing only two years, citing his poor health and weak constitution. Nonetheless, he continued his studies of his own accord. He traveled extensively and studied history, architecture, languages and classics. In 1895, the faculty of Brown University voted to confer a degree upon John Nicholas Brown as a member of the class of 1885.
Under the tutelage of his cousin William Goddard, John Nicholas Brown began to work for the family business, Brown and Ives. As President of Lonsdale Company, John Nicholas Brown was often concerned for the physical and spiritual welfare of the work force. In 1888, John Nicholas Brown and his brother, Harold, formed a partnership, JN & H Brown. They occupied office space at 50 South Main Street, the family business headquarters. In many ways, the JN & H Brown business paralleled the activities of the John Carter Brown Estate. They lent money for mortgages and invested money in buildings and western lands. In these business endeavors, the brothers relied upon the assistance of George W.R. Matteson, trustee of the Estate of John Carter Brown.
A staunch, devoted and enthusiastic supporter of the Episcopal Church and its missions, John Nicholas Brown was a communicant at St. John's Church on North Main Street, Providence, and Emmanuel Church, Newport. He was active in church affairs and participated in both the Diocesan Episcopal convention and the National Episcopal convention. As a member of the Board of Managers of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, John Nicholas Brown took an active role in funding and advancing the growth of Episcopal missions throughout Rhode Island and the United States. He was particularly interested in the western United States missions and in the Swedish and French Episcopal missions. He generously donated a great deal of money to help build churches and to defray the expenses of poorer parishes.
John Nicholas Brown was a philanthropist. He donated to numerous organizations and individuals in needed of assistance. He funded a project to repopulate Alaska with reindeer and import Eskimos to teach the native population how to care for the reindeer. Among his many charitable causes, he supported the Young Men's Christian Association, the Providence Athenaeum, Brown University, the Providence Charitable Fuel Society and the Southern Negro Orphan Asylum. One of his most generous donations, a gift of $268,000, was used to complete the building of the Providence Public Library. William Foster of the Providence Public Library exclaimed, "It was extremely noble in him, and thoroughly characteristic."
Throughout his life, John Nicholas Brown was interested in Republican politics, community service, and various social clubs. He was elected President of the Rhode Island Republican League and he was an elector for Benjamin Harrison in the election of 1888. In the years that followed, John Nicholas Brown did not actively partake in political affairs, but he was concerned about the free trade issue, the Civil Service law, the Puerto Rican Tariff issue, and other local issues. As a civic leader, John Nicholas Brown sat on the board of several local banks and hospitals. He was active in various social and business clubs in Providence, Newport and New York City.
During his leisure time, John Nicholas Brown enjoyed yachting and collecting rare books, fine wine, and the new impressionist art. He delighted in purchasing rare and valuable books for his library. "I think that old books and new pictures are weaknesses of mine. The former I do know something about, the latter nothing." A patron of the arts, John Nicholas Brown was a frequent visitor to art museums. The Paris Exhibitions and galleries proved to be a special place for him. He conferred with well-known artists of the day, men such as Detaille, de Neuville, Meissonier, Bonnat, and Monet. A great admirer of Monet, John Nicholas Brown visited him at his studio. Brown commissioned Bonnat to paint his portrait in 1889.
On September 8, 1897, John Nicholas Brown married Natalie Bayard Dresser of New York and Newport. The couple spent their honeymoon in Europe, traveling and visiting friends and relatives. They returned to the United States in 1898 and set up a winter household in Providence. They summered in Newport, renting the Fearing House on Narragansett Boulevard, and they maintained a residence in New York City. This successful and loving marriage was blessed with the birth of a son, John Nicholas, on February 21, 1900.
Tragically, John Nicholas Brown became ill and passed away in the spring of 1900. He was mourned not only by members of his immediate family, but by all those he had helped throughout the years. His wife, Natalie, and their son, John Nicholas, missed his company and guidance in the years that followed. His passion for the arts, travel, Europe, yachts, philanthropic activities, and civic endeavors were continued by his son and namesake, John Nicholas Brown.
The bulk of the John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) collection is located within the Correspondence series (12 linear feet). This series contains both correspondence received and correspondence sent. There are ten subseries in this series, covering a wide variety of topics. Through this correspondence, it is possible to obtain a glimpse into the life and lifestyle of John Nicholas Brown. He corresponded frequently with his mother while traveling, and he kept in close contact with his wife, Natalie, whenever out of town. John Nicholas Brown maintained a good relationship with his brother, Harold Brown, and his sister, Sophia Augusta Brown Sherman.
Through the correspondence of John Nicholas Brown, we learn that he was a well-liked and generous individual. He was endowed with a philanthropic spirit and donated a great deal of money to numerous charitable, civic and church causes. He was especially interested in the Episcopal Church's missionary efforts in the western United States. John Nicholas Brown was a civic-minded individual and was on the board of many local organizations. In his early years, he dabbled in politics as a staunch supporter of the Republican Party. His correspondence reveals a love of the sea and of his steamship, the Ballymena. He was an avid collector of rare books, wine, and impressionist art.
John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) was born on December 17, 1861, to John Carter Brown and Sophia Augusta Brown (Brown). He had two younger siblings, Harold and Sophia. Sophia married William Watts Sherman of Newport in 1885 while she was still under age; she was Sherman's second wife. Harold married Georgette Wetmore Sherman, the daughter of W. W. Sherman by his first marriage, on October 4, 1892.
The Dresser family is well represented among the family correspondence papers. This sub-subseries consists of correspondence from Natalie's sisters and their husbands. Susan married the Viscount d'Osmoy and resided in France. Edith's first husband was George Vanderbilt and her second was Senator Peter Gerry. Pauline married a minister, George Grenville Merrill, and lived in Tuxedo Park, New York.
Desmond Fitzgerald was a cousin of John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900). His mother was the sister of Sophia Augusta (Brown) Brown. Although quite a bit older than his cousin, Desmond Fitzgerald greatly influenced John Nicholas Brown, especially after the death of John Carter Brown. Desmond Fitzgerald was quite beloved by the Brown family, and the two families at times celebrated holidays together. Desmond was a civil engineer by trade. He lived in Brookline, Massachusetts, and had a large family.
Sophia Augusta Brown corresponded with her son frequently while he was traveling Europe on his honeymoon. Her correspondence includes an itinerary of John Nicholas Brown and Natalie Bayard Brown's travels throughout Europe. She kept her son abreast of the news from home. She wrote about family members, their daily activities and general health. At times, she commented upon the politics of the day, referring to the onset of the Spanish-American War, and the commissioning of the Ballymena.
John Nicholas Brown became engaged to Natalie Bayard Dresser in August 1897. Natalie was a resident of New York and summered in Newport. She was born in 1869 to Susan Fish LeRoy and Major George Warren Dresser. A descendant of Peter Stuyvesant and Col. Nicholas Fish, a veteran of the American Revolution, Natalie, her sisters, and brother were raised by her maternal grandparents Daniel LeRoy and Susan Elizabeth Fish. Her aunt, Mary Augusta LeRoy married Edward King of Newport, and Natalie spent time in Newport visiting her aunt, uncle and cousins.
John Nicholas Brown received a great deal of congratulatory correspondence on the advent of his engagement to Natalie Dresser. He amassed letters from family and friends, as well as business associates and acquaintances. Following a brief engagement, John Nicholas Brown and Natalie Bayard Dresser were married on Wednesday, September 8, 1897, at Trinity Church in Newport. The Rev. George Magill presided. Following the wedding, the couple journeyed to Europe for an extended honeymoon.
John Nicholas Brown (1900- 1979), son of John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) and Natalie Bayard (Dresser) Brown, was born in New York City on February 21, 1900. The couple rejoiced in the birth of their son. John Nicholas Brown's brother, Harold, was asked to be godfather, and Natalie Bayard Brown's sister, Pauline, and her husband, Grenville, were asked to be godparents as well. They received congratulatory letters from a great many family members, friends and acquaintances. John Nicholas Brown was busy writing and sending birth announcements while his wife was recuperating. Interestingly, many of the congratulatory notes received were addressed to John Nicholas Brown solely.
On May 1, 1900, John Nicholas Brown died at his home in New York City at 931 Fifth Avenue. His relatively sudden death greatly stunned his family, friends and acquaintances. His widow was besieged with numerous sympathy notes, telegrams, and condolences. The funeral was held in Providence at St. John's Church and he was buried in the family plot at the North Burial Ground in Providence, Rhode Island.
The correspondence between John Nicholas Brown and his wife Natalie Bayard Brown is quite personal. The letters show a great deal of love and affection, and each deeply missed the other's company when they were parted.
