Brown, Alexander, & Sons

Sectors:

  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland General trading & trade
  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland Linen cloth trading & trade
  • Financial services Merchant & investment banking services
  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland Raw cotton trading & trade
  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland Tobacco trading & trade

Notes:

Traced origins to Alexander Brown, 1764-1834, who started out as a linen merchant at Belfast. Settled in Baltimore in 1800 with his sons and imported linens. Opened houses at New York and Philadelphia. Emerged as a leading North Atlantic merchant, dealing especially in cotton and tobacco. His son, William, settled at Liverpool in 1809 and developed there a leading merchanting business out of which was eventually formed the merchant bank, Brown Shipley. At his death Alexander Brown was one of the USA's wealthiest merchants. The business eventually gave rise to Brown Brothers, later Brown Brothers Harriman, US investment bankers. See also Brown Shipley

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