John H. Brower Papers (Coll. 41)

An Inventory of the Collection at the G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport

Biography of John H. Brower and Thomas Browning Hewitt

John H. Brower was a commission merchant, of New York, N.Y. While a young man he entered the wholesale grocery house of Augustus Wynkoop as a clerk, and in 1832 became a partner in the business. Later the firm became Wynkoop, Arthur & Brower, then Brower & Nelson, and finally J. H. Brower & Co. By this time its original trade had gradually merged into a general commission business which was conducted on an extensive scale, at one time including interests in as many as 15 vessels. Brower is perhaps most remembered for his two clippers, the ANDREW JACKSON and the HARVEY BIRCH. Brower's firm also originated the New York and Texas Packet Line, and much of his business was always identified to a great degree with the interest of Texas. He once served as Consul for the Republic of Texas in New York. J.H. Brower & Co. ceased operation in 1881. Mr. Brower died a few weeks later on June 15. At the time of his death he was described as "the oldest cotton merchant in the city."

Thomas Browning Hewitt (1842-1921) Was born and raised in Stonington, Connecticut, graduated from Yale University, married Amanda E. Brower, and went on to become a successful corporation lawyer in New York. He was evidently involved in several ALABAMA Claims cases.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Includes business letters written to Brower by numerous shipmasters and agents between 1840 and 1865, particularly letters from Capt. W. S. Johnson of the clipper ANDREW JACKSON and Capt. W. H. Nelson of the clipper HARVEY BIRCH; vessel accounts, marine insurance policies, bills of sale, and other documents (1840-1860), including abstract logs for the voyages of the ANDREW JACKSON (1856-1861), maritime insurance policies, charter parties (1842-1847), and notebook (1856-1857) identifying "ship passages" of the New York and Texas Packet Line (which emphasized company interests in Texas); and information concerning Alabama claims cases (1876-1881), some involving Brower vessels and others reflecting cases in which Brower's son-in-law, Thomas Browning Hewitt, served as attorney.

Arrangement of the Collection

Box 1 contains most all of the correspondence found in the collection, and is primarily business letters written to John H. Brower by numerous shipmasters and agents between 1840 and 1865. Of special interest are many letters from Capt. W.S. Johnson describing the activities of the ANDREW JACKSON (including details of her sale to a British firm in 1863), and from Capt. W.H. Nelson of the HARVEY BIRCH.

Box 2 contains vessel accounts, marine insurance policies, bills of sale, and other documentation relative to the activities of John H. Brower between 1840 and 1860. There are 4 folders of material relative to the clipper ANDREW JACKSON, including abstract logs for her voyages between 1856 and 1861. There is a folder of maritime insurance policies covering cargoes shipped to and from Texas and New York, and another folder containing bills of sale for numerous vessels in which J.H. Brower held an interest. There is a folder of Charter Parties covering, the years 1842-1847, and a pocket notebook identifying "ship passages" of the Texas-New York Line, 1856-1857.

Box 3 contains information on Alabama Claims cases, 1876-1883. Included are published transcripts, business records of vessels involved in various cases, and other pertinent material. Most of the cases involved Brower vessels while others are cases in which Thomas Browning Hewitt served as attorney.

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.