See also:
Harold and John cooperated in business endeavors and maintained similar interests. The brothers enjoyed collecting art. Harold particularly enjoyed collecting watercolors and furniture. Harold, like John, was very generous with his inheritance. He frequently donated money to various causes, and was especially charitable to the Episcopal Church. These letters portray a close relationship between the two brothers. The majority of the correspondence sent to Harold Brown was written while John was in Europe with his wife, Natalie. Also included in this subseries is one letter John Nicholas Brown sent to Harold's wife, Georgette, in 1896.
See also:
The Dresser family, comprising Natalie's three sisters, was ecstatic on the announcement of the engagement between Natalie and John Nicholas. They welcomed John Nicholas Brown to their family, and corresponded with him periodically.
The correspondence between the Sherman family and John Nicholas Brown is limited. Sophia Augusta Brown, sister of John Nicholas Brown, married William Watts Sherman on October 7, 1885. Due to her tender age and considerable inheritance, an ante-nuptial agreement was contracted between Sherman, then a widower, and the Brown Family. Sophia and William Watts Sherman had twin daughters, Irene and Mildred. Irene married Lawrence Gillespie, while Mildred wed Ralph Julian Stonor, Lord Camoys. Sherman also had children by his first wife, Anne Wetmore, the sister of George Peabody Wetmore, Esq., who owned Chateau-Sur-Mer. Harold Brown married Georgette Wetmore Sherman, a daughter born of this first marriage, in 1892. The Shermans and the Browns were neighbors in Newport.
John Nicholas Brown wrote frequently to his cousin Desmond Fitzgerald while overseas and traveling throughout the United States. He discussed travel plans, his itinerary, and often commented upon the places, people and things that he saw. In these letters, John Nicholas freely discussed his reasons for leaving Brown University, his continued studies abroad, his love of art, his commissioning of Bonnat for a portrait, his pursuit of Monet, his detailed visits to the Salon and Exhibition, his purchases, whether books or art. Unfortunately, there are only a few letters received from Desmond Fitzgerald in these papers.
The John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) correspondence sent to Frank Mauran, Jr., was found among the papers of John Nicholas Brown (1900-1979). Frank Mauran III sent these letters to John Nicholas Brown (1900-1979). Frank Mauran, Jr., was a classmate of John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) at Brown University. They kept in touch during the college years, especially while John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) was abroad.
This subseries contains copies of letters written to family, friends and acquaintances, and correspondence received from friends and acquaintances. Most significant are letters written to G.W.R. Matteson, the executor of the estate of John Carter Brown. He managed the business affairs and investments of the Brown family after the death of John Carter Brown. This subseries includes correspondence from Lewis Herreshoff, John Carter Brown, John Muir and Charles Adams, and copies of correspondence to John Russell Bartlett, Gilman and Sons, and George Parker Winship. Correspondence received and sent by John Nicholas Brown while on his western tour with his tutor, Professor Poland, is also included.
John Nicholas Brown generously funded numerous organizations and needy individuals. He frequently gave assistance to his widowed relative, Emily Jenckes, of Washington, DC. Minority groups such as the Southern Negro Orphan Asylum and the Indians Rights Association benefited from his altruistic nature. Nonprofit organizations, namely the Providence Public Library, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Rhode Island Historical Society, the Newport Historical Society, and the Providence Athenaeum were assisted by John Nicholas Brown. Schools, hospitals, and parks received funding from John Nicholas Brown, as did various individuals.
John Nicholas Brown was a board member of various local community service organizations. He was concerned with the affairs of Newport Hospital and Butler Hospital, and Brown University. He was a board member of several local banks, notably the Providence Institution for Savings, the National Exchange Bank and the Mechanics National Bank.
John Nicholas Brown was a member of numerous clubs and organizations. He was active in various social, business, scholarly and church clubs in Providence, Newport and New York City. John Nicholas Brown was a member of several Providence business organizations. The Advance Club, to promote Providence; the Municipal League of Providence, designed to encourage good government; and the Providence Board of Trade. He was a member of the Newport Business Men's Association. In New York, he socialized with members of the Metropolitan Club, comprised of New York businessmen. The Metropolitan Club was co-founded by William Watts Sherman.
The Churchmen's Club was a religious organization that worked to bring together members of the Episcopal Church throughout the state of Rhode Island to foster a greater love for the church. The club tried to spark interest among members of the Episcopal community to work for common goals and the betterment of society.
