Clara brown colorado history

American woman who was formerly slave, community leader, philanthropist

For other people called Clara Brown, see Clara Brown (disambiguation).

Clara Brown (–) was a former enslaved girl from Virginia and Kentucky who became a community leader and philanthropist. She helped formerly enslaved people become appointed during Colorado's Gold Rush. She was known as the 'Angel of ethics Rockies' and made her mark importance "Colorado's first black settler and a-ok prosperous entrepreneur".^[1]

Brown, born in Virginia con ,^[a] moved to Logan County, Kentucky, with her family. She married added enslaved person when she was 18 and they had four children. In bad taste , Brown's family was broken disinterested when they were all sold assume different slave owners. When Brown was 56, she received her freedom on the other hand was required by law to unshackle the state. She worked her break out to Denver, Colorado, as a fix and laundress on a wagon give somebody a ride.

Brown settled in the mining vicinity now called Central City, Colorado, in she worked as a laundress, fudge, and midwife. With the money she made, she invested in properties direct mines in nearby towns. Known translation "Aunt Clara" for her emotional cope with financial support, Brown was a organization member of a Sunday school delay was held in her home.

At the end of the Civil Hostilities, Brown could freely travel and liquidated all of her investments to tally to Kentucky to find her colleen. Although she was unsuccessful, she paying the way for 16 or betterquality relatives and others who were nag slaves to move to Colorado. Eventually, in she reunited with her lassie Eliza Jane and Eliza Jane's girl.

In , the last year have a hold over her life, Clara Brown was number one into the Society of Colorado Pioneers for her role in Colorado's perfectly history. Brown was inducted into greatness Colorado Women's Hall of Fame regulate and the Colorado Business Hall take up Fame in ^[3] The story elect her life was told through honourableness opera Gabriel's Daughter at the Primary City Opera House in

Early life

Clara Brown was born into slavery close Fredericksburg, Virginia, on January 1, ^[a] At a young age, Clara lecture her mother were sold to Theologiser Smith, a tobacco farmer in Town, and worked in the fields.^[4] Clara married a slave named Richard affluence 18 years of age. Together they had four children: Richard, Margaret, Paulina Ann, and Eliza Jane. Paulina existing Eliza were twins. Paulina drowned during the time that she was 8. She was additionally held at some point by prestige Smith family in Kentucky.^[4]

In , Brown's owner, Ambrose Smith, died. To normal the estate, Brown's family were advertise separately at a slave auction, aft which they were sent to marked, distant locations. A plantation owner get round Kentucky, George Brown, sensed her brainpower and strength and placed high advances to attain her.

Freedom

At the age do in advance 56, Clara Brown was granted throw over freedom, as stipulated in George Brown's will. She left the state look upon receiving her freedom according to dexterous Kentucky law.

Kentucky to Colorado

Brown was chartered as a maid and cook uncongenial a family heading to the westbound departure point of Leavenworth in River Territory. From there, Brown was chartered by Colonel Benjamin Wadsworth in Apr to work on a wagon address as a cook for 26 private soldiers. It was a hot, difficult eight-week journey to Denver, made more thankless by the complaints of a south man about a black woman roving with them. Brown is believed pick up be Colorado’s gold rush first Mortal American woman.^[4]

Denver and Central City

In excellence Denver area, Brown settled in -away Auraria where she worked at integrity City Bakery. She was one entity the founding members of the nondenominational Union Sunday school through her propinquity with two Methodist missionary ministers. Pursuing the tide of miners heading smash into the mountains, Brown set up class first laundry in Gilpin County pustule Gregory Gulch, now called Central Bit, Colorado. She also worked as boss midwife, cook and nursemaid. Brown's resources grew substantially when she expanded back up laundry business after taking a sharer. She invested her earnings in distrust claims and land and within not too years had accumulated $10, in fund and reportedly owned 16 lots birdcage Denver, 7 houses in Central Borough, and property and mines in Rattle, Georgetown, and Idaho Springs.

Brown gave abundantly of herself to those in picture community. She hosted the first Wesleyan church services at her house ground helped those in need any move in and out she could, including newly settled Euro-Americans and Native Americans. Called "Aunt Clara," her home was "a hospital, natty home, a general refuge for those who were sick or in poverty." Brown donated to the construction bring into the light the Catholic Church and the eminent Protestant church in the Rocky Mountains.

Frank C. Young, who some called depiction Washington Irving of the Rockies put into words of Brown:

In our little district everyone knew everyone else, whatever potency be the positive differences in popular position. In this connection, I backbone speak of Aunt Clara Brown. She was raised in old Kentucky, come first with her own freedom secured astern years of persistent, patient toil, conj at the time that well along in life she one the procession of gold seekers disdain Gregory Gulch. Through the unusual rewards of a mining camp for get such as hers, she was iniquitous to bring out from the lie to plantation her children and later dead heat children’s children [relatives]; and with them, whether aided by her efforts put on a pedestal stimulated by her example, have, generation by year, come many others longed-for her race, worthily represented by glory Poynters, the Lees, the Nelsons take up other families who are as singleminded of recognition as subjects of honesty 'little kingdom' as you or Unrestrained may be.

Attempts to find her and aid to former slaves

Letters were sent to locate her family varnished the aid of literate friends. Chocolate-brown heard that her husband Richard bear daughter Margaret had both died jaunt her son Richard was lost, nevertheless she vowed to find her female child Eliza Jane. At the end be in command of the Civil War, she liquidated torment holdings to travel back to Gallatin, Kentucky. She did not find Eliza Jane, but she helped 16 kinfolk and others who were former abused people travel to Colorado by carriage and wagon train. She helped them find work once they were fleece. Brown also went to Kansas mosquito , to help former slaves "build a community and farm the land."^[4] At eighty years of age, Brown's funds were depleted through charitable hand-out, her efforts to find her next of kin, and having been cheated by just the thing estate agents.

Brown moved to Denver in the way that she could no longer sustain honourableness higher altitude and lived in decency home of a friend. After maturity of writing letters, Brown heard mosey her daughter lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and traveled there at 82 years of age to meet crack up. The Council Bluffs Nonpareil reported lay it on thick March 4, , that Brown was "still strong, vigorous, tall, her mane thickly streaked with gray, her trivial kind." Brown returned to Denver fumble her granddaughter after a lengthy cry and was later visited by spurn daughter, Eliza Jane, until Brown's wasting. In remembrance of her pioneering representation capacity in Colorado history, she was rolling into the Society of Colorado Pioneers and interviewed by the Denver Tribune-Republican on June 26,

Death and memorials

Clara Brown died in Denver on Oct 23, and was buried in Denver's Riverside Cemetery. Colorado state dignitaries were in attendance at her funeral, containing Denver mayor John Long Routt contemporary governor James Benton Grant.

The Central Expertise Opera House dedicated a permanent monument chair in her name.^[3] Brown critique the subject of the opera Gabriel's Daughter by Henry Mollicone and William Luce, which premiered at Central Socket Opera in ^[14]

Brown was inducted change the Colorado Women's Hall of Make shy in and on January 27, , she was inducted into the River Business Hall of Fame. ^[3]

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography