Sons of Providence: The Brown Brothers, the Slave Trade, and the American Revolution

by Charles Rappleye

In 1774, as the new world simmered with tensions that would lead to the violent birth of a new nation, two Rhode Island brothers were heading toward their own war over the issue that haunts America to this day: slavery. Set against a colonial backdrop teeming with radicals and reactionaries, visionaries, spies, and salty sea captains, Sons of Providence is the biography of John and Moses Brown, two classic American archetypes bound by blood yet divided by the specter of more than half a million Africans enslaved throughout the colonies. John is a profit-driven robber baron running slave galleys from his wharf on the Providence waterfront; his younger brother Moses is an idealist, a conscientious Quaker hungry for social reform who—with blood on his own hands—strikes out against the hypocrisy of slavery in a land of liberty.

Their story spans a century, from John's birth in 1736, through the Revolution, to Moses' death in 1836. The brothers were partners in business and politics and in founding the university that bears their name. They joined in the struggle against England, attending secret sessions of the Sons of Liberty and, in John's case, leading a midnight pirate raid against a British revenue cutter. But for the Browns as for the nation, the institution of slavery was the one question that admitted no middle ground. Moses became an early abolitionist while John defended the slave trade and broke the laws written to stop it. The brothers' dispute takes the reader from the sweltering decks of the slave ships to the taverns and town halls of the colonies and shows just how close America came to ending slavery eighty years before the conflagration of civil war.

This dual biography is drawn from voluminous family papers and other primary sources and is a dramatic story of an epic struggle for primacy between two very different brothers. It also provides a fresh and panoramic view of the founding era. Samuel Adams and Nathanael Greene take turns here, as do Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Island's great revolutionary leader and theorist, and his brother Esek, first commodore of the United States Navy. We meet the Philadelphia abolitionists Anthony Benezet and James Pemberton, and Providence printer John Carter, one of the pioneers of the American press. For all the chronicles of America's primary patriarch, none documents, as this book does, George Washington's sole public performance in opposition to the slave trade.

Charles Rappleye brings the skills of an investigative journalist to mine this time and place for vivid detail and introduce the reader to fascinating new characters from the members of our founding generation. Raised in a culture of freedom and self-expression, Moses and John devoted their lives to the pursuit of their own visions of individual liberty. In so doing, each emerges as an American archetype—Moses as the social reformer, driven by conscience and dedicated to an enlightened sense of justice; John as the unfettered capitalist, defiant of any effort to constrain his will. The story of their collaboration and their conflict has a startlingly contemporary feel. And like any good yarn, the story of the Browns tells us something about ourselves.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American Revolution, American History, 18th Century

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a work of local history this was very interesting, if extremely annoying in it's liberal apologia. The Brown family's legacy in Providence continues to loom large centuries later, and this work does a good job laying out the parts John and Moses personally played in shaping the city and the state. The personal conflict between the two over the issue of slavery is certainly compelling, but as the central frame around which the book revolves it is still quite problematic. Rappleye takes great pains to tell the reader how bad slavery was, but then launches into classic apologia for slavery. "Attitudes in the past were different than today and so we cannot judge them by today's morals" is simply an open defense of slavery. From the very first voyages of Columbus, people like Bartholome de las Casas were condemning the horrific, genocidal treatment of the Indigenous people of the western hemisphere and later the similar treatment of Africans. Slavery was always known to be wrong, the "prevailing attitudes" that defended it were developed post-facto by those involved in profiting from human bondage. Defending historical figures like John Brown (the RI one not the cool abolitionist one) because slavery had many prominent defenders amongst the ruling class of the colonies and then the US is a nonsense argument that amounts to a full defense of the horrific practice.

That major issue aside, the book is still a valuable local history, discussing the economic development of the region, covering all the major figures.

An interesting history but jfc American liberal historians stop with the bullshit defenses of slavers.