The Society of the Cincinnati was formed at the close of the Revolutionary War by commissioned officers of the Continental Army and Navy for patriotic and social purposes. John Nicholas Brown was admitted as a hereditary member of this exclusive organization through his ancestor in the Thayer line. Concomitantly, John Nicholas Brown joined the Sons of the American Revolution. This organization consisted of descendants of those who fought in the American Revolution.
Spouting Rock Beach Association at Bailey's Beach in Newport was located off of Bellevue Avenue. It was a private club founded in 1897. John Nicholas Brown was the first secretary and treasurer.
Among the legion of miscellaneous memberships that John Nicholas Brown subscribed to, the following are the most prevalent: the Newport Golf Club, the American Forestry Association, the American Historical Review, the American Historical Association, the American Antiquarian Society, the Newport Natural History Society, the American Ethnological Society, the Grolier Club and the American Yacht Club. In 1888, John Nicholas Brown corresponded with the Smithsonian Institute's Bureau of Ethnology regarding the preservation of Native American mounds located in Ohio.
A patron of the Episcopal Church, John Nicholas Brown was an ardent proponent of his own parishes in addition to countless Episcopal missions and schools scattered throughout the United States. He was involved in the debates of the local diocesan convention. On a national level, he was elected a delegate to the National Episcopal Convention and partook in the discussion concerning the Episcopal Church in America.
Originally known as King's Church, St. John's was the third Episcopal Church in colonial Rhode Island. John Nicholas Brown was the chairman of the music committee at St. John's Church. He donated the organ in the north transept in addition to some of the service books. A majority of the funds needed for the erection of the Parish House were donated by John Nicholas Brown.
Although they were married at Trinity Church, John Nicholas and his wife Natalie formed a special bond with Emmanuel Church in Newport. John Nicholas was a corporation member for the church during his lifetime. After his death in 1900, Natalie had the present stone church built in her husband's memory, to replace the original wooden Gothic structure. Emmanuel's interior furnishings were purchased with donations made by Natalie Bayard Brown, her mother-in-law Sophia Augusta Brown, and sister-in-law Georgette Brown.
See also:
John Nicholas Brown was a very enthusiastic supporter of Episcopal theological Schools and Episcopal mission schools. He generously donated funds to Cambridge Theological School, Kansas Theological School, All Saints School, St. John's College at Shanghai, and the Virginia Theological Seminary. The Rhode Island State Sunday School Association was also a beneficiary of John Nicholas Brown's munificence.
As a delegate to the National Episcopal Convention, John Nicholas Brown was concerned with providing monetary relief for clergy in poor districts. He was occupied with liturgical revision as well as the revision of the Church's Constitution and Canons. This series also contains correspondence regarding candidates for the Episcopal Church's governing board.
John Nicholas Brown was one of the principle organizers of the Diocesan Convention of 1894 to honor Bishop Clark. This series includes correspondence concerning local diocesan affairs.
There is a wealth of correspondence written to John Nicholas Brown from Episcopal missions and missionaries from around the country. As an important benefactor of the Episcopal missions, John Nicholas Brown received a great many letters from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. The Bishops of Kansas, Wyoming, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Montana, Minnesota, Tennessee and Missouri frequently wrote to John Nicholas Brown asking for assistance. John Nicholas Brown was interested in fostering the growth of the Episcopal Church by sponsoring ethnic Episcopal missions, namely among the Swedish and French communities. The rectors of local Episcopal churches constantly requested assistance from Brown.
These pamphlets address issues that confronted the national Episcopal Church during the later half of the nineteenth century.
John Nicholas Brown throughout his lifetime was interested in politics. He was intensely immersed in the election of 1888, serving as president of the Republican League of Rhode Island and an elector for Benjamin Harrison. In subsequent years, his enthusiasm waned, but he was nonetheless an important contributor to Republican candidates and causes. He was interested in the Civil Service Law as well as the tariff versus free trade debates. The volume within this series contains copies of letters written by John Nicholas Brown regarding political issues. Noteworthy is one bound copybook, entitled JNB letters no. 2. This book contains onionskin copies of letters written to local political figures, Senator Aldrich, Col. Harris and the Honorable B. Capron as well as Governor Wetmore.
