Joseph Brown was born in Providence and into the renowned Brown Family in 1733. Nicolas Brown and Company was the family firm where Joseph began, what came to be, his very successful career. Although he was not college educated, he was devoted to many parts of the academic world. Joseph went on to play an integral role at Brown University. He was a member of the building committee for University Hall as a trustee and later as a professor. As an architect Brown made his mark on Providence with the designs for Brown University's University Hall (1771), The Market House (1773), Joseph Brown House (1774), and First Baptist Meetinghouse (1774).