Captain James Brown, II

Son of Elder James Brown I and Mary Harris,

James Brown was a sea captain who began the Brown family's involvement in trade of slaves, rum, molasses, and other goods..

On 21 Dec 1722 he married Hope Power [1701-1792], and they produced one daughter and five sons. James died at sea when his children were young, and they were raised by his brother, Obadiah Brown [1712-1762]. His eldest son, James III would also die at sea at a young age, but the four others, Nicholas, Joseph, John, and Moses became known collectively as the "Four Brown Brothers". They vastly strengthened the family's place in the ranks of rich, powerful New Englanders, via their dedication to the mercantile empire founded by their father and uncles. They all made names for themselves in business, philanthropy, and patriotism, all of them connected to the notorius Gaspee Affair. His grandson, Nicholas Brown II, used the wealth that his family accumulated and that he himself acquired to endow the university which now bears their name.

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James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers

Merchant, of Providence, R.I.

Papers, 1719-1739

Size: 2 linear feet

Catalog number: MSS 309

Processed by: Pam Narbeth, 1995

Finding aid by Rick Stattler, October 1996

USE MICROFILM    E445 .R4, part 1, reel 1

Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 2 of 7 Published in 2009 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Collection overview

Title: James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers

Date range: 1719-1739 Creator: Brown, James, 1698-1739 Extent: 2 linear feet

Abstract: James Brown II (1698-1739) was born in Providence. His father was Elder James Brown (1666-1716), a pastor on the First Baptist Church; his mother was Mary (Harris) Brown. James II established himself early in the mercantile business, trading in rum, molasses, slaves and less controversial wares. Language of materials: English Repository: Rhode Island Historical Society Collection number: MSS 309 Scope & content RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RHi-mss309&view=title The collection includes business correspondence between Brown and other merchants and letters received from the captain of his ship in the West Indies reporting on cargo sales and receipts; a letter book of copies of Brown’s outgoing correspondence; accounting ledgers and an account book. The collection also contains a small amount of miscellaneous legal documents, such as land deeds; an agreement to build a ship with building specifications; and James Brown’s estate papers. Also included is a cyphering book, which is a series of mathematical and navigation problems designed to teach young men mathematical concepts and 18th century navigation skills. The end of the volume has a day-to-day journal of a voyage taken in 1727 by James Brown aboard the sloop Truth & Delight. Arrangement • Box 1 • Box 2 • Box 3 Historical note James Brown II (1698-1739) was born in Providence. His father was

Elder James Brown (1666-1716), a pastor on the First Baptist Church; his mother was

