Moses Brown Ives
Moses Brown Ives | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | 7 August 1857 (aged 63) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Partner at Brown & Ives; President of Providence Bank; trustee of Brown University; treasurer of Butler Hospital |
Moses Brown Ives (July 21, 1794 – August 7, 1857) was a notable businessman and benefactor based in Providence, Rhode Island. He held a partnership in Brown & Ives and served as President of Providence Bank. His roles extended to being a trustee at Brown University and the treasurer of Butler Hospital.
Early life
Moses Brown Ives was born in Providence on July 21, 1794, and was named in honor of Moses Brown, one of the founders of Brown University. He was the oldest child of Thomas Poynton Ives (1769–1835) and Hope (Brown) Ives (1773–1855). Among his siblings were Charlotte Rhoda Ives, who married Professor William Giles Goddard—parents to Robert Hale Ives Goddard—and Robert Hale Ives Jr., who wed Harriet Bowen Amory.
On his father's side, his grandparents were Captain Robert Hale Ives, a master mariner and founding member of the Salem Marine Society, and Sarah (Bray) Ives. From his mother's lineage, his grandparents were Nicholas Brown Sr. and Rhoda (Jenckes) Brown. His maternal uncle was Nicholas Brown Jr., making him cousin to Nicholas Brown III and John Carter Brown II.
Ives completed his studies at Brown University in 1812, pursued legal education at Litchfield Law School, and later undertook travels across Europe.
Career
In 1832, he joined Brown & Ives as a partner. He also held the position of president at Providence Bank and fulfilled duties as a trustee for Brown University. Furthermore, he managed financial affairs as treasurer for Butler Hospital.
Personal life
In 1833, Moses Brown Ives married Annie Allen Dorr (1810–1884), daughter of Sullivan Dorr—co-owner of Bernon Mill Village—and sister to Thomas Wilson Dorr, who served as the extralegal Governor of Rhode Island. They had two children:
- Thomas Poynton Ives (1834–1865), who served as a Civil War captain and married Elizabeth Cabot Motley, daughter of John Lothrop Motley, U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom. Following his death, his widow inherited his estate and later married Sir William Harcourt, a British statesman, becoming mother to MP Robert Harcourt.
- Hope Brown Ives (1839–1909), who became the wife of Henry Grinnell Russell, recognized as one of Rhode Island’s wealthiest individuals.
A mahogany desk-and-bookcase made in late 18th-century Providence in the Chippendale style is associated with Ives’s family prominence in the region.
He passed away on August 7, 1857, and was interred at North Burial Ground in Providence. His legacy included a donation that contributed to founding Rhode Island Hospital in 1863.