The Brown Family Business Records
Item
Country
US
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
94 George Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02906
Contact information: phone number
001 (401) 863 2725
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
karin_wulf@brown.edu (Beatrice and Julio Mario Santo Domingo Director and Librarian)
Title (official language of the state)
The Brown Family Business Records
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
The Brown Family
Date note
18th century/1914
Language(s)
eng
Extent
up to 1,300 boxes
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Brown Family Business Records held at the John Carter Brown Library constitute one of the largest and most complete collections of business papers produced by an American mercantile family. The papers trace the development of the Brown family’s companies through seven generations, starting with Captain James Brown’s forays into shopkeeping and maritime trade in the early 18th century and ending in 1914 with the diverse banking, transportation, and manufacturing interests of the firm of Brown & Ives.
The collection comprises account books, correspondence, bills, receipts, ships’ papers and logbooks divided into several chronological sections. Documentation regarding Sephardic merchants living and trading in Rhode Island and, in particular, on Aaron Lopez (1730-1782), can be found in the following sections:
The Records of Nicholas and John Brown, 1746-1763 (bulk 1754-1763): the sub-series A - Company of Spermaceti Manufacturers (series V: Spermaceti Candle Works) contains letters received and sent from members of the United Company of Spermaceti Manufacturers, including Aaron Lopez. Other two similar series are part of the sections The Records of Obadiah Brown and Company (series III, sub-series A) and Nicholas Brown and Company Records (series XIII, sub-series A), including documentation related to Aaron Lopez.
Nicholas Brown and Company Records, 1762-1783 (bulk 1762-1774): This section includes a sub-series containing letters that Nicholas Brown received from and sent to Aaron Lopez (series I: Domestic Trade Correspondence, sub-series R) from 1766 to 1781. Other letters received from Lopez can be found in series X (Letters Received), sub-series C. In series XVI Maritime Records, there are records of two vessels related to Aaron Lopez: the brigantine George (sub-series S), whose voyages to Suriname in 1776-1777 and 1778 involved investments by Aaron Lopez, and the schooner Sally (sub-series HH), owned by Aaron Lopez and Francis Rotch and chartered by John and Nicholas Brown in 1776 to sail to Nantes.
The collection comprises account books, correspondence, bills, receipts, ships’ papers and logbooks divided into several chronological sections. Documentation regarding Sephardic merchants living and trading in Rhode Island and, in particular, on Aaron Lopez (1730-1782), can be found in the following sections:
The Records of Nicholas and John Brown, 1746-1763 (bulk 1754-1763): the sub-series A - Company of Spermaceti Manufacturers (series V: Spermaceti Candle Works) contains letters received and sent from members of the United Company of Spermaceti Manufacturers, including Aaron Lopez. Other two similar series are part of the sections The Records of Obadiah Brown and Company (series III, sub-series A) and Nicholas Brown and Company Records (series XIII, sub-series A), including documentation related to Aaron Lopez.
Nicholas Brown and Company Records, 1762-1783 (bulk 1762-1774): This section includes a sub-series containing letters that Nicholas Brown received from and sent to Aaron Lopez (series I: Domestic Trade Correspondence, sub-series R) from 1766 to 1781. Other letters received from Lopez can be found in series X (Letters Received), sub-series C. In series XVI Maritime Records, there are records of two vessels related to Aaron Lopez: the brigantine George (sub-series S), whose voyages to Suriname in 1776-1777 and 1778 involved investments by Aaron Lopez, and the schooner Sally (sub-series HH), owned by Aaron Lopez and Francis Rotch and chartered by John and Nicholas Brown in 1776 to sail to Nantes.
Archival history
This collection was placed on deposit with the John Carter Brown Library by the heirs of John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) in the early 20th century. Arriving largely intact from the family’s counting-house at 50 South Main Street, economic historian James B. Hedges initially surveyed and calendared the records. In 1991, a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to further process the documents produced detailed finding aids to assist researchers in accessing the material.
Administrative / Biographical history
Descending from one of the founders of Providence, the Brown family rose to prominence in the mid-18th century, primarily through the business success of the four surviving sons of Captain James Brown: Nicholas, John, Joseph, and Moses. Initially, in partnership with their uncle Obadiah Brown, the brothers expanded upon their father’s mercantile and maritime endeavours, building a network of family companies that came to dominate local trade, manufacturing, and investment. As eminent community members, the Browns also wielded considerable political and social influence, and the collection documents the family’s participation in Revolutionary politics, state agencies, and the establishment and development of Brown University.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection is divided into eight sections, each divided into series and sub-series, whose items are tendentially arranged chronologically.
Finding aids
"Business papers at the John Carter Brown Library". A brief description of the Brown family business records with other business collections at the JCB.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Lopez to Brown & Co. October 9, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown & Co. October 9/13, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown & Co. October 17, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Brown & Co. to Lopez. November 18, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown & Co. November 22, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Brown & Co. to Lopez. November 26, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown & Co. November 29, 1774 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Brown & Co. to Lopez. February 11, 1775 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown. February 13, 1775 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Palmer & Heemskerk to Brown and Lopez. March 1, 1778 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez and Brown to Hathaway. December 12, 1778 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Brown and Lopez to Palmer and Heemsherk. December 12, 1778 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Lopez to Brown. June 6, 1781 | Existence and location of originals | |
| Aaron Lopez Papers | Existence and location of originals | |
| John Carter Brown Library Collection | Existence and location of originals |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| The John Carter Brown Library | Collections (official language of the state) |