Mary (Harris) Brown. James II established himself early in the mercantile business, trading in rum, molasses, slaves and less controversial wares. He seems to have been the owner of only one slave ship, the Mary, which sailed for Africa in 1736, sold its cargo in the West Indies and then returned to Providence. It was apparently the first slave ship ever to sail from Providence, but did not yield much profit. No other slave ships sailed from the town until 1749, and the Brown family remained out of the trade until 1759. The remainder of James Brown's business was extremely successful. Upon his death, he left a considerable fortune to his sons, who followed him in business under the tutelage of their uncle Obadiah Brown (1712-1762). James II married Hope Power (1702-1792), daughter of Nicholas, in 1723. They had six children. Mary (1731-1795), the one daughter, married Dr. David Vanderlight. James III (1724-1750), the eldest son, was a sea captain who died young. The other four were Nicholas (1729-1791), Joseph (1733-1785), John (1736-1803) and Moses (1738-1836). Access & use Access to the collection: Use restricted to the microfilm version published as Papers of the American Slave Trade, Series A: Selections from the Rhode Island Historical Society, Part 1: Brown Family Collections by University Publications of America, 1998. A copy of the microfilm set is available RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RHi-mss309&view=title in the Reading Room at the RIHS Library, Call No. E445 .R4 pt.1. It is also available at the Rockefeller Library at Brown University and many other libraries around the country. Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 4 of 7 Use of materials: Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the Rhode Island Historical Society. Preferred citation: James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers , MSS 309, Rhode Island Historical Society Contact information: Rhode Island Historical Society 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Tel: 401-273-8107 Fax: 401-751-7930 email: reference@rihs.org Administrative information About the collection RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RHi-mss309&view=title Contact information: Rhode Island Historical Society 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Tel: 401-273-8107 Fax: 401-751-7930 email: reference@rihs.org Administrative information About the collection Aquisition: The provenance of these papers is unknown. The 1736-1738 letter book was originally cataloged as part of the miscellaneous Rhode Island Manuscripts collection, in volume 8, page 13; it can be assumed that this volume at least arrived before 1880 or so. The other letter book was at the R.I.H.S. in 1929, upon its publication as The Letter Book of James Browne of Providence, Merchant 1735-1738. In the introduction to that volume, John Carter Brown Woods writes that we owe the preservation of James Brown’s papers “to the wise forethought of his youngest son, Moses Brown”. This suggests that this collection arrived as part of the Moses Brown Papers, in 1851, 1914 or 1919. Most, if not all, of this collection was at the R.I.H.S. by 1952, when Hedges published The Browns of Providence Plantations. Processing information: The John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization at Brown University, in partnership with the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University and the Rhode Island Historical Society, conducted a Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 5 of 7 two year collaborative project starting in1995 to arrange, describe and catalog records relating to the Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island. The Brown Family Papers Project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. About the finding aid Author: Finding aid prepared by Rick Stattler. Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2009 June 23 Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Additional information Bibliography: The Chad Brown Workbook; A Continuing Family Genealogy of the Descendants of Chad Brown. 2 Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 5 of 7 two year collaborative project starting in1995 to arrange, describe and catalog records relating to the Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island. The Brown Family Papers Project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. About the finding aid Author: Finding aid prepared by Rick Stattler. Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2009 June 23 Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Additional information Bibliography: The Chad Brown Workbook; A Continuing Family Genealogy of the Descendants of Chad Brown. 2 RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RHi-mss309&view=title ollection arrived as part of the Moses Brown Papers, in 1851, 1914 or 1919. Most, if not all, of this collection was at the R.I.H.S. by 1952, when Hedges published The Browns of Providence Plantations. Processing information: The John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization at Brown University, in partnership with the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University and the Rhode Island Historical Society, conducted a Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 5 of 7 two year collaborative project starting in1995 to arrange, describe and catalog records relating to the Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island. The Brown Family Papers Project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. About the finding aid Author: Finding aid prepared by Rick Stattler. Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2009 June 23 Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 5 of 7 two year collaborative project starting in1995 to arrange, describe and catalog records relating to the Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island. The Brown Family Papers Project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. About the finding aid Author: Finding aid prepared by Rick Stattler. Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2009 June 23 Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Additional information Bibliography: The Chad Brown Workbook; A Continuing Family Genealogy of the Descendants of Chad Brown. 2nd edition. Providence: Rhode Island Historical Society, 1987. Hedges, James B. The Browns of Providence Plantations: Colonial Years. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1952. Rogers, L.E., ed. The Biographical Cyclopedia of the Representative Men of Rhode Island. Providence: National Biographical Publishing Co., 1881. 42. Search terms Names: Brown, Hope , 1702-1792 Brown, Obadiah , 1712-1762 Delight (Ship) Subjects: Cyphering books - 1719 Distilleries - Rhode Island Log books - 1727 Merchants - Rhode Island - Providence Providence, R.I. - Commerce RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RHi-mss309&view=title

Guide to the James Brown II (1698-1739) Papers 1719-1739 , MSS 309 Rhode Island Historical Society Page 6 of 7 Rum industry - Rhode Island Slave-trade - Rhode Island - Providence West Indies - Commerce

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Historical note:

James Brown II (1698-1739) was born in Providence. His father was Elder James Brown (1666-1716), a pastor on the First Baptist Church; his mother was Mary (Harris) Brown. James II established himself early in the mercantile business, trading in rum, molasses, slaves and less controversial wares. He seems to have been the owner of only one slave ship, the Mary, which sailed for Africa in 1736, sold its cargo in the West Indies and then returned to Providence. It was apparently the first slave ship ever to sail from Providence, but did not yield much profit. No other slave ships sailed from the town until 1749, and the Brown family remained out of the trade until 1759.

           The remainder of James Brown's business was extremely successful. Upon his death, he left a considerable fortune to his sons, who followed him in business under the tutelage of their uncle Obadiah Brown (1712-1762).

