Alex. Brown & Sons Records (Library of Congress)

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Outline view: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms998013
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Alex. Brown & Sons

A Register of Its Records in the Library of Congress

Prepared by Manuscript Division staff
Revised by Harry G. Heiss and Mary A. Lacy

Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

2000

Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html

Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, 1999 January; encoding completed by Manuscript Division, 2000

2004-12-07 converted from EAD 1.0 to EAD 2002

Letterpress Books, 1841-1880

Set A, 1841-1879

Set B, 1863-1879

Set C, 1865-1880

Miscellany, 1802-1908, n.d.

Union Railroad Company Sinking Fund Journals and Ledgers, 1870-1886

Credit Rating Book, n.d.

Statements Book No. 9, 1899-1900

Aransas Pass Harbor Company Minute Book, 1897-1908

Female Orphan Asylum Minute Book, 1802-1857

Signature Book, ca. 1871-1888

Title: Records of Alex. Brown & Sons
Span Dates: 1796-1908
Bulk Dates: (bulk 1796-1884)
ID No.: MSS14019
Creator: Alex. Brown & Sons
Extent: ca. 80,000 items; 266 containers; 51 linear feet
Language: Collection material in English
Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Abstract: Lettercopy and letterpress books (1802-1880), daybooks (1800-1867), cashbooks (1829-1876), ledgers (1796-1878), and other business records of the firm founded by Alexander Brown in Baltimore, Md., ca. 1800 which grew from a mercantile business into an international banking house.

Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

Names:
Alex. Brown & Sons
Brown, Alexander, 1764-1834
Brown, Alexander, 1858-1949
Brown, George, 1787-1869
Brown, George Stewart, 1834-1890
Brown, James, 1791-1877
Brown, John A., 1788-1872
Brown, Stewart, b. 1769
Brown, William, Sir, 1784-1864
Falls, Moore
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
Brown Brothers & Company
Brown, Shipley & Co.
Falls & Brown
Stewart Brown (Firm)

Subjects:
Banks and banking--Maryland--Baltimore
Banks and banking, International
International finance
Linen industry--Ireland
Merchants--Maryland--Baltimore
Merchants--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Public utilities
Shipbuilding
Trading companies
United States--Economic conditions--19th century
United States--History--19th century
United States--Politics and government--19th century
United States--Social life and customs--19th century

Administrative Information

Provenance:

The records of the firm of Alex. Brown & Sons were given to the Library of Congress in 1954 by Benjamin H. Griswold III on behalf of the firm.

Processing History:

The records of Alex. Brown & Sons were initially processed in 1954; the collection description was revised in 2000. Containers 125, 198, and 242 were microfilmed and returned to the firm in 1954.

Copyright Status:

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Alex. Brown & Sons is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.)

Microfilm:

A microfilm edition of Containers 125, 198, and 242 is available on one reel. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for purchase or interlibrary loan.

Preferred Citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Records of Alex. Brown & Sons, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Organizational History

Date	Event
1800	Firm established in Baltimore, Md., by Alexander Brown (1764-1834)
1804	Alexander Brown (1764-1834) organized Baltimore Water Co.
1810	William Brown (1784-1864) sent to London, England, to establish firm of Brown Shipley & Co.
1818	John A. Brown (1788-1872) sent to Philadelphia, Pa., to found Brown Brothers Harriman and Company
1825	James Brown (1791-1877) sent to New York to found firm of Brown Brothers & Co.
1827	Alexander Brown (1764-1834) helped organize Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Brown v. Maryland decided in favor of Alex. Brown & Sons
1834	Alexander Brown (born 1764) died George Brown (1787-1859) named senior partner
1839	Alex. Brown & Sons became separate banking concern
1859	George Stewart Brown (1834-1890) named head of Baltimore, Md., house
1890	Alexander Brown (1858-1949) named senior partner
1924	Benjamin Howell Griswold (1858-1949) named head of firm
1946	Alexander B. Griswold (1907- ) succeeded his father as senior partner

Scope and Content Note

The records of Alex. Brown & Sons span the years 1796-1908, with the bulk of the material dating from 1796 to 1884. Included are business records of successor companies, subsidiaries, and allied business. The records document the commercial and financial activities of Alexander Brown, his sons, and their successors, showing the development of their banking house in conjunction with extensive import-export operations, the building of ships and worldwide trade activities, and the building of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. They also reflect the company's change from a mercantile to an international banking house having connections with Brown, Shipley & Company of Liverpool, and with Brown Brothers & Company, of New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The records are organized into the following series: Lettercopy Books, Letterpress Books, Daybooks, Cashbooks, Ledgers, Sterling Ledgers, Ledger Sight Bills, Journals, Sales Books, Waste Books, Accounts Current, Blotters, and Miscellany.

The firm of Alex. Brown & Sons was founded by Alexander Brown, an Irish immigrant who came to Baltimore in 1797 and engaged in the mercantile business as an importer of Irish linen. The records are largely confined to the operations of the firm's outlets in Baltimore, which served as the American headquarters for the firm's chain of offices from 1800 to 1840. Lettercopy and letterpress books generally provide a continuous, daily record of the branch's outgoing correspondence with other offices in the organization and with the branch's out-of-town customers from 1800 to 1879.

Letterbooks, in the collection contain detailed information concerning political, civil, and military affairs affecting the firm. The Lettercopy Books series, consisting of letters sent, includes records of the Falls and Brown Company, 1803-1804. The Letterpress Books series is organized into three subseries. Set A includes records similar to those in the Lettercopy Books series and is distinguished from them chiefly by the copying method. Set B is comprised of letterpress copies of letters sent to Brown Shipley & Company, London, England. The letterpress copies in Set C are of letters sent to Brown Brothers & Company, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia offices.

The collection also includes financial records in a variety of formats. Daybooks are daily journals of business transactions in the order of their occurrence. Cashbooks record money received and paid out, showing date of transaction, name of customer or client, description of the transaction, and amounts received and expended. Ledgers contain postings to accounts receivable and accounts payable; they include ledgers of Falls & Brown, Baltimore, 1796-1810. Sterling Ledgers contain postings to accounts receivable and accounts payable of Alex. Brown & Sons sterling operations. Ledger Sight Bills contain a record of journal postings by bill number. Journals contain daily entries from daybooks and blotters. Sales Books appear to be logs of customer sales. Waste Books are daily journals of business transactions in the order of their occurrence; one book is from Stewart Brown, Philadelphia, and Falls & Brown, Baltimore. Accounts Current appear to be summaries of accounts receivable and accounts payable. Account entries include account name, transaction date, and description. Blotters are daily journals of business transactions.

The Miscellany series includes journals and ledgers of the Union Railroad Company sinking fund, credit rating and statements books, minute books of the Aransas Pass Harbor Company of which Brown and Sons Company was a bondholder and trustee, and of the Female Orphan Asylum, Baltimore. Also in the series is a book containing signatures of persons authorized to conduct business with Brown & Sons Company.

The collection also includes records of other Brown family firms, such as the firms of Stewart Brown, of Philadelphia, an older brother of Alexander Brown, 22 April 1796- 30 May 1797; and of Moore Falls and Stewart Brown of the firm of Falls & Brown, of Baltimore, 1797-1810. These records are not necessarily noted specifically in the descriptions below

Organization of the Papers

The collection is arranged in thirteen series:

Lettercopy Books, 1802-1863
Letterpress Books, 1841-1880
Daybooks, 1800-1867
Cashbooks, 1829-1876
Ledgers, 1796-1878
Sterling Ledgers, 1867-1876
Ledger Sight Bills, 1852-1884
Journals, 1824-1848
Sales Books, 1824-1838
Waste Books, 1796-1806
Accounts Current, 1826-1881
Blotters, 1805-1839
Miscellany, 1802-1908, n.d.

Description of Series

Container	Series


BOX 1-40	Lettercopy Books, 1802-1863
		Copies of letters sent. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
		Arranged chronologically.

BOX 41-124	Letterpress Books, 1841-1880

BOX 41-78		Set A, 1841-1879
			Letterpress copies of letters sent. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 79-102		Set B, 1863-1879
			Letterpress copies of letters sent to Brown Shipley & Co., London, England. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 103-124		Set C, 1865-1880
			Letterpress copies of letters sent to Brown Brothers & Co., Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y., and Philadelphia, Pa., offices. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 125-162	Daybooks, 1800-1867
		Daily journals of business transactions in the order of their occurrence showing store location, date of transaction, folio number, name of customer or client, nature of transaction, description of merchandise, quantities, and amounts received and expended.
		Arranged chronologically by date of business transaction.

BOX 163-197	Cashbooks, 1829-1876
		Record of money received and paid out showing date of transaction, name of customer or client, transaction description, and amounts received and expended.
		Arranged chronologically by date of business transaction.

BOX 198-222	Ledgers, 1796-1878
		Volumes contain postings to accounts receivable and accounts payable. Account entries include account name, transaction date, description of transaction, folio number, and amounts credited and debited. Some volumes contain alphabetical indexes of account, customer, and client names.
		Arranged chronologically.

BOX 223-226	Sterling Ledgers, 1867-1876
		Volumes are labeled "supplementary sterling ledgers" and appear to contain postings to accounts receivable and accounts payable of Alex. Brown & Sons sterling operations. Entries include account name, transaction date, description of transaction, folio number, and amounts credited and debited. Some volumes contain alphabetical indexes of account, customer, and client names.
		Arranged chronologically.