John Nicholas Brown was a connoisseur of a great many things, notably rare books, wine and art. He corresponded with famous artists, and admired and purchased their works. He enjoyed fine wine imported from Europe. Tiffany's was his favorite place to purchase jewelry, china and other accessories.
See also:
John Nicholas Brown spent a great deal of time in Europe admiring art and artists. He favored portraits as opposed to landscapes, and greatly admired the work of the great impressionist painters. He commissioned Bonnat to paint his portrait, and corresponded with various artists, notably Bellecour, Detaille, de Neuville, Billotte, Meissonier, and Monet.
John Nicholas Brown was an enthusiastic collector of rare books, maps and charts. He inherited the famous John Carter Brown Library from his mother and was constantly hunting for rare books to add to his collection. He corresponded frequently with Parker Winship, who was to become the first librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, and William Foster of the Providence Public Library. Included in this series is Daniel Berkeley Updike correspondence regarding the commissioning of a prayer book, and with the Rhode Island Historical Society regarding the Moses Brown letters.
There is a great deal of correspondence between John Nicholas Brown and various carriage merchants. Brewster & Co.'s correspondence occupies a prominent place within this grouping. In addition to his carriages, John Nicholas Brown purchased horses.
William Fearing assisted John Nicholas Brown in the selection and purchase of rare imported European wines.
The Ballymena was a 125-foot steam yacht purchased by John Nicholas Brown in 1893 for $55,000 from Alexander Brown of Baltimore, Maryland. The Ballymena was used as a means of transportation, as well as a place to entertain. He entertained various club members, business associates, churchmen, as well as the commander of the French Atlantic Division Fleet. There is also correspondence regarding Ballymena's commissioning during the Spanish-American War in 1898.
In 1895, John Nicholas Brown explored the idea of purchasing a new yacht, but he decided to refurbish Ballymena instead. Ballymena was known in sailing circles as first-rate vessel, and numerous requests to purchase her came to John Nicholas Brown.
The Ballymena Logs provide a detailed itinerary of the activities of Ballymena during the summer seasons of 1894 through 1896. It provides mileage, weather conditions, days in use, and captain's notations, among other information. It is a useful record to decipher the summertime activities of the Brown family members.
See also:
Navigation notes removed from log.
Until his marriage in 1897, John Nicholas Brown lived in Providence at 357 Benefit Street, and in Newport at the family mansion on Bellevue Avenue. He spent an exorbitant amount of time abroad residing in hotels and visiting friends and family. After their marriage, the Browns set up households in Providence and New York City. During the summer months, they rented the Fearing House in Newport.
John Nicholas Brown and his wife, Natalie Bayard Brown, rented the Fearing House in 1899 from George W. Fearing. The Fearing House, located on Narragansett Avenue in Newport, was partially renovated by architect Dudley Newton at the request of John Nicholas Brown.
In November 1899, the Browns resided at 931 Fifth Avenue in New York City. John Nicholas Brown opened a checking account at the Plaza Bank, and remained at this address until his death on May 1, 1900.
When in town, John Nicholas Brown and Natalie Bayard Brown rented 35 Brown Street, located near Brown University on the East Side of Providence. This had previously been the home of Thomas Poyton Ives Goddard.
This sub-subseries contains correspondence regarding 50 South Main Street, the North Burial Ground, Benefit Street, and the rental of Hazard's Stable in Providence and Grace's Stable in New York City. Also, information regarding the proposed purchase of property in New York City located at 84th and Fifth Streets can be found within this miscellaneous grouping. John Nicholas Brown, Harold Brown, and William Watts Sherman purchased Fort Lot located in Middletown, Rhode Island.
John Nicholas Brown's purchases of a more personal nature are found within this category, items such as articles of clothes, cigars, and jewelry. In 1900, there are letters referencing baby carriages and sterilizers.
During the summer of 1880, John Nicholas Brown and his tutor, Professor Poland, toured the western United States. They brought letters of introduction with them and visited many of the major western cities. Between 1874 and 1888, John Nicholas Brown kept detailed diaries of his European travels. Also, this series contains two late nineteenth century pamphlets probably obtained by John Nicholas Brown while in England and the Continent. Additionally this series contains one pocket map of the "New York Wilderness, the Adirondacks."
