Clara Brown was a former enslaved woman from Virginia who became a community leader, philanthropist and aided settlement of former slaves during the time of Colorado's Gold Rush. She was known as the 'Angel of the Rockies' and made her mark as Colorado's first black settler and a prosperous entrepreneur. Brown was born in Virginia in 1800. She married another enslaved person when she was eighteen and together they had four children. In 1835, Brown's family was broken apart when they were all sold to different slave owners; Clara was sold to a plantation owner in Kentucky. When Brown was 56 years-of-age, she received her freedom and required by law to leave the state. She worked her way west as a cook and laundress to Denver, Colorado. Brown settled in the mining town now called Central City, Colorado where she worked as a laundress, cook, and midwife. With the money she made, she invested in properties and mines in nearby towns. Known as "Aunt Clara" for her emotional and financial support, Brown was a founding member of a Sunday school, made her home available for prayer services and generously supported the community. At the end of the Civil War, Brown could freely travel and liquidated all of her investments to travel to Kentucky to find her daughter. Although she was unsuccessful, she paid the way for 16 or more relatives and others who were former slaves to move to Colorado. Finally, in 1882 she reunited with Eliza Jane and Eliza Jane's daughter. In 1885, the last year of her life, Clara Brown was voted into the Society of Colorado Pioneers for her role in Colorado's early history.
Early life
Clara Brown was born into slavery near Independence, Missouri on January 1, 1800. At a young age Clara and her mother were sold to Adam Smith, a Virginian tobacco farmer, and worked in the fields. She was then moved with the Smith family to Kentucky. Clara married a slave named Richard at 18 years of age. Together they had four children: Richard, Margaret, Paulina Ann, and Eliza Jane. Sadly at 8 years of age Paulina, the twin sister to Eliza Jane drowned. In 1835 their owner, Ambrose Smith, died. To settle the estate Brown's family was brought to a slave auction, sold separately and sent to different, distant locations. A plantation owner from Kentucky, George Brown, sensed her intelligence and strength and placed high bids to attain her.
Freedom
At the age of 56, Clara Brown was granted her freedom, as stipulated in George Brown's will. She left the state upon receiving her freedom according to a Kentucky law. Kentucky to Colorado Denver and Central City
In our little community everyone knew everyone else, whatever might be the positive differences in social position. In this connection, I might speak of Aunt Clara Brown. She was raised in old Kentucky, and with, she won freedom secured after years of persistent, patient toil, when well along in life she joined the procession of gold seekers to Gregory Gulch. Through the unusual returns of a mining camp for labor such as hers, she was able to bring out from the old plantation her children and later her children’s children ; and with them, whether aided by her efforts or stimulated by her example, have, year by year, come many others of her race, worthily represented by the Pointers, the Lees, the Nelsons and other families who are as tenacious of recognition as subjects of the 'little kingdom' as you or I may be.
Attempts to find her family and aid to former slaves Death and memorials