BOX 227-230	Ledger Sight Bills, 1852-1884
		Contains a record of journal postings by bill number. Entries include transaction date, bill number, date paid, amount paid, and folio number.
		Arranged chronologically by business transaction date.

BOX 231-237	Journals, 1824-1848
		Volumes contain daily entries from daybooks and blotters. Entries include folio number, date of transaction, transaction description, and amounts credited or debited.
		Arranged chronologically by business transaction date.

BOX 238-241	Sales Books, 1824-1838
		Volumes appear to be logs of customer sales. Entries include folio number, date of transaction, name of customer, description of merchandise, quantities purchased, and amount of money received.
		Arranged chronologically by business transaction date.

BOX 242-243	Waste Books, 1796-1806
		Daily journals of business transactions in the order of their occurrence. Entries for each transaction include folio number, date, nature of transaction, name of customer or client, and amounts received and expended.
		Arranged chronologically by date of business transaction.

BOX 244-254	Accounts Current, 1826-1881
		Volumes appear to be summaries of accounts receivable and accounts payable. Account entries include account name, transaction date, description of transaction, and amounts credited and debited. Some volumes contain alphabetical indexes of account, customer, and client names.
		Arranged chronologically.

BOX 255-258	Blotters, 1805-1839
		Daily journals of business transactions in the order of their occurrence showing store location, date of transaction, folio number, name of customer or client, nature of transaction, description of merchandise, quantities, and amounts received and expended.
		Arranged chronologically by date of business transaction.

BOX 259-266	Miscellany, 1802-1908, n.d.

BOX 259-261		Union Railroad Company Sinking Fund Journals and Ledgers, 1870-1886
			Journals and ledgers for ground rent accounts held by trustees of the sinking fund of the Union Railroad Co., Baltimore, Md. Volume entries include date of transaction, account number, description of transaction, and amounts debited and credited.
			Volumes are arranged as journals and ledgers and chronologically therein.

BOX 262		Credit Rating Book, n.d.
			Single volume denoting credit worthiness of customers and clients. Entries show date, customer or client name, and opinion concerning ability to pay, business practices, and reliability.
			Arranged alphabetically by name of customer or client.

BOX 263		Statements Book No. 9, 1899-1900
			Letterpress copies of customers' statements of account containing date, customer name and address, description of merchandise purchased, quantities, and amounts credited and debited to account. Volume also contains weekly financial statements of Alex. Brown & Sons sterling operations and an alphabetical index of customers.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 264		Aransas Pass Harbor Company Minute Book, 1897-1908
			Contains minutes of meetings and copies of resolutions adopted by the board of trustees of the Aransas Pass Harbor Co., Aransas Pass, Tex., of which Brown & Sons Co. was a bondholder and trustee. Laid in are correspondence, resolutions, notes, lists, and agreements concerning acquisition of Aransas Harbor City & Improvement Co., Aransas Pass, Tex.

BOX 265		Female Orphan Asylum Minute Book, 1802-1857
			Single volume containing minutes of meetings of the board of directors of the Female Orphan Asylum, Baltimore, Md. Also included are financial reports and a newspaper clipping concerning the founding of the organization.

BOX 266		Signature Book, ca. 1871-1888
			Contains signatures of persons authorized to conduct business with Brown & Sons Co. and includes letters of introduction, business cards, receipts, and signatures cut and pasted from other documents. Items entered alphabetically by name of customer or client, although some entries are not in proper order.

Container List

Container	Contents


BOX 1-40	Lettercopy Books, 1802-1863
		Copies of letters sent. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
		Arranged chronologically.

BOX 1		Dec. 1802-May 1804

BOX 2		Jan. 1803-Aug. 1804 (Falls & Brown)

