Molly Brown Biography

Molly Brown Married, Divorced, children

Molly Brown was happily married to James Joseph Brown on 1st September 1986. The couple remained husband and wife for twenty-three years. The lavish wedding took place at Leadville's Annunciation Church.  Molly met James Joseph while living in Leadville.

James was an American inventor and broke mining engineer who died on 5th September 1992. James was 31, and Molly was 19 at their marriage. Before the wedding, James worked in a department store while Margaret (Molly) Brown had just relocated to Leadville, Colorado.

In a little, two-room log cabin, the couple settled in Leadville, Colorado. They had two children together and settled in a two-room house at 320 East Ninth Road.

On 30th August 1887, Brown first gave birth to Lawrence Palmer Brown in her parent's four-room cabin, close to the Mississippi River in Hannibal, Missouri. Their second child, Catherine Ellen Brown, was born on 22nd July 1889 in her guardian's house at 322 West Seventh Street, Leadville, Colorado. 

How did Molly Brown and James Brown die?

Brown's husband, James Joseph Brown, passed away on 5th September 1922 following a series of heart attacks. Mr. J.J. lived in $238,000 worth of real estate at the time of his demise.

At age sixty-five, Molly Brown died on 26 October 1932 in New York due to a brain tumor. She died in her sleep at 10: 55 pm in New York City's Barbizon Hotel. Molly was buried with J.J. in the Holy Rood Cemetry in Westbury, New York. Brown's close friends and family attended the funeral on 31st October 1932.

What Was The Unsinkable Molly Brown's Net Worth at The Time Of Her Death?

Although Molly Brown's exact net worth at the time of her death is not learned, her net worth was estimated to in several hundred thousand dollars. The unsinkable Molly Brown received $20,000 (equivalent to over $300,000 in today's money) as a cash and securities award. Moreover, the value of a $100,000 trust fund (equivalent to over $1.6 million today) was set up in Margaret's name from which she made interest.

In addition, She got a cash settlement while separating from James Joseph Brown. Joseph Brown cleared out an estate valued at $238,000. The couple's two children, Larry and Helen, inherited the balance of $118,000 in J.J.'s estate.

Molly was to get $20,000 in cash and securities, and the intrigues on a $100,000 trust fund set up in her title. $118,000 was divided between her two children, where her son Lawrence received $59,000, and her daughter Catherine received a $59,000 trust fund.

Molly Brown Titanic Career

At the age of 13, Molly started working in a factory, and she, along with her brother Daniel, moved to Leadville, Colorado, in 1883, where she worked for a dry merchandise store. She volunteered in soup kitchens to assist the impoverished miners' families and encouraged the foundation of the Colorado chapter of the women's rights organization National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Check out the clip of the popular 1997 movie, The Titanic!

In 1894, Brown moved to Colorado with her family, and the move opened up more social opportunities for Brown and her family. She got a chance to be a part of the Denver Women's Club which pointed to progress women's lives through instruction and charity work.

She was on board the luxury liner Titanic which on her lady voyage struck an ice sheet and sank on 15 April 1912. She made a difference in protecting numerous individuals. Molly was hailed as a courageous woman for being involved in the Titanic rescue operations. In the movie "Titanic," Molly shared the screen with Paris Hilton, Kate Winslet, Leonardo Di Caprio, Dinah Englund, and Bill Paxton.

Philanthropic Works

Before long, Molly Brown became popular and utilized her fame to draw attention to causes. Margaret Molly Brown emphatically accepted women's empowerment and children's education rights. Brown took over paddling obligations and helped people get on the lifeboats. She acted as an interpreter and encouraged communication between the tourists and rescue officials.

Brown also helped in preparing the survivor lists. She continued her work for Titanic survivors by collecting funds for those who became widows and orphans after the oceanic catastrophe and raised about $10,000. Brown handed out food, water, and blankets to 706 survivors. Brown was the last woman to leave the ship, making sure all the rescued passengers met their families by the time.

Molly created a survivors committee and fetched $10,000 to help second and third-class passengers, which is equivalent to over $200,000. Following the incident, survivors titled Brown "the heroine of the Titanic." But Molly never accepted such a title. Molly Brown used her fame to be displayed in interviews, movies, and books.

Molly Brown Quick Facts

• Midst her lifetime, Molly's friends called her "Maggie."However, after her demise, obituaries referred to her as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. 
• Later, a 1960 Broadway musical was made relating to her life and a 1964 film adaptation titled The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
• She was born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri, United States.
• Molly Brown is famous for being the survivor of the Titanic sinking.
• She was the daughter of John Tobin and Johanna Collins.
• An Irish Catholic immigrant, Jon Tobing and Johanna Tobin raised her.

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