Anne S. Kinsolving Brown papers (Ms.2007.013)

Biographical note

Anne Seddon Kinsolving Brown was born to Reverend Arthur B. Kinsolving and Sally (Bruce) Kinsolving on March 25, 1906 in Brooklyn, NY. At six months of age, she moved with her family to Baltimore, Maryland where her father took the position of rector at Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Brown attended the Calvert School in Baltimore from 1912-1918 and the Bryn Mawr School from 1920-1924, where she graduated with honors in English. After a series of social debuts, she landed a position as a journalist with The Baltimore News. One of their star reporters, Brown wrote a variety of articles on topics ranging from celebrities to theater reviews.

Brown led an active social and dating life, eventually meeting “The Million-Dollar Baby” in 1930. After only three dates, Brown married John Nicholas Brown II and moved into the Nightingale-Brown House in Providence, Rhode Island after their year-long European honeymoon. It was in Europe that Brown began to collect military miniatures, and this initial interest blossomed into a passion for military books and collectables that lasted for the remainder of her life.

John Nicholas Brown II died of a heart attack in 1979, and Anne moved into their home in Newport, Rhode Island shortly thereafter, where she remained socially and politically active. Anne died on November 21, 1985 and was survived by her three children, Nicholas, J. Carter, and Angela Bayard.