James Brown (1762-1841)

He was born in Irvine, Ayrshire and came to Virginia circa 1785 as an agent for the London merchants Donald & Burton. In 1797 (when he owned ten slaves and two horses), he went into business with Robert Burton and after he died he - as well as marrying his widow - partnered with Robert Rives as Brown, Rives & Co., one of the foremost commission houses in Virginia. They owned ships and traded in tobacco, cotton, corn, rice, etc., both nationally and internationally (the West Indies, England, Scotland and Spain). They operated their counting house in the Old Capitol In 1822, at London, his sister-in-law, Jane, married the society portraitist Edward F. Peticolas.