Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1921)
Mwmm John Nicholas Brown, Whose Fortune Has Been Rapidly Growing Ever Since He Was Born, Is Eagerly Watched by Eligible : Society Girl ' " ! drier T ' "v- ..- " - . If .. - ' -y vl ' - ;tK";-' :7- I v V'.-''uff.Yt : . A ? : , i . i - "v".' -i - . -7 A i b - . - jf--- "y rjttnii fitfit. , Baby Brown nd Hi Pet Cat. "'--A-, :' and Earliest Known Photograpb o Multi-MUlionaire Baby Brown. ..1 v r i JOHN NICHOLAS EROWN, "the richest .boy In America." became of age on ': February 22 and entered Into posses, slon. of his Tast fortune. -' Young John Nicholas is the heir of the Browns of Providence, R. IM and the last bearer of the name in his family. The fortune of his grandfather, John Carter Brown, amounted to $25,000,000 when he died In 1874. By a curious combination of circumstances young John Nicholas has inherited practically all .of this fortune, ( which har been accumulating for years. An accountant has calculated that that fortune of f 25,000.000, If ; allowed to accu mulate since 1874 at the moderate. Interest rate of 5 per cent annually and compound ed semi-annually, would amount te $254, 67I.2M.94 to-day. . ' Who will be the bride of this phenom enally wealthy youns man ? When a f el low possesses ' such .extraordinary riches it Is IneTltable that a great number of Slrls should be thinking about marrying him and that a great many mothers of girls should be thinking! along associated lines. '-; ;X Poabtless many charming young women art Already planning to help him make up bis mind. without delay,! so that he may not cnake a bad mistake. He is a nice looking young man and j be has probably been reared with moie care than any boy In America on account of hU financial value. Why shouldn't a girl be thinking of marrying him? " ; Poubtless he will be expected to make his choice earlier than an ordinary young man. .Will he yield o these amiable sug gestions, or will tney transform him inta an obstinate bachelor, as has happened in come similar cases? -' : -J: .;. .; Naturally a great many girls in the fash- lohable Newport set, with which he has associated since birth, hare an eye on him. Will he marry a Yanderbilt, an Astor, a Ooelet, a Haremeyer, a Harriman some one nearly as rich as himself ? I' Or will he astonish the world by makfatjg a romantic match with a poor girl? Will he, perhaps, succumb j to some young beauty of the stage, from which his rela tions hare doubtless : planned to protect him? Will he go among the arti-ts studios lor his bride? Will he go abroad to find a wife, as a number cf rich men have done lately, because they ray American society girls are too independent and difficult to : lire with? k . -: ; i i- Toucg Brown Is at present a student at HamrdV As most - people know, his wealthy grandfather was the founder of Urown University, that important institu tion Of learning at Providence, R. I. When the young heir's mother decided to ! send him to Harvard a good deal of chagrin was felt atvBrown over the thought that the last bearer of the founder's name was not going to m a student there, v 5 . But many friends of the Brown family rent their sons to old Harvard, and so the golden youth had to go there. f J A few words explaining how young John Nicholas came to be so monstrously ricn are necessary. Old John Carter Brown, who xnad the original fortune out - of textile milU'and founded Brown University, left Ills 1:5,000,000 in trust for his children in Baby Brown Laying the Cornerstone of the Brown Memorial Gates at Brown University, While the Presi dent and College Faculty Stand by' in Their Official RobeeC 1874. He had three children . John Nicholas Brown, Harold - Brown and Sophia Augusta Brorwn. who became Mrs v William Watts eherjnan. . , His J eon, , John i Nicholas Brpwn, died nine weeks af ter he married Miss Nathalie Bayard Dresser, who became the mother of John Nicholas, Jr. He left his property to his son. His only brother, Harold Brown, died ten days af ter Jils brother, and though mar ried left no sons. He be- . Queathed all his interests to his nephew, r The aunt, Mrs. Will- ; ' lam Watts Sherman, during "most of her life, left her property In possession of the Brown estate, eo that while yielding her a great income It helped to increase the little boy's fortune. Throughout his life " John Nicholas Brown has been protected with - extraor- . dinary care and Immense outlay, from any thing which might threaten his' health or his e&fety. As a baby he was Quite deli cate, and it was often said that bis life, hung by the proverbial thread. ; J . i "No price Is too great to pay for my . baby's life," said Mrs. Brown during one crisis of his life, ghe then engaged a epecial train to bring four New York doc tors to attend. him. '' He had one doctor of high standing al veys in attendance on him, and whenever anything out of the ordinary troubled him the most famous specialists In the country were summoned immediately. He had a special private cow of the highest breeding to keep him supplied with pcre , cream. For a long time , he was ordered to drink a quart of pure cream dally, -..xr - " - - - - His cow was pastured on an immensely valaable piece of property on Bellerue are nue, in the heart of the fashionable colony at Newport. This piece of land was com monly called "the cow lot" by the smart pet. The land was valued at about $100, 000. Baby Brown's cow led a verr happy .life there, eating the best of grass and corn and protected by a special caretaker. As soon as the bov was old enough to ride he had a pony of his own, but hewas always accompanied by two mounted at tendants, one on each side. During his ; whole life the boy was ; guarded by a score of detectives on ac count of the rumors that be might be kid napped, and to protect him generally. Whenever his mother heard of any new cause of anxiety she increased the num ber of his attendants. - - ; -1 would gladly pay $100,000 a year," cbe once said, "to keep him safe." His outdoor playground in Newport was turned into a barbed-wire corral to keep him safe, and his attendants watched him all the time he played. -TV The Poor Little Rich Boy, Baby V - Rrnum. CaTinar FaVArlv , Out tflf y HU Window at the Free and Easy Street Urchins at Play and Longing to Have Some Real Fun With the Boys in the Street. ' ' , John Nicholas Brown, Now a Student at Harvard. Although the Browns Were the Founders of Brown University and the Child Laid the Foundation of the Brown Memorial Gates at the -College, Yet, the Young Man Picked Harvard for His College Rather to the Disap pointment and Chagrin of Brown .University Authorities. Even his bedroom had barred doors and windows. WBen h went to Emmanuel Church at New port on Sunday he was accompanied by a nurse and two 'men attend ants -detectives. "Never take your eyes off Master John. You never can tell what may happen to him", were his mother's instructions to them. The kidnapping reports becane so per sistent at one time that Mrs. Brown, de clared 6he would take her boy to Europe and keep him there if they continued. She actually took him away In 1907, but brought him back the next year. . When he went abroad he was well taken care ; of. He was accompanied by his ' mother, one aunt, one cousin, two maids, one maid servant and two men servants. Although such, immense sums were spent on him he was not allowed to have all the toys that are given, to other .boys because he was likely to hurt himself with eome of them. It? was 'decided long a so that he could not have firecrackers on the Fourth of July. Once he hurt himself With a firecracker and after that such playthings were considered out of the question. - His very tame pony was long his 1 rin cipal plaything. He conceived the Idea of having a slelghbell on the pony's neck to warn people he was coming, and "this was thought to denote mechanical genius. When he waa twelve years old he at- , : talned considerable proficiency in playing the piano, and his relatives said that he might become a professional musician . or almost one. ..'.. .A special athletie trainer, a former alt round champion, was engaged exclusively i to give little John Nicholas physical train- . ing in hia private gymnasium- When he was atili only a baby his JO X3. lBUntiaMl reatum Sanrie. la .' The Cow That Gave Milk for Baby Brown Browsing ' in a $100,000 Clover Field on the Brown Estate at Newport. " mother started to build for him a palace that should be a child's paradise. Tbia place was the villa now known as Harbor. Crest, situated on Halidon avenue, one of the most beautiful parts of Newport. Mrs. Brown had to obtain special permission irons tba court to spend all the money from the boy's estate necessary t bulb) this palace. The site was exceedingly healthful as well as ; picturesque. It was on a knoll overlooking the waters' of Narragansett Bay. - The water touched the edges of the lawn where the little boy could play under the care of his attendants and drink in the o7one. It was hoped that through this life he would grow out of the poor health, that threatened him. v In this sheltered and salubrious spot beautiful gardens and playgrounds were laid put to make a real outdoor paradise for the Uttla heir. :::.y But perhaps the most delightful features of the palace were the two great upper floors. On 'the second floor we're two nurseries one far the day and one for the night -a gorgeous , bathroom and a room for bis principal trained nurse. The night nursery was eighteen feet each way. Nobody was allowed to breathe the air in it at tie same time as John Nicholas lest dangerous or unhealthy germs should be introduced into the apart' ment- The day nursery was 22 feet by . 