[Chris Wharton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I recently brought back from Thailand, having sent it there some years ago (it was published in 2006) but never having read it. While I was mainly interested in it due to my time at Brown University, the book in fact barely mentions the university; as the subtitle suggests, the book has other points of focus.* Since the early 1700s, the Brown family of Providence derived much of their great wealth from shipping enterprises, some of which shipped slaves from Africa to the Caribbean or the southern English colonies in North America as part of the triangular trading route of molasses and sugar to New England to be distilled into rum to be shipped to Africa as a useful local currency for purchasing slaves to be trafficked to the Americas. This was not at all unusual in maritime Rhode Island at the time, and I was surprised to learn how large an enterprise the slave trade traffic was throughout 18th- and early 19th- century seagoing New England. The Browns were certainly not alone in this, nor even a leading participant in it, having many other shipping interests and businesses to run, and their slaving voyages seemed to be rather sporadic (and like other wealthy families they owned slaves themselves for work around home and farm, though not at the plantation scales of the Caribbean and North American South). By the late 1700s, John Brown was the family force behind the family’s slaving traffic, while his brother Moses soon after his first experience in the trade in the 1760s underwent a religious conversion from Baptist to Quaker, freed his slaves, and became a leading antislavery spokesman and activist for the rest of his life, a split which affected the brothers’ relationship for decades. The following decades of course also saw the coming of the Revolutionary War and the founding of a new nation, with slavery a major issue therein. The book does very well, with quite a granular, ground-level focus, at tracing the local Rhode Island political and moneyed interests, including the slave trade, at stake during those years, and the divided siblings are at the center of the stories told here. John, an outgoing dominant and domineering personality, publicly defended slave trafficking as legal commerce during this time (along with other more spurious justifications) and as a shipbuilder for the young US Navy eventually became one of the new country’s first “defense contractors” (and thereby established the tradition of overcharging and underperforming), while the more retiring Moses nonetheless worked successfully for the passage in 1787 of one of the country’s first laws prohibiting slave trading.

* The university connection with the name of one of Providence’s wealthiest and most politically powerful families began with the move in 1770 of the College of Rhode Island, founded six years earlier, from Warren, Rhode Island, to land in Providence donated by the brothers John and Moses Brown, The college name was changed to Brown in 1804 after a monetary donation from another brother. From university studies and reports in 2006 and 2021, it seems that while Brown “donors and benefactors” (like those of other young institutions of the time, including Harvard and Columbia) certainly engaged in and benefited from the slave trade, the institution itself did not formally engage in slavery-related transactions, as in the case of Georgetown.

[Wisteria Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

John and Moses Brown, two incongruous brothers were loyal to Britain. Yet, when a series of revenue raising taxes descended on the colonies, the Browns saw it as economic servitude to England. Charles Rappleye presents a history of Rhode Island and the Slave Trade through his research of primary documents and through letters of correspondence between the Brown brothers. Most people would be surprised to read about the significance of the Browns, and the relationship Newport and Providence and all Rhode Island had in the slave trade.

John and Moses Brown were originally were collaborators in the slave trade, but their legacies would diverge and history would remember their roles differently. Where John was an avid proponent of slavery and compulsive capitalist. Moses turned Quaker and was equally an unshakable abolitionist and social reformer. They polar opposites in values and appearance and they were stubborn in their ideals of liberty.

The Gaspee incident in Narragansett Bay, was a significant event led by John Brown that would establish Rhode Island equal to Boston as a rebellious colony. Also, throughout New England, slavery was most widespread in Rhode Island and the slave trade would remain entrenched in their harbors for many years.

John and Moses Brown were prominent business leaders in many areas. John was an investor in real estate, Moses was credited with establishing one of America’s first banks and introducing textile technology that allowed New England to compete with England as the Industrial Revolution moved forward. They both collaborated to establish Brown University where it is today.

