The Brown family was one of the most prominent families of early Providence, Rhode Island. They were merchants, statesmen and community advocates who worked to better their city and their nation (although their involvement in the slave trade has been a horrendous blight upon the family name). John Brown and his brothers were instrumental in the founding of today’s Brown University (then the College of Rhode Island) and were staunch patriots during the American Revolution. Today, John Brown’s elegant Providence mansion near the campus of Brown University is well-maintained, filled with history and open for tours!
History
John Brown was born in the town of Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on January 27, 1736. Throughout his young life, John was inundated with the local seafaring community that centered around merchant trade. To no surprise, John and his brothers (Nicholas, Joseph, and Moses) got involved in various business prospects, including farming and the shipping trade.
As relations between Great Britain and her colonies continued to strain throughout the 1760s and early 1770s, John Brown did not stand idly by. He played an active role in the local Sons of Liberty and was a participant in the defiant burning of the HMS Gaspee in Narragansett Bay on June 9, 1772 (one of the first major violent acts conducted by the colonists against the Crown).
On June 15, 1775, John Brown supported the patriot cause and sold his 65-foot-long sloop Katy (originally built in 1768) to the Rhode Island General Assembly. Then on December 3, 1775, the ship was commissioned in the Continental Navy as the 12-gun sloop Providence. The Providence (under command of Abraham Whipple) would sail through Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island coast to protect local shipping. After a successful but short career, the Providence would be destroyed by her crew in August 1779. John Brown continued to actively support the patriot cause throughout the war.
Following the American Revolution, John Brown continued to be involved in the shipping business (the China trade) and the slave trade. He remained in the Providence area and had the first mansion in the city built between 1786-1788 (designed by his brother, Joseph Brown). The beautiful Georgian three-story brick house, that we now known as the John Brown House, was the most elegant residence in the growing city of Providence.
John and his wife, Sarah (Smith) welcomed many illustrious visitors in the years after the war. As a leading businessman and ardent patriot, Brown welcomed American greats such as Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and George Washington at his house throughout the years. In fact, the formal parlor was the likely room that these men were welcomed, shared tea and were entertained. It was in 1790 when President George Washington visited during his tour of Rhode Island.
Brown’s contributions to his community continued when he founded the Providence Bank in 1791, which was the first bank in the state of Rhode Island. He would become involved in many types of business during the post-war years that benefitted the people of Providence; however, he continued to operate as a slave trader.
As horrific and immoral as the slave trade was, it was unfortunately very prevalent in colonial New England. Rhode Island and men such as John Brown participated in what is known as the “triangular trade.” The triangular trade described the process of trade between the New England colonies, West Africa and the West Indies. One leg of this trading triangle was from Rhode Island to West Africa, where ships would bring rum. After loading African slaves, these ships would sail to the West Indies where they were sold. Lastly, the ships would return to Rhode Island with sugar and molasses (needed for distilling rum) and the vicious cycle continued. In August 1797, John Brown was tried in Federal Court for violating the Slave Trade Act of 1794 (he was the first American tried under said law). He was convicted and had to give up his ship, Hope.
In 1798, John Brown was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served one term from March 1799 to March 1801. Just over two years after leaving Congress, John Brown died on September 20, 1803 and was buried in the Brown family plot in Providence’s North Burial Ground. His Providence mansion was passed onto his only son, James Brown III, who owned it until he died unmarried in 1834.
In 1901, the house was sold to wealthy banker Marsden J. Perry, who updated the mansion with the addition of modern plumbing and heating systems. In 1936, the house was purchased by John Brown’s great-great-grandson, John Nicholas Brown. He would own the house until 1942, when he sold it to the Rhode Island Historical Society. Since then the house has been owned and preserved by the RI Historical Society and now serves as a museum.
Interesting Facts
- The sloop Providence, built by John Brown and sold to the Rhode Island General Assembly, was the first ship to sail for the Continental Navy. It was at one point commanded by John Paul Jones.
- In the 1780s, John’s brother Moses Brown (and other family members) became passionate abolitionists and called for the end of slavery.
- The third floor of the John Brown House displays a wonderful collection of “silver service” (silver plates, bowls, etc.) that were originally on the battleship Rhode Island (commissioned in 1907). After the ship decommissioned in 1923, the silver was loaned and eventually gifted to the state of Rhode Island.