BOX 3		Dec. 1810-May 1814

BOX 4		Apr. 1818-Apr. 1819

BOX 5		Apr. 1819-May 1820

BOX 6		June 1819-May 1821

BOX 7		Jan. 1822-Dec. 1823

BOX 8		Dec. 1823-Dec. 1825

BOX 9		Nov. 1823-Mar. 1831

BOX 10		Dec. 1825-May 1828

BOX 11		July 1826-July 1830

BOX 12		Mar. 1828-May 1831

BOX 13		July 1830-June 1832

BOX 14		Mar. 1831-Jan. 1836

BOX 15		May 1831-May 1833

BOX 16		June 1832-Jan. 1834

BOX 17		Dec. 1833-Sept. 1835

BOX 18		Jan. 1835-Nov. 1837

BOX 19		Sept. 1835-Jan. 1838

BOX 20		Jan. 1836-Aug. 1839

BOX 21		Jan. 1838-Apr. 1840

BOX 22		Aug. 1839-Apr. 1844

BOX 23		Apr. 1840-Sept. 1842

BOX 24		Oct. 1842-Oct. 1845

BOX 25		Apr. 1844-Dec. 1847

BOX 26		Oct. 1845-May 1851

BOX 27		Dec. 1847-May 1850

BOX 28		June 1850-Sept. 1853

BOX 29		May 1851-Apr. 1852

BOX 30		Jan. 1853-Mar. 1853

BOX 31		Mar. 1853-Sept. 1854

BOX 32		Sept. 1853-Apr. 1856

BOX 33		Apr. 1854-Jan. 1856

BOX 34		June 1856-Oct. 1857

BOX 35		May 1856-Oct. 1859

BOX 36		Oct. 1856-July 1859

BOX 37		July 1859-Feb. 1861

BOX 38		Oct. 1859-Apr. 1863

BOX 39		Mar. 1861-Jan. 1863

BOX 40		Jan. 1863-May 1863

BOX 41-124	Letterpress Books, 1841-1880

BOX 41-78		Set A, 1841-1879
			Letterpress copies of letters sent. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 41			July 5, 1841-Mar. 8, 1845

BOX 42			Mar. 2, 1865-Mar. 2, 1868

BOX 43			Dec. 19, 1867-July 15, 1868

BOX 44			July 16, 1868-Mar. 31, 1869

BOX 45			Mar. 31, 1869-Oct. 9, 1869

BOX 46			Oct. 9, 1869-Mar. 3, 1870

BOX 47			Mar. 4, 1870-July 5, 1870

BOX 48			July 6, 1870-Nov. 21, 1870

BOX 49			Nov. 21, 1870-Feb. 17, 1871

BOX 50			Feb. 17, 1871-June 16, 1871

BOX 51			June 16, 1871-Nov. 11, 1871

BOX 52			Nov. 13, 1871-Feb. 28, 1872

BOX 53			Feb. 24, 1872-June 27, 1872

BOX 54			June 27, 1872-Oct. 18, 1872

BOX 55			Oct.. 17, 1872-Feb. 1, 1873

BOX 56			Feb. 1, 1873-May 12, 1873

BOX 57			May 13, 1873-Aug. 16, 1873

BOX 58			Aug. 18, 1873-Nov. 10, 1873

BOX 59			Nov. 10, 1873-Feb. 2, 1874

BOX 60			Feb. 3, 1874-May 19, 1874

BOX 61			May 20, 1874-Sept. 10, 1874

BOX 62			Sept. 11, 1874-Dec. 30, 1874

BOX 63			Dec. 31, 1874-Apr. 19, 1875

BOX 64			Apr. 20, 1875-July 28, 1875

BOX 65			July 29, 1875-Oct. 26, 1875

BOX 66			Oct. 26, 1875-Jan. 3, 1876

BOX 67			Jan. 3, 1876-Mar. 15, 1876
				(The volume for the period from Mar. 16 to June 16, 1876 was not sent.)

BOX 68			June 17, 1876-Oct. 9, 1876

BOX 69			Oct. 9, 1876-Jan. 27, 1877

BOX 70			Jan. 27, 1877-May 14, 1877

BOX 71			May 15, 1877-Sept. 3, 1877

BOX 72			Sept. 3, 1877-Dec. 22, 1877

BOX 73			Dec. 22, 1877-Apr. 5, 1878

BOX 74			Apr. 5, 1878-July 12, 1878

BOX 75			July 12, 1878-Nov. 4, 1878

BOX 76			Nov. 4, 1878-Feb. 21, 1879

BOX 77			Feb. 21, 1879-June 18, 1879

BOX 78			June 18, 1879-Oct. 27, 1879

BOX 79-102		Set B, 1863-1879
			Letterpress copies of letters sent to Brown Shipley & Co., London, England. Some volumes contain an alphabetical index of correspondents.
			Arranged chronologically.

BOX 79			May 22, 1863-Dec. 30, 1864

BOX 80			Jan. 4, 1867-Oct. 14, 1867

BOX 81			Oct. 12, 1867-Nov. 24, 1868

BOX 82			Nov. 24, 1868-July 2, 1869

BOX 83			July 6, 1869-Jan. 28, 1870

BOX 84			Feb. 1, 1870-Sept. 2, 1870

BOX 85			Sept. 6, 1870-Mar. 7, 1871

BOX 86			Mar. 7, 1871-Aug. 15, 1871

BOX 87			Aug. 15, 1871-Jan. 23, 1872

BOX 88			Jan. 23, 1872-June 14, 1872

BOX 89			June 14, 1872-Nov. 8, 1872

BOX 90			Nov. 8, 1872-Mar. 19, 1873

BOX 91			Mar. 31, 1873-Aug. 12, 1873

BOX 92			Aug. 12, 1873-Feb. 6, 1874

BOX 93			Feb. 6, 1874-Aug. 17, 1874

BOX 94			Aug. 7, 1874-Feb. 19, 1875

BOX 95