16 feet 9 Inches. -; Up on the third floor was the special playroom of the golden boy. This apart- Ont BrlUla nicbt I ment was 1 feet by 30 feet. In this room was an alcovo in the wall that could 00 turned lato an improvised stage or a miniature menag- -erto, as the whim might happen to strike htm. There was also a huge storeroom' tor toys and implements. . Here he could be perfect ly happy, however cold, wet and miserable the weather might be 'outside. There was room for a small army of playmates. The alcove was provided with movable scenery, see pieees for 'children's plays, mechanical apparatus of various' kinds for entertain meots, big magic lantern slides .and moving picture screens. , , . In the grounds of the palace was a dock, to which a fine motor launch was se cured. A huge fresh-water pond upon the grounds was stocked with fish and swans. Upon this John Nicholas could sail bis miniature boats and mechanical yachts, , planned according tp the designs of his neighbors, the Herreshoffa. There were great stables, and whenever he wished it the smooth concrete floor of the stable could be converted into a roller skating rink, while hi miniature mechanl cal band furnished music from one of the stalls. When he was eight years old John Nich olas learned to run an electric runabout himself, but, of course, with a skilled at tendant beside him to see that nothing' went wrong. At one time Mrs Brown feared that be waa suffering from some mysterious sick ness due to a germ which had invaded his Quarters in spite of all precautions It was Winter, and In order that he might be absolutely surrounded by doctors she rushed the heir down to New York bundled up in furs. He tecorered from the mys terious malady. There have been signs that various per eons of the fair ser were making their plans to take care of John Nicholas. A few years ago Mrs. Rose Diestelhorst, of Kansas City, who was administering the estate of her daughter Elva, was asked by the court if she were educating her child thoroughly. Elv Is going to marry John Nicholas -Brown, the richest toy in America," said Mrs. Diestelhorst. Mhe doesn't need an education for tiat" . ' On Inquiry Mrs. Brown stated that she had never heard of little Elva Diestelhorst. One of young Brown's greatest friends at Newport was young WOIiam -Henry Vanderbilt, oldest son ol the late Alfred Yanderbilt, who was regarded as the chief Inheritor of the Vanderbilt millions. The circumstances of the two boys had many points in common. Both were heirs of Immensely wealthy families. Little Brown had lost his father before his birth, Little Vanderbilt had lost bis by divorce' when he was a baby. The boys were related by m&rriagf, as Mrs. Brown's s'ster married George W. Vanderbilt, They both lived on Halidon . Hill, the most beautiful, part of Newport. . When they were both lads young Brown organised The Brenton's .Reef Yacht Club" He was. commodore of the r-ub, which had one member besides him self Vanderbilt Young Brown's first sailing boat was a fifteen-footer, caJJed the. Murmur. A spec ial instructor, Mr. Hoffmann, taught him . to handle his boat, which had a crew ot two men. The'other member of the club. Captain Vanderbilt, owned the fifteen-footer Caprice, named after his mother'! thirty-footer Caprice. '. The two boys went together to St. George's Preparatory School, Newport, where their parents and attendants could watch them. It would have caused their mothers too much anxiety to send them farther away.. - The amount to which the Brown fortune would have grown at five per cent has al ready been' mentioned. As a , matter of ' fact there is no way of finding out how much the entire estate now amounts. The growth of certain parts of it, how ever, has been reported at times in court proceedings and such parts hare increased much faster than the five per cent rate mentioned. For Instance, $4,000,000 . saved by his father in 1900 had grown to $11,000,000 la 1906. rr-,X - While young Bewn was in Europe spec ial measures wre taken to ensure htm -against kidnapping,- According to Lon don reports, Llryds was asked o insure the child against total loss by kidnapping at a prenilum of f 5 per cent. It was sug gested , that half of the amount should cover any ransom in case of kidnapping. ' When John Nicholas outgrew his little pony ho learned to ride a big horse. Two men still rode with him, one on a hone and the other 01 a bicycle to catch him in case he should fait . The great card lavi-hed- upon John Nich olas's health and training aeeros to. have been uccessfulin overcoming his early delicacy and mating him fairly normal In strength.. He la. of rieaslng appearance, with light hair and IJue eyes.