- After being completed in 1788, the nearly 19,000 square foot Brown Mansion was one of the largest homes in the United States.
Our Visit & Recommendations
The John Brown House (52 Power St, Providence, RI 02906) has been a centerpiece of Providence for over 200 years and remains an elegant piece of American history. The Brown family was one of the wealthiest and most influential families of colonial Rhode Island and early America and the John Brown House serves as a lasting symbol of that family and era.
From December to March the museum is only open on Saturdays from (10am – 4pm) and from April to November it is open Tuesday through Friday (1 – 4pm) and Saturday (10am – 4pm). Admission is $10 for adults with discounts for students, seniors and children. When visiting, you can enter the house and purchase tickets from the Power Street side (you’ll have to walk around to the side of the house). The museum offers a self-guided tour with the option of an audio tour (you’ll be given a small audio player and headphones). We opted for the audio tour and used the laminated pamphlet to guide us throughout the house.
The self-guided tour route is very well-organized and starts in the first floor hall and then proceeds up to the second and third floors. We began using the audio tour but soon abandoned it to just wander about and read the descriptions posted in each room; however, if a room does really interest you, I recommend listening to the associated audio file (it will give interesting details that are not written on the room description).
Off of the first floor hall is the formal parlor (opposite the informal parlor), which functioned as a socializing space and was used to receive important visitors. Within this parlor, the Brown family welcomed many distinguished guests, including George Washington. In this parlor are my favorite artifacts that are on display in the house: two beautiful paintings of George and Martha Washington. Both of these oil on canvas paintings are from 1785 (both after Charles Wilson Peale originals) and were originally owned by John Brown.
Another interesting decorative feature of this formal parlor is the ceiling. At either end of the parlor’s ceiling you will see portraits of George and Martha Washington, which honor the first President and first lady. There is no doubt that the Brown family had great respect and love for the Washingtons! As you visit each room, admire the ornate decoration and architecture and look for other symbols of early America. Next to the formal parlor is the equally ornate dining room.
We explored the second and third floors, which have a few bedrooms and a sick room (including a modernized bathroom in John and Sarah’s bedroom). One thing we noticed was the incredible number of tall clocks (grandfather clocks) throughout the house- it is quite the collection! We returned to the first floor to view one of the most unique rooms of the house: The Washington Wallpaper Room.
In 1936, John Brown’s great-great-nephew John Nicholas Brown (for whom Brown University is named) purchased the house. Although he never lived in the house, he commissioned the unique wallpaper that adorns what is now known as the Washington Wallpaper Room. This incredible wrap-around artwork was designed by artist Nancy McClelland and depicts George Washington’s Presidential inaguartion in New York City.
After visiting the Washington Wallpaper Room we passed through the butler’s pantry (which was added in the early 1900’s by Perry) and completed the tour of the house. Next, we headed back towards the museum entrance to see the last part of the tour. The Sally Gallery, which is named for the ship Sally that was owned by the Brown brothers, is an exhibition dedicated to the remembrance of slavery and the role that the Brown family and Rhode Island played.
The Sally sailed from Providence for West Africa in 1764 under command of Rhode Island native Esek Hopkins (who was named Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy in 1775). The slaving expedition met absolute disaster over the coming months- of the 196 slaves that were brought onboard, at least 109 died of starvation, suicide or disease during the return voyage. We spent a good deal of time in this exhibition, reflecting on the horrors of the slave trade and how our past is far from innocent.
The last stop on the tour is in the attached carriage room. The brick-lined walls house a gorgeous mint green carriage that was owned by the Brown family. It is said that this exact carriage carried George Washington about Providence during his visit in 1790!
We worked up quite a hunger after the house tour and headed to the nearby Harry’s Bar & Burger for a delicious lunch (highly recommended!).
The John Brown House tour offers an exceptional view into the lives of a wealthy family in colonial and early America. If you are visiting Providence for any period of time, a tour of the house will give you a well-rounded appreciation for the local history and the Brown family. We had a wonderful time touring this historic gem and learned a lot about Rhode Island and early American history.
Great description and explanation of the history of the mansion and of Rhode Island. I’m currently reading’Travels with George’ which discusses all of the things you mentioned. Thank you.
Awesome, thank you very much!