Eighteenth century Providence owed its size and prosperity to the shipping trade, in which the Browns were heavily involved. John Brown was one of four brothers, Nicholas, John, Joseph and Moses, who inherited the Brown shipping firm from their uncle Obadiah after their father’s death. The firm took on the name Nicholas Brown & Co. but only included three of the brothers after 1771 when John split from the rest of the company over differing business interests. In 1783, as the Revolutionary War was drawing to a close, the company became Brown and Benson.

To unpack the historical climate and connections that surround our site at the John Brown House, we decided to focus on two ships funded by Brown and Benson (with confusingly similar names), the ship General Washington and the brig Washington. Our focus on these two ships provides a lens through which to examine trade with foreign ports, in Europe and Asia, that speaks to the globalization of American shipping, and gives us an insight into the historical consciousness of the Browns and their contemporaries.

Case Studies

The 'Brigg Washington', Copenhagen, 1784

Stocking the Ship Washington: Providence to the East Indies and China

Negotiating the shipping trade: The first two voyages to Canton