Sarah brown

4. Sarah Brown Portrait

On your left again, a bit further down, you will see a portrait of Sarah Smith Brown painted in 1823, when she was 85 years old. She would die just two years later, surviving her husband by 22 years. We do not know much about Sarah because the Historical Society does not have any of her letters or other writings, but we do know that like the rest of her family, she was an avid reader, and we assume writer as well. We also know she was of the Smith family, who were among the first settlers in Providence. Nearby Smith St. and the town of Smithfield are named after her family. 

There are many clues that have led people to believe that Sarah Brown was a member of the Society of Friends or a Quaker. Up to this time, no Quaker records or minutes have Sarah listed as a member. She apparently did keep plain dress and speech throughout her lifetime, and others wrote that she attended religious meetings in Smithfield, although where they were Quaker is not specified. Family letters have recently been found that suggest she was a Friend, but historians, including those at the Historical Society, are trying to find more evidence. We are confident there is more to learn about Sarah to be found!

John Brown House Museum
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. First Floor Hall
  3. 3. Front Hall Portraits
  4. 4. Sarah Brown Portrait
  5. 4a. Alice Brown
  6. 8. Dark Work: The Business of Slavery in Rhode Island Exhibit
  7. 9. Mahogany Exhibit (From Forest to Foyer)
  8. 9a. Mahogany Collections
  9. 5. Maps of the World
  10. 6. Portrait and Platter
  11. 7. The Dining Room
  12. 7a. Sideboards in the Dining Room
  13. 7b. A Recipe
  14. 7c. Servants and Enslaved Persons
  15. 10. John and Sarah Brown's Bedchamber
  16. 10a. Necessary Chair
  17. 11. Marden Perry's Bathroom
  18. 12. Providence Landscapes
  19. 13. Large Bedchamber
  20. 13a. Sally and Charles
  21. 13b. Family Life
  22. 13c. Child's Walker
  23. 14. Second Floor Hall
  24. 17. Washington Wallpaper Room
  25. 18. Butlers Pantry
  26. 20. Carriage Room