These travel diaries provide a glimpse into the life of young John Nicholas Brown. The earliest diaries are academic in format, but as John Nicholas matured, he wrote more freely. His diaries provide a detailed itinerary of the Brown family's travels, and record numerous visits to churches, libraries, museums, and bookshops. He visited many historical sights including various castles, cathedrals, and the Paris sewers. He witnessed the funeral of George V, King of Hanover on June 18, 1878, and saw the castle and apartments of Catherine de Medicis. He frequented the Baths at Luchon and partook in several treatments. He journeyed across the Pyrennes and visited the Cite. John Nicholas Brown saw the Austrian Emperor: "His majesty was dressed in uniform and touched his cap in military style when we bowed to him. He was smoking a cigar. He is not very good looking. His chin is shaved and his whiskers are very heavy. It struck me that he looked rather troubled as well he may at the way affairs are going on in Bosnia."
This pocket map of the "New York Wilderness, the Adirondacks" is folded into a small bound volume. It was published by G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. of New York in 1882.
A French pamphlet entitled, "Notice du Baptistere Saint-Jean De Poitiers" by le Lieutenant Emidle Esperandieu, published by E. Druinaud, in 1890. The second pamphlet is a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, in commemoration of Her Majesty's Jubilee, Printed in London by Macmillan and Co. in 1887. This pamphlet was given to John Nicholas Brown by Mrs. Charles Kingsley in 1887.
Photographs that he acquired or took himself during his travels to: Alaska, New Caledonia, Ireland, and Glastonbury. All the photographs are tightly rolled and need conservation. They are not currently available for research use due to their fragile condition.
This series contains valuable information regarding John Nicholas Brown's personal expenses, investments and trust income. The living expenses and general funds of John Nicholas Brown derived from the Estate of John Carter Brown, who passed away in 1874. Under the provisions of the trust, when the youngest child of John Carter Brown, Sophia, reached her majority at age twenty-one, the trust was distributed among the three children. G.W. Matteson, a trustee of the estate of John Carter Brown and an employee of Brown & Ives, managed the trusts for each child.
Contained within this subseries is information regarding investments in which John Nicholas Brown held stock, investments he was researching, and family investments.
The Estate of John Carter Brown, under the trusteeship of Thomas P.I. Goddard and George W.R. Matteson, administered the inheritance of John Nicholas Brown and his brother Harold and sister Sophia. Cash Books for each child of John Carter Brown were carefully maintained from 1888 forward. The trust money was invested in western lands, building projects, property management and mortgage lending. Income from stock and bonds was also included in this portfolio.
Check registers from two banks, canceled checks, and bills provide clues as to John Nicholas Brown's personal expenses. There are few bills, checks or other evidence of John Nicholas Brown's financial/personal expenses prior to marriage. However, there is an abundance of information regarding the personal expenses of John Nicholas Brown after his marriage in 1897. This series contains correspondence from various merchants. The Subscription Book contains a detailed account of the donations given by John Nicholas Brown for a two-year period. The book was also used as a notebook by John Nicholas to record his library purchases and to keep an account of his European expenses. This journal was also used for a few years by Natalie Bayard Brown to record her charitable donations following the death of John Nicholas Brown in 1900.
This small series contains a copy of the will of Nicholas Brown and the deed for the John Carter Brown library, which was transferred from Sophia Augusta Brown to her son John Nicholas Brown in 1898. John Nicholas Brown's Notary Public Certificate is also contained in this series.
This series reflects John Nicholas Brown's active interest in the history of the Brown family. The research pertaining to Chad Browne is an extract from the New York "Nation" (March 9, 1893) detailing Chad Browne's emigration from England. Other individuals researched in this series include Simeon Thayer, William Thayer, and Ann Brown. The Brown family Ancestral Tablet was not heavily utilized and contains only a few entries.
This series contains one diary, kept in 1880 while John Nicholas Brown lived at 357 Benefit Street in Providence and on Bellevue Avenue in Newport. Several copybooks and some school essays are included in this series, as well as a copy of a testimonial speech written by John Nicholas Brown on the occasion of William Goddard's retirement from Goddard Brothers. The speech was given by John Nicholas Brown at a dinner honoring William Goddard for his fifty years of dedication to the family business.
This series includes a scrapbook that contains memorabilia of John Nicholas Brown's life at Brown University and an 1887 address book that recorded friends and acquaintances from around the United States and throughout Europe.
This scrapbook highlights John Nicholas Brown's years at Brown University. It contains newspaper clippings regarding activities about town, as well as fraternity information. It also contains memorabilia on the class of 1885, specifically regarding class day. Although John Nicholas Brown left school in 1882 due to his frail condition, a degree was conferred upon him by the University faculty, officially recognizing him as a member of the class of 1885.