Rhode Island is a familiar setting to me and this history provided a valuable addition to my existing schema. Charles Rappleye humanizes this history lesson from two opposing viewpoints and the insight of first hand witnesses. Sons of Providence clarifies many misconceptions in history and furnishes a glimpse into the tenets of the time period. Highly recommended.


Disclosure: This book was a self-purchase.
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up in Rhode Island this book had special meaning to me. Of course I knew who John and Moses Brown were. Brown University is named after their family. John Brown was a notorious Merchant prince who made a lot of money in the "Triangle Trade" (rum from Providence to trade for slaves in Africa to trade for molasses in The Caribbean to make more rum in Providence. He was also known for burning the HMS Gaspee several years before the Boston Tea Party.
There is a high class boarding school in Providence named after Moses Brown.
The truth is much more interesting. Moses started out in the family business but after the first failed "Slave Run" in which almost half (about 80) slaves died before reaching the Caribbean, he became a Quaker and an abolitionist. John on the other hand was the kind of personality that sucked the air out of the room when he entered. He became the wealthiest man in Providence and a powerful influence in Rhode Island even becoming a U S Congressman later in his life during John Adams' presidency. He was a very complex man. A lifelong defender of the slave trade, a war profiteer/defense contractor, as well as Patriot.
It's easier to see Moses Brown as the hero here as he was a much more disciplined and spiritual man who spent much of his time and wealth helping free slaves and "preaching" equal rights for all men. Despite the huge chasm in their spiritual and political beliefs they remained close brothers, respecting and loving one another throughout their lives.
Great for those who love Colonial and Revolutionary history. If you're from Rhode Island it's a must read!

[Steve Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

John and Moses Brown were descendants of Rhode Island's earliest European settlers, inheriting religious orthodoxy and little property. They became successful entrepreneurs, owning ships, wharves, land, a candle works, foundries and more. They opposed British taxes on the colonies and smuggled supplies to Washington's troops when the Revolution broke out. Later, John sold the new government cannons and ships, but at inflated prices - an early war profiteer, while Moses joined those trying to reconcile Britain and America. Their story is a microcosm of our country's history, because John shipped slaves from Africa and, as a Congressman, fought for repeal of federal laws prohibiting that, while Moses became a leading abolitionist. In spite of this disagreement, the brothers remained close all their lives.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Moses! Wanting a history of Rhode Island during the American Revolution, I was fortunate to find this gem. The brothers Brown are the focal point of an incredible history that lies at the foundation of everything American. Moses was a primary abolitionist at the time and his brother John defended and participated in the slave trade. The same family of Brown University. Engaging must for AR enthusiasts.

[Pat Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn about the history of Rhode Island through the eyes of Moses and John Brown. This story covers their lives and the history of the colony and state from the revolution through 1840. The Brown brothers are a mix of real America - the fighter for a cause and the practical businessman.

[Sarah Morenon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in Providence, and this book makes every step I take in town flash back in the 18th century. It's so dense with fascinating info I have to read very carefully. So glad I bought a copy, it'll take a while to absorb it all.

[John Rosenfelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to learn about early Entrepreneurs, and relationship to slave trading.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

18th century history of RI and Providence via the lives of John and Moses Brown. Highly recommended.

[Allison Horrocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A re-read for work.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Browns were a lot more interesting than I thought. It is a pretty gripping story, with a load of Rhode Island history I knew nothing about (the colony/state's role in the Triangle Trade and the Industrial Revolution). The moral knots of the two brothers Moses (easy to cast as the Abolitionist hero) and the more complicated John (who did a lot of good and impressive things but was also, for example, a war profiteer and slavery advocate). Anyway, it made me think about Rhode Island's past in through a different lens, and that, I think is a good thing. No, really, try living in this state, then read this book; you will get what I mean.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read history from the colonial era (just not my thing) but with the Providence angle I had to give this one a try, and I'm glad I did. Very informative dual biography of two men (along with their kinfolk) whose names are all over the Providence area. Additionally, the author provides excellent insights into the early growth of Providence from a small backwater that was a weak second to Newport to the unquestioned number one city in the little state.

