John A. Brown

Background

John A. Brown was born in Ireland on May 21, 1788 and was the third son of Grace (Davison) Brown and Alexander Brown.

Education

John received his elementary schooling in Ireland, and in 1802 with his brothers, George and James, followed his father to America.

Career

Receiving his business training from his father, in time John Brown became a member of the firm of Alexander Brown & Sons, merchant bankers of Baltimore. In 1818 he went to Philadelphia to establish the first American branch of the house. In October of that year the following advertisement appeared in the Union, United States Gazette, and True American of Philadelphia: "John A. Brown & Company take this opportunity of informing those who have been in the habit of purchasing the linens imported by Alexander Brown & Sons of Baltimore, that the above firm is a branch of that concern and that both houses will import a constant supply of Cheap Linens. "

The name was changed later to Brown & Bowen and finally to Brown Brothers & Company, but the firm has continued to do business from its foundation to the present day. John was the most conservative of the four sons of Alexander Brown, yet he had good judgment, shrewd knowledge of men, and alertness in seizing opportunities for the use of capital, and his wise investments at a time when American railroads were first developing enabled him to amass an ample fortune which he used in furthering leading philanthropic enterprises in Philadelphia.

He retired from the Philadelphia firm after the panic of 1837 had impaired his health, but continued his philanthropies, which concerned church work mainly.

Achievements

• John A. Brown organized and contributed to the erection of a building for Calvary Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of and contributor to the American Sunday School Union, and a short time before his death, made a gift of $300, 000 to the Presbyterian Hospital. The middle "A" in John Brown's name really stood for nothing at all. He adopted it as an initial in order to avoid confusion with another John Brown whose mail frequently had become mixed with his while he lived in Baltimore.

Religion

In his religious affiliation John Brown was a Presbyterian. At some point he was interested in the work of the New School branch of the Presbyterian Church.

Connections

His first wife, Isabella Patrick of Ballymena, whom Brown had married in 1813, died in 1820, and in 1823 he married Grace Brown, a daughter of Dr. George Brown of Baltimore.

Father:

Alexander Brown

Mother:

Grace (Davison) Brown

first wife:

Isabella Patrick

Second wife:

Grace Brown

Friend:

Matthias W. Baldwin

Through his influence and assistance and that of his friend and neighbor, Matthias W. Baldwin, that branch of the church became the owner of the Presbyterian House on Chestnut St.