Husband of Unsinkable Margaret Molly Brown: J.J. Brown

How could a 1500' long, 250' wide, and 30' thick gold vein impact your life? In 1912, when the Titanic tragically sank, the spotlight was on Margaret "Molly" Brown, while J.J. Brown, her husband, was overlooked. Two decades earlier, J.J. and Eben Smith made headlines for striking gold in Leadville, Colorado's Little Jonny mine.

J.J. and Margaret were once a strong team. He managed the mine tirelessly, while she devoted herself to their children Lawrence and Helen. Rising from poverty, they found themselves thrust into the public eye in Denver, Colorado, leading to extravagant trips to Europe, exclusive schools, and multiple homes.

However, their marriage began to strain when J.J.'s secretive nature and fear of mortality clashed with Margaret's desire for excitement and adventure. Their children, wishing to escape the shadow of their wealthy parents, found themselves thrust back into the public eye when their mother survived the Titanic disaster and earned the moniker "unsinkable".

The true story of the Brown family included aspects such as generosity, pride, unmet expectations, respect, and loyalty, elements that were often left out of the narrative spun by writers for Broadway and Hollywood. Author Jody L. Pritzl meticulously combed through thousands of documents, including private letters and court records, to craft the tale of the Gold-Fated Family, shedding light on the complexities of their lives. Pritzl, a trained docent at the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver, Colorado, brought forth a compelling portrait of a family shaped by both fortune and tragedy.

product information: