Newberry Library - Brown family papers [box 00003], 1918-1972

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Open book Brown family papers [box 00003], 1918-1972

Title Brown family papers [box 00003], 1918-1972

Date 1923-1932

Subjects Bands (Music), Ingénues (Musical group), Jazz, Parisian Red Heads (Musical group)

Description Use the link to the finding aid for a fuller description of collection contents that explains the use of the name and subject terms appearing in this catalog record.

Summary Correspondence, newspaper clippings, personal papers, photographs, Genevieve's scrapbook, and souvenir items from McAuliffe, Grace and Genevieve Brown covering the time period of 1918-1972, with the bulk of the items from 1923 to 1932. The papers contain correspondence from the three Brown children to their mother. A few photographs and a small journal kept by McAuliffe includes some details of his experiences on the front lines in World War I. There are numerous individual and group photographs of the three all-girl orchestras that Grace and Genevieve performed with - Harry Waiman and the Debutantes, the Parisian Red Heads and the Ingenues. Letters and postcards sent home provide details of their travels. Numerous travel photographs, postcards and other ephemera collected while the Brown sisters were on tour are also included, and the scrapbook contains many clippings with reviews of their performances.

Biographical/Historical Note This collection, assembled and preserved by Kathleen Davis, includes information on three of the descendants of Kentucky state senator, Augustus E. Brown (1863-1927) and his wife Grace Truman Richardson Brown (1867-1955) who made their home in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Although there were nine Brown children, these papers reflect time periods in the lives of the eldest, McAuliffe, and the two youngest, Grace and Genevieve, all of whom were talented musicians. McAuliffe Brown (1889-1963) served as a corporal the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. At the close of the war he was fighting on the front lines in France. He and his company marched into Germany in December of 1918. Earlier in his career, McAuliffe had played in the army band. Grace Brown (1901-1990) was known for her musical and comedic talents. She first appeared with Harry Waiman and the Debutantes in 1923-1924. By 1927, she was performing as a musician and comedic dancer with the Parisian Red Heads, an all-girl vaudeville band. The group, starring Bobbie Grice, performed across the United States on various entertainment circuits. By 1929 Grace had joined her sister Genevieve as a member of another all-girl orchestra, the Ingenues. Genevieve Brown (1903-1971), a graduate of the University of Kentucky at Lexington, also played several musical instruments, including the sousaphone. From 1926 through 1932, Genevieve was a member of the Ingenues, managed by E. G. "Eddie" Sherman. The Ingenues attained such fame on the Orpheum circuit that they became part of the Ziegfeld Follies for the 1927 season. Following this success, the group went on world tours, playing theaters in Africa, Australia, Europe, the Near East and South America.

Extent 2.6 linear feet (4 boxes and 1 oversize box)

Format Correspondence, Journals, Photographic postcards, Photographs, Picture postcards

Archival Collection Title Brown family papers

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Midwest MS Brown Family

BibID 833494

Rights Status Copyright Not Evaluated

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Size 3544px × 4678px 94.90 MB

File Created 03/21/2022

Filename 998334948805867_midwest_ms_brown_family_box_00003_fl_00065_000001.tif

Unique Identifier NL1TPE6