This address book, dated 1887, belonged to John Nicholas Brown, and recorded vendors, shops and acquaintances in the United States and abroad.
The personal artifacts series contains a miscellaneous collection of artifacts and items that belonged to John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900).
The John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) papers were donated to the John Nicholas Brown Center by the heirs of John Nicholas Brown in 1992. The papers were transferred to the Brown University Library by the John Nicholas Brown Center in 2006. The collection spans approximately twenty-nine years, from 1871 to the death of John Nicholas Brown in 1900. The bulk of the material falls between the years 1881-1900. This collection consists of manuscripts, typescripts, bound manuscript volumes, diaries, travel diaries, books, pamphlets, clippings, photographs, bills and checks, ephemera and a scrapbook. The bulk of the collection is comprised of manuscripts. Several letters are written in French and Italian.
The collection contains a wide variety of correspondence received and sent. Throughout his life, John Nicholas Brown corresponded with family members, friends, acquaintances, vendors, merchants, artists and assorted club members. He was a staunch Episcopalian, and corresponded with church and missionary leaders. John Nicholas Brown donated his time and money to various charitable and civic organizations. He delved into politics on a local and national level, and was an elector for Benjamin Harrison in 1888 and concomitantly served as president of the Rhode Island Republican League.
John Nicholas Brown was an avid traveler and kept detailed diaries. These fourteen volumes provide insight into the whereabouts, itinerary, interests and the thoughts and feelings of John Nicholas Brown. The earliest travel diaries, 1874-1876, chronicle Brown's trip to Europe following the death of John Carter Brown in 1874. The first diaries appear to be a scholarly exercise and reveal little. Over time, the developing maturity of young John Nicholas Brown is revealed, and his reactions to people and places are recorded in greater detail and length. He was very interested in all things nautical; in the travel diaries, Brown frequently mentions statistics regarding ships, the Atlantic crossing, weather conditions, and the condition of those on-board. Correspondence and logs from his steam yacht, Ballymena, provide information concerning ship personnel, repairs, refurbishing, social activities, navigation, and the Herreshoff family.
The financial records of John Nicholas Brown provide a detailed account of the intricacies of the trust of John Carter Brown. The trust, under the direction of George W.R. Matteson, lent money to individuals, held mortgages, managed property, and constructed buildings. The estate held stock in various manufacturing companies. The cashbook of John Nicholas Brown provides an itemized inventory of all trust activities from 1888 to 1900. The financial records also include the bills and check registers of John Nicholas Brown, including a complete run of check registers beginning in 1895. Bills for the period 1896-1900 are numerous. Bills prior to 1896 have not been located.
The ephemera of this collection are varied, containing bookplates, insignias, calling cards and calling card holders, and a wallet. Most significant is a quill pen used by John Nicholas Brown as an elector to cast a vote for Benjamin Harrison. It is in poor physical condition.
John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) papers, Ms. 2007.010, Brown University Library.
The collection was organized by content and date:
The collection is housed in 12 boxes. Boxes 7 through 12 are oversize boxes that house the following material:
This collection is unavailable for viewing, research, display, imaging, teaching and circulation. It is pending review by the appropriate Indigenous community or communities to determine if it contains culturally sensitive information. For additional information please contact hay@brown.edu
The John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) papers were donated to the John Nicholas Brown Center, Brown University, by the heirs of John Nicholas Brown in 1992. Funds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The papers were rehoused and transferred from the John Nicholas Brown Center to the Brown University Library in 2006.
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
RESOURCES AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
The Brown University Library is the repository for several collections related to the Brown family and their businesses that are accessible through Josiah, including:
RESOURCES BEYOND BROWN UNIVERSITY
John Nicholas Brown played an important role in the founding of the John Carter Brown
Library, designed to house his father's outstanding collection of books on the Americas.
Information on JNB and the history of the collection may be found in records at the:
Information about the history of the collection housed at the John Carter Brown Library can
also be found in:
John Nicholas Brown was also among the founders of the Providence Public Library. See, for
example:
Gauley correspondence (1893-1899) removed from JNB (1861-1900) Financial series to JN & H Brown records
Natalie Bayard Brown bills prior to marriage were removed from JNB (1861-1900) Financial series to Natalie Bayard Brown papers.