Washington District of Columbia
Biographies
Almira Virginia Brown
First woman to work at the Washington Navy Yard
Furnished by : John Sharp
Almira Virginia Brown (nee Rudd) was born 8 August 1839 in Washington DC's 6th Ward.
She was the first woman to work at the Washington Navy Yard and was employed at the yard for over
fifty years. Her mother Elizabeth Rudd was widowed early and left with three young daughters of whom
Elmira's was the eldest. On 20 April 1858, at Christ Church Washington DC, she married Francis C.
Brown, age 22, a painter and plasterer and a native of Pennsylvania. Francis and Almira continued to
live in the 6th Ward. Francis Brown went to work for the Washington Navy Yard on 15 March 1861 and
was killed in a tragic explosion in the Yard's Ordnance Laboratory on 27 July 1861. Francis had been
assigned to work in one of the most dangerous assignments in the 19th century Washington Navy Yard
the “Rocket House.“ Here naval rockets and ordnance were armed. The arming process of placing gun
powder and fuse together was fraught with peril; an errant spark or light could ignite stockpiles of rockets
and ordnance. On at least three separate occasions, namely, 7 September 1841, 27 July 1861, and 21
October 1881, there were premature explosions of gun shells and rockets which resulted in fatalities.
In each instance and investigation was conducted afterward.
Commandant John Dahlgren later described the 27 July 1861 explosion that killed Francis Brown and another workman as follows:
As Francis Brown was a civilian, no pension was available under the civil service regulations of the 19th century for his widow. Despite a plea, by then Commandant John Dahlgren that she be granted a pension, due the tragic service related death of her husband, her claim for a pension was denied as Francis Brown was “not in the (naval) service“ and there were no legal provision to pension a spouse of former civilian workers. To sustain herself and her two children, a daughter, Mary E. Brown born 21 October 1859 and son William H. Brown born 15 February 1862 she was given employment as a seamstress the Yard in March 1864. According to the early yard payroll records, she was the first woman to work at the Washington Navy Yard. Mrs. Brown primary task was to sew powder bags for naval ships and she also made flags and ship pendants. After the death of her husband Francis, Almira Brown remained a widow and never remarried. Working the Yard she was able to buy a small house and to provide for her children. In 1920, Almira Brown was 81 years of age. She had worked continuously at the Navy Yard since 1864. For over 50 years of those years she had continually sewed heavy canvass material using an industrial sewing machine where she had made thousands of canvass powder bags, flags and awnings for surface ships. In 1907 in a move to promote greater efficiency, the Navy Department, tried unsuccessfully to release Brown and about fifty other women who worked as seamstresses, by moving their work to another government arsenal. The yard seamstresses directly petitioned then President Theodore Roosevelt who reversed the decision and Brown managed to stay on (Washington Post, 11 January 1907, 4). By 1920 she had become a fixture of the yard, she was one of the few employees on the yard payroll who had worked there in the civil war, she loved her job and even in her eighth decade and despite her poor health, she petitioned the Department of Navy that she desired to stay on working at the Yard. Her request to remain on the rolls however was denied due to the passage of the new Civil Service System of 1920. This new law which went into effect that year meant for the first time government employees were able to retire but the law also had a mandatory retirement age (70yrs). In her retirement she lived with her daughter and son in law and her seven grandchildren. Brown died 26 February 1926 at age 86. She is buried at Congressional Cemetery next to her husband Francis (Congressional Cemetery Records R-86/184.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NARA Pension Application Brown , Almira V. # 2171 The Recreator 1920 Publication of the Washington Navy Yard Employees Asssociation Sharp John G., History of the Washington Navy Yard Civilian Workforce 1799 - 1962 Vindolanda Press, Stockton 2005. Records of the Congressional Cemetery, http://www.congressionalcemetery.org.
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| After Francis C. Brown was killed in an explosion at the "Rocket House" on the Washington Navy Yard July 27, 1861, his
widow Almira V. Brown and their two small children were left with no resources and no pension. The attached documents from her file
dated January 3, 1879
{Pension Application Brown , Almira V. # 2171 } reflect her unsuccessful efforts to gain some compensation for his tragic death.
The laws of the United States did not provide for workers compensation or pensions for the families of federal civilian employees killed in the line of duty until well into the next century. Essentially for public sector and private sector the day of a workers death was there last day on the roles in a pay status. Almira V. Brown was however more fortunate then most such widows, since, she was able to secure a position as a seamstress at Washington Navy Yard where she worked from 1864 to 1920.
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Pension Application Brown , Almira V. # 2171 
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[Claim of Almira V. Brown filed January 3, 1879]
Widows Claim for Pension
District of Columbia }
County of Washington } S.S.
On this 16th day of December 1878 personally appeared
before me a Clerk of the Sup Court of a the Dist of Columbia of a court of record in and
for the District of Columbia Almira V. Brown a residence of the city of Washington
District of Columbia age 39 - years who being by me duly sworn make the following a
declaration in order to obtain a pension provided for by the acts of Congress. -
That she is the widow of Francis C. Brown who was employed in the Rocket House in
the United States Navy Yard at Washington D.C and was instantly killed while in the
discharge of his duty at his work in said Rocket House on the 27th day of July 1861 as
set forth in the papers herein annexed. - That