Moses Brown

Life & Legacy

Moses Brown (September 23, 1738 – September 6, 1836) was an American abolitionist, Quaker, and industrialist from what became known as Rhode Island. With his three brothers, he co-founded what became Brown University. Later, he supported the founding and revival of the Moses Brown School.
As an industrialist, he supported the development, design and construction of some of the first factories for spinning machines during the American industrial revolution. This included the Slater Mill, which was the first modern factory in America. While he was an abolitionist since before the Revolution, the New England textile industry was dependent on cotton produced by slaves in the Deep South. He helped gain anti-slave trade legislation in Rhode Island and later in Congress. Brown was a pacifist during the War of 1812 and appealed to both the U.S. and Great Britain to work towards a peaceful resolution. He played a leading role in founding the Rhode Island Peace Society.