John Nicholas Brown II was born on February 21, 1900 in New York City to John Nicholas Brown I (1861-1900) and Natalie Bayard Dresser Brown (1869-1950). He was nephew to Harold Brown (1863-1900) and Sophia Brown Sherman, and grandson to Sophia Augusta Brown (1825-1909). His aunts also included Edith Dresser Vanderbilt Gerry. In 1900, John Nicholas Brown I and Harold Brown both died unexpectedly, leaving 3-month old John Nicholas Brown II sole heir to the vast family fortune. The baby gained instant public notoriety, and Natalie Bayard Brown took it upon herself to protect her son and manage his inheritance. John Nicholas Brown was very devoted to his mother, and he grew up mostly in the care of women. A sense of religiosity and social responsibility was instilled in him at a young age. He attended St. George's school in Newport, but chose to attend Harvard instead of Brown University, citing his desire to become his own man. Harvard provided scholarly mentors for John, and he founded the Medieval Academy of America in 1925 along with these mentors. John graduated in 1922 with a unique concentration in History and Literature of Classical Cultures. He also developed a life-long interest in architecture, and donated a chapel to St. George's school. This experience led to an interest in historic preservation, and in later years John would contribute greatly to preservation groups such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation Society of Newport County.
Travel was an integral part of John Nicholas Brown's life, and after graduating from Harvard, he toured Europe, Japan and the Mediterranean with his mother. John also found inspiration for St. George's chapel from many of the sites he visited on this trip. In 1926, John decided to begin graduate study at Harvard in the fine arts. Two years later he graduated with a master's degree in historic architecture, Christian iconography and the history of painting. In 1930, John embarked on a new phase in his life when he met Anne Seddon Kinsolving. At the time, Anne was working as a reporter for the Baltimore News. They married in October of 1930 and honeymooned in Europe. Throughout the rest of their lives, the Browns would travel throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.
John and Anne established their residence at 357 Benefit St. in Providence, and John began to assert more control over the family business. John and Anne were in many ways male and female counterparts. While Anne was at first put off by the societal matrons of Providence, she made the Brown home a lively place to entertain and live. The Browns built a vacation home on Fishers Island in New York, where Anne's family had historically spent their summer. The family also had a home in Newport called Harbour Court. In 1933, John became the head of the Rhode Island division of the Public Works Administration, which was succeeded by the Rhode Island State Planning Board with John serving as Chair. During World War II, John was the Chair of the Newport Council of Defense and the War Fund Campaign for the Rhode Island Red Cross. Anne also worked for the Red Cross in Newport managing the Red Cross Canteen.
Anne and John had three children together, Nicholas in 1932, John Carter (called Carter) in 1934, and Angela Bayard in 1938. Angela would go on to assume the married name of Fischer when she wed Dr. Edwin Garry Fischer. John and Anne had many grandchildren, including John Nicholas Brown III. John and Anne also had a passion for sailing and had several yachts, including Saraband and Bolero. In 1945, John served in Germany with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Commission, returning art and other loot stolen by the Nazis to their rightful owners. In 1946, John was appointed by President Truman to serve as the Assistant Secretary to the Navy for Air. 1946 also witnessed the launch of Bolero, which John raced for many seasons. He also acquired other yachts on which he embarked on cruises, notably Volta and Mazurka.
Anne maintained a strong passion for military history throughout her life, and in 1949 she became a founder of the Company of Military Historians. In 1961 she published The Anatomy of Glory, a translation of Henry Lachouque's history of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon. Anne also published a translation of French military diaries entitled The American Campaigns of Rochambeau's Army. Anne donated her extensive collection of military books, prints and soldiers to Brown University in 1981. In 1983, she testified at the murder trial of Sonny von Bulow on behalf of the defendant, Claus von Bulow.
In 1954, John became Chair of the Harvard University Committee for the Visual Arts, which was tasked with evaluating the role of the fine arts within the university curriculum. The final report was published in 1956, and is still regarded as an important statement about the fine arts within a university curriculum. In 1957, John served on the President's Committee for the American Armed Forces Museum. From there, John was selected to Chair the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Commission and served on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, two posts he would hold for the remainder of his life. After 1949, John focused his attentions on Rhode Island committees, and served on various public works and fine arts councils. The last years of John's life were plagued by chronic heart disease, though he still served on trusteeships, traveled, devoted attention to the fine arts and sailed. At Annapolis Maryland, on board his sailing yawl, John Nicholas Brown died on October 8, 1979. In 1985, Anne Kingsolving Brown died of cancer at Harbour Court in Newport.
biog
The collection contains family photographs, film, sound recordings, postcards and newspaper clippings from the life of John Nicholas Brown II. The bulk of the collection ranges from 1920-1980 and features events such as the marriage of John and Anne, the birth and childhood and adulthood of their three children, and the family's extensive traveling. Travel sites included Europe, the Middle East, Asia (most notably Japan) and the United States. The Browns also took several cruises on board one of their many yachts. Featured most prominently in this collection is Bolero, which John launched in 1949 and raced with success for six seasons. The extensive family photos chronicle events such as family birthday parties, holidays, anniversaries and vacations. The homes that the Browns owned in Newport (Harbour Court) and on Fishers Island in New York appear in many of the photographs. Other properties and projects includes are Emmanuel Church, Rex Ranch, Beaulieu house and Nightingale-Brown house.
Many of John Nicholas Brown's public service projects are honored in photographs and newspaper clippings. His service as Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air is most prominent, and his and Anne's commitment to the Red Cross during World War II is also presented. There are some artifacts from John's childhood, such as photos and projects he may have done in Sunday school. Pictures of his father and uncles are also present. Milestones in John Brown's life are documented, such as his 70th birthday and anniversaries with his wife. Images of the Kinsolvings, Dressers, maternal and paternal relatives are also included. Film in various forms includes family footage, interviews with John Nicholas Brown, FOX News, and aquarium footage. There are also sound recordings of organ and choir recitals. Several postcard albums are present, some dating back to 1900. Miscellaneous items include a painting of a Victorian child, and unidentified people and places in photos and negatives.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Brown family photographs, Ms. 2010.049, Brown University Library.
The collection is arranged in the following twelve series:
Transferred from John Nicholas Brown Center to the John Hay Library during February-March 2011.
Individual and group portraits of John Nicholas Brown during his childhood, including photographs of his father, John Nicholas Brown I and uncle, Harold Brown.
St. George's School
With Cornelia Vanderbilt, 1906-1907
Images of John Brown's life as an adult, including his wedding to Anne Kinsolving and his time as Assistant Secretary to the Navy for Air.
Photographs from John Brown's service as the Assistant Secretary to the Navy for Air.
Family includes John Brown's children, grandchildren, maternal and paternal relatives, and extended family and friends. Also included are the Kinsolving family, John Nicholas Brown I, Harold Brown and Natalie Bayard Brown.
Nicholas Brown, J. Carter Brown, Angela B. Brown (Fischer)
Birthday party at Harbour Ct, Aug 1972
Nicholas Brown military portraits, Nick and Diane's wedding, photos of children
List created by the family of all their photo albums including family events and travel.
Kinsolving-Brown wedding, JNB I, Harold and Sophia in Paris, 1879
Includes images from the wedding of Cornelia Vanderbilt at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, 1924.
1962 Blizzard, children & grandchildren, Volta, Bolero, JNB 50th birthday
LeRoy, Dresser, D'Osmoy, Vanderbilt, NBB wedding
With Harold Brown at Niagra Falls, 1877
Bulletin: 1936 and 1941
Major George Dresser, Elizabeth Stuyvesant LeRoy Dresser, Sophia Augusta Brown, JNB II, Nicholas Brown (1792-1859)
General Convention in Washington, DC 1928
Ralph Adams Cram, Kittredge family, Celebrity portraits, Sea Cloud cruise
Fish, LeRoy, Dresser, Merrill, D'Osmoy, Vanderbilt, McCagg
Brown, Sherman, Wetmore, Fitzgerald, Stonor, Carmays, Drexel, Safe, Herbert, Binnay
The Brown family traveled extensively to locations such as Europe, the USA, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Africa. Various cruises included stops in India and the Mediterranean. The family's vacation homes at Harbour Court in Newport and Fishers Island are also pictured.
The Brown family emarked on numerous cruises to locations such as the Medditerranean and India.
The Browns traveled to many European countries including France, Spain, Italy, England, Swizerland and Portugal.
Piazza Navona
England slides contain pictures of Stonor children
Photos and slides of the Browns during their travels throughout Europe and the USA.
Photographic log kept by John Nicholas Brown in which he recorded the subject, exposure time, F-stop, lens, plate and filter that he used to take the photograph. Most of the photos logged in this volume are for travel in Havana and Europe but it includes notes for photos taken of the Biltmore mansion in North Carolina.
George VI Coronation, 1937
Iowa, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Havana, Bermuda, Passport photos, children, Saraband, Yawgoo camp, Red Cross, Baden Baden
Bolero coronation 1953, Christmas 1952
357 Benefit St., St. George's Chapel
1956: Annapolis, Bermuda. 1957: USA. 1958: Boat races in FL. 1960: Western USA
Carribean, Jamaica, and Barbados, Venice. Italy, England, Providence, Newport, Hawaii, Nebraska, Iowa, Maine, California
1960s-1970s-friends, family, travels
Mt. Sinai 3/1960, France, Spain, Tintern, Biltmore-1924. Travel photos- 1974-1979
Travels in Asia and the Middle East including Egypt, Japan, Taiwan, Jordan, Istanbul and Sinai.
MN, NY and Windshield
John Brown possessed a passion for boats and yachting, and his yachts Bolero, Annapolis and Sea Cloud were used for racing and for cruises.
The Brown family owned several residences included in this collection: 357 Benefit St. and 50 South Main St. in Providence, Rex Ranch in Iowa, Harbourt Court in Newport, Nightingale-Brown House and Fishers Island.
Interiors and Exteriors
Interiors, Exteriors and Gardens
John and Anne Brown were involved in numerous architectural projects. These include Emmanuel Church, St. George's Chapel, Beaulieu House and the Providence Public Library.
Interiors and Exteriors
Interior/Exterior, carvings, ground breaking, consecreation
Providence Public library, Sophia Augusta Brown obituary, Emmanual Church
The Browns acquired film of family footage, news clips, interviews with John Brown and Anne Kinsolving testifying at the trial of Claus von Bulow.
Assorted news coverage, AKB testimony at Von Bulow trial, USA Today spot on aquariums.
Film: Betacam SP and VHS
Sound recordings of organ and choir recitals and the St. Dunstan's College Conference on Sacred Music.
Various books including autograph book, decoy book, drawings and obituaries.
The Browns collected postcards from traveling and documented events such as World War I and John Brown public service ventures in newspaper clippings.
Postcards-St. Mary of the Angels church, Italy
Red Cross, State planning board, Newport Civilian Defense Photos and Log, Committee on Visual Arts at Harvard, Harvard Arcade
Unidentified places, people and items and a Victorian painting.