An interesting bonus is learning about the people behind many prominent street names in Providence -- Elmgrove Ave, Sessions St, etc.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm related to the Brown family mentioned in the title, but until this book I knew nothing of the history of the slave trade out of Providence, R.I. before and during the American Revolution. Charles Rappleye's extensive research makes the tiny city in a colony he describes as "democratic, ambitious, and fiercely independent" leap off the page. The Browns are divided--John Brown makes a huge fortune, his brother Moses, a Quaker, fights the slavery that creates these riches. I found it fascinating.

[Mike Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first real history read in I don't know how long and as such hard to rate. While I whipped through it and found it fascinating I don't know how much was the book and how much was the novelty of finding out about the birth of the US. Certainly it felt at times like the book was getting bogged down, and occasionally it felt repetitive, on the other hand I felt genuinely interested in the two brothers at the core of the story, and the massive differences yet love and respect between them. So really this is a 3 1/2 star which I may re-rate up later once I've read some other similar books.

[Carl Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two brothers... Rhode Island, the Colonial period through the Revolution. One becomes a Quaker (Moses Brown is a very famous Quaker in New England Yearly Meeting) The fight in private and in public, particularly over slavery. They also watch out for each other and maintain a relationship. Capitalism,the Industrial Revolution. A touch of the Adirondacks thrown in for spice. Well written, well documented, and if you like to read history, a good read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt a little slow to start, but that could be because I was coming off reading a lot of fiction recently and good fiction always goes faster for me. This book was a fascinating angle into revolutionary-era American history through a pair of brothers who were stridently (at least vocally) on opposite sides of the slavery debate. They were both also very involved in many of the debates pre- and post-Revolutionary War. Interesting and nuanced, I would recommend.

[Charles M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating true story of John and Moses Brown, as providence businessmen, participation in the slave trade and oncoming revolution against Great Britain. Although John continued his activity in trading slaves and participating in overthrowing British rule until his death; brother Moses split off to that of a Quaker and abolitionist. Unique insight into colonial Rhode island and providence's rise as a mercantile center.

[Dan Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and informative, however, it is definitely not the type of book you can just pick up and read anytime you want to. It took me several months of "off and on" reading to get through it. It has proven to be useful background information as I teach U.S. History including both slavery and the colonial period.

[Douglas Graney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book. I can't say I read it because after slogging through the first 50 pages I decided to look at chapter titles to see one or more which might seem interesting. The Equal Rights chapter wasn't bad, the others were. Sons of Providence is dense, dull and no passion.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is quite academic, but I learned a lot about the history of RI and the early slave trade. I was surprised how much the slave trade factored into the Revolutionary War and the formation of RI as a state and the US as a nation.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far it is interesting because it is about my part of the world. Downside is it can be a bit confusing and dry at times. (Why do families keep reusing names? hahaha) It is a good historical read that sheds light on the economy of pre revolution America.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dense slog of a read for the most part, but chock full of research on a fascinating subject. Ultimately an eye-opening and thoughtful work that I would like to return to, so I will be buying a copy for myself.

[Bops · Rating 2 out of 5]

seems pretty good so far brown brother against brown brother moses and john

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for all Rhode Islanders and a should-read for the rest of the nation!

[Jobrien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down...if you love history, you will be fascinated by this account of slavery, abolition, and brotherhood.

[Mary Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is terrific history. It includes our own American revolution, the conflict within one family, one state, and one country. It is great.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious. Good parts, but not a great read. Plus, it doesn't help that it was pre-frosh required reading...

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book especially for Rhode Islanders. For me Moses is the clear winner and John is just another example of one of those folks driven solely by wealth and power.

[Bil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best book on RI history that I have read, but in true Rhode Island fashion I came away from it feeling worse about the state that I hoped. John Brown, man, not a good dude.