Photo: Martin Johnson Heade, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons¹⁰

Moses Brown

American abolitionist & industrialist (1738–1836)

Moses Brown (September 23, 1738 – September 6, 1836) was an American abolitionist, Quaker, and industrialist from what became known as Rhode Island. With his three brothers, he co-founded what became Brown University.²

From Wikipedia’s article on Moses Brown (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Sep 23, 1738, died Sep 6, 1836.¹

About

Later, he supported the founding and revival of the Moses Brown School.

As an industrialist, he supported the development, design and construction of some of the first factories for spinning machines during the American industrial revolution. This included the Slater Mill, which was the first modern factory in America. While he was an abolitionist since before the Revolution, the New England textile industry was dependent on cotton produced by slaves in the Deep South. He helped gain anti-slave trade legislation in Rhode Island and later in Congress. Brown was a pacifist during the War of 1812 and appealed to both the U.S. and Great Britain to work towards a peaceful resolution. He played a leading role in founding the Rhode Island Peace Society.

From Wikipedia’s article on Moses Brown, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.²

Companies

Brown UniversityFounder⁹

Early life and education

Brown was born in Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on September 23, 1738, the son of James Brown II and Hope (Power) Brown. He was the grandson of Baptist minister James Brown (1666–1732), and his father was a prosperous merchant.

The family firm was active in distilling rum, owned an iron furnace, and took part in a wide variety of merchant activities, including the slave trade. It sponsored the ill-fated and notorious voyage of the slave ship Sally in 1764, in which at least 109 Africans died.

His father died in 1739, and he was raised in the family of his uncle Obadiah Brown, who was primarily responsible for running the firm's spermaceti works derived from whaling. After Obadiah died in 1762, Moses served as executor of his estate. Shares in the farming and shipping business were divided among Moses and his brothers Nicholas, Joseph, and John. They renamed the business as Nicholas Brown & Co.

The brothers were co-founders of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, later renamed Brown University after Nicholas's son. The family was active in the Baptist community of Providence and were descendants of Chad Brown, a Baptist minister who co-founded Providence Plantations with Roger Williams.

Brown married his cousin Anna Brown (daughter of his uncle Obadiah) in 1764. They had two surviving children: Sarah (1764–1794, married William Almy) and Obadiah (1771–1822), and a daughter who died young. Brown served as a deputy to the Rhode Island General Assembly from 1764 to 1771, and he served on a committee to oppose the Stamp Act in 1765. In 1769, he participated in efforts to move the college in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to Providence from Warren, Rhode Island. The four Brown brothers donated family land for the campus that had been passed down from Chad Brown.

Brown's wife Anna died in 1773. He gradually retired from the family business and began his involvement with the Quakers. In 1779, Brown married his second wife, Mary Olney, a fellow Quaker. They were married for 18 years and had no children.

From Wikipedia’s article on Moses Brown (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: slave trader, inventor, businessperson, merchant.⁴

Date not recordedFounded Brown University³

Personal life

BornSep 23, 1738, Providence^{5 6}
DiedSep 6, 1836, Providence^{7 8}

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

1
WikidataMoses Brown on Wikidata
2
WikipediaMoses Brown on Wikipedia
3
WikidataMoses Brown: Founded Brown University, on Wikidata
4
WikidataMoses Brown: occupation, on Wikidata
5
WikidataMoses Brown: place of birth, on Wikidata
6
Wikidataplace of birth, as reported
7
WikidataMoses Brown: place of death, on Wikidata
8
Wikidataplace of death, as reported by The United States Gazette
9
WikidataBrown University, Founder
10
Wikimedia CommonsMoses Brown photo by Martin Johnson Heade, Public domain