John Nicholas Brown II was born on February 21, 1900 in New York City to John Nicholas Brown I (1861-1900) and Natalie Bayard Dresser Brown (1869-1950). He was nephew to Harold Brown (1863-1900) and Sophia Brown Sherman, and grandson to Sophia Augusta Brown (1825-1909). His aunts also included Edith Dresser Vanderbilt Gerry. In 1900, John Nicholas Brown I and Harold Brown both died unexpectedly, leaving 3-month old John Nicholas Brown II sole heir to the vast family fortune. The baby gained instant public notoriety, and Natalie Bayard Brown took it upon herself to protect her son and manage his inheritance. John Nicholas Brown was very devoted to his mother, and he grew up mostly in the care of women. A sense of religiosity and social responsibility was instilled in him at a young age. He attended St. George's school in Newport, but chose to attend Harvard instead of Brown University, citing his desire to become his own man. Harvard provided scholarly mentors for John, and he founded the Medieval Academy of America in 1925 along with these mentors. John graduated in 1922 with a unique concentration in History and Literature of Classical Cultures. He also developed a life-long interest in architecture, and donated a chapel to St. George's school. This experience led to an interest in historic preservation, and in later years John would contribute greatly to preservation groups such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Travel was an integral part of John Nicholas Brown's life, and after graduating from Harvard, he toured Europe, Japan and the Mediterranean with his mother. John also found inspiration for St. George's chapel from many of the sites he visited on this trip. In 1926, John decided to begin graduate study at Harvard in the fine arts. Two years later he graduated with a master's degree in historic architecture, Christian iconography and the history of painting. In 1930, John embarked on a new phase in his life when he met Anne Seddon Kinsolving. At the time, Anne was working as a reporter for the Baltimore News. They married in October of 1930 and honeymooned in Europe. Throughout the rest of their lives, the Browns would travel throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.

John and Anne established their residence at 357 Benefit St. in Providence, and John began to assert more control over the family business. John and Anne were in many ways male and female counterparts. While Anne was at first put off by the societal matrons of Providence, she made the Brown home a lively place to entertain and live. The Browns built a vacation home on Fishers Island in New York, where Anne's family had historically spent their summer. The family also had a home in Newport called Harbour Court. In 1933, John became the head of the Rhode Island division of the Public Works Administration, which was succeeded by the Rhode Island State Planning Board with John serving as Chair. During World War II, John was the Chair of the Newport Council of Defense and the War Fund Campaign for the Rhode Island Red Cross. Anne also worked for the Red Cross in Newport managing the Red Cross Canteen.

Anne and John had three children together, Nicholas in 1932, John Carter (called Carter) in 1934, and Angela Bayard in 1938. Angela would go on to assume the married name of Fischer when she wed Dr. Edwin Garry Fischer. John and Anne had many grandchildren, including John Nicholas Brown III. John and Anne also had a passion for sailing and had several yachts, including Saraband and Bolero. In 1945, John served in Germany with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Commission, returning art and other loot stolen by the Nazis to their rightful owners. In 1946, John was appointed by President Truman to serve as the Assistant Secretary to the Navy for Air. 1946 also witnessed the launch of Bolero, which John raced for many seasons. He also acquired other yachts on which he embarked on cruises, notably Volta and Mazurka.

Anne maintained a strong passion for military history throughout her life, and in 1949 she became a founder of the Company of Military Historians. In 1961 she published The Anatomy of Glory, a translation of Henry Lachouque's history of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon. Anne also published a translation of French military diaries entitled The American Campaigns of Rochambeau's Army. Anne donated her extensive collection of military books, prints and soldiers to Brown University in 1981. In 1983, she testified at the murder trial of Sonny von Bulow on behalf of the defendant, Claus von Bulow.

In 1954, John became Chair of the Harvard University Committee for the Visual Arts, which was tasked with evaluating the role of the fine arts within the university curriculum. The final report was published in 1956, and is still regarded as an important statement about the fine arts within a university curriculum. In 1957, John served on the President's Committee for the American Armed Forces Museum. From there, John was selected to Chair the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Commission and served on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, two posts he would hold for the remainder of his life. After 1949, John focused his attentions on Rhode Island committees, and served on various public works and fine arts councils. The last years of John's life were plagued by chronic heart disease, though he still served on trusteeships, traveled, devoted attention to the fine arts and sailed. At Annapolis Maryland, on board his sailing yawl, John Nicholas Brown died on October 8, 1979. In 1985, Anne Kingsolving Brown died of cancer at Harbour Court in Newport.

biog