James II married Hope Power (1702-1792), daughter of Nicholas, in 1723. They had six children. Mary (1731-1795), the one daughter, married Dr. David Vanderlight. James III (1724-1750), the eldest son, was a sea captain who died young. The other four were Nicholas (1729-1791), Joseph (1733-1785), John (1736-1803) and Moses (1738-1836).
Bibliography: The Chad Brown Workbook; A Continuing Family Genealogy of the Descendants of Chad Brown. 2nd edition. Providence: Rhode Island Historical Society, 1987. Hedges, James B. The Browns of Providence Plantations: Colonial Years. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1952. Rogers, L.E., ed. The Biographical Cyclopedia of the Representative Men of Rhode Island. Providence: National Biographical Publishing Co., 1881. 42.

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Scope and content:

           The collection includes business correspondence between Brown and other merchants and letters received from the captain of his ship in the West Indies reporting on cargo sales and receipts; a letter book of copies of Brown’s outgoing correspondence; accounting ledgers and an account book. The collection also contains a small amount of miscellaneous legal documents, such as land deeds; an agreement to build a ship with building specifications; and James Brown’s estate papers.

           Also included is a cyphering book, which is a series of mathematical and navigation problems designed to teach young men mathematical concepts and 18th century navigation skills. The end of the volume has a day-to-day journal of a voyage taken in 1727 by James Brown aboard the sloop Truth & Delight .

Return to top

Provenance:

           The provenance of these papers is unknown. The 1736-1738 letter book was originally cataloged as part of the miscellaneous Rhode Island Manuscripts collection, in volume 8, page 13; it can be assumed that this volume at least arrived before 1880 or so. The other letter book was at the R.I.H.S. in 1929, upon its publication as The Letter Book of James Browne of Providence, Merchant 1735-1738. In the introduction to that volume, John Carter Brown Woods writes that we owe the preservation of James Brown’s papers “to the wise forethought of his youngest son, Moses Brown”. This suggests that this collection arrived as part of the Moses Brown Papers, in 1851, 1914 or 1919. Most, if not all, of this collection was at the R.I.H.S. by 1952, when Hedges published The Browns of Providence Plantations.

Processing note:

           The John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization at Brown University, in partnership with the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University and the Rhode Island Historical Society, conducted a two year collaborative project starting in1995 to arrange, describe and catalog records relating to the Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island. The Brown Family Papers Project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Inventory:

Box 1, folder 1. Deed, James Browne Senior (1666-1732) to James

                                   Browne Junior (1698-1739)                         1724/5, recorded 1731/2 Box 1, folder 2. Cyphering and navigation book                       1719 Box 1, folder 2. Journal of a voyage on sloop Truth and Delight 1727 Box 1, folder 3. Agreement to build sloops                                 1720/1, 1735 Box 1, folder 4. Obadiah Browne to James Browne regarding sales

                                   of cargo from St. Eustatius                         March 30, 1735 Box 1, folder 4. John Field to James Browne from Surinam

                                   reporting loss of 39 hogsheads of molassesMay 25, 1736 Box 1, folder 4. James Browne to his wife Hope, advise on business

                                   operations in case he does not return       August 23, 1737 Box 1, folder 4. Obadiah Browne to James Browne on cargo sales

                                   on St. Eustashe (St. Eustatius)                    March 5, 1738 Box 1, folder 4. Copy of public statement made by James Browne

                                   giving permission to examine his body after his death

                                   to determine cause of death, and a complaint about

                                   ministers (copy written by Moses Brown)May 26, 1738 Box 1, folder 4. Obadiah Browne to James Browne regarding

                                   cargo sales at Surinam                                June 15, 1739 Box 1, folder 5. Letter book, outgoing business correspondence1735-1739 Box 1, folder 5. Letter book, outgoing business correspondence1736-1738

Box 2, folder 1. Ledger, James Brown's first 1723-1737 Box 2, folder 2. Receipts 1734-1735 Box 2, folder 3. Receipts 1735-1739 Box 2, folder 4. Will, estate papers and receipts written to Hope Browne

                                   for payment of debts owed by James’ estate1737, 1739-1741 Box 2, folder 5. Receipts removed from 1735-1748 ledger        1735-1748

Box 3, Vol. 1. Ledger with a few entries by James' brother Obadiah

                                   after 1739, includes a name index             1735-1748, (bulk 1735-1739) Box 3, Vol. 2. Account book with the births of James’ children

                                   recorded inside the front cover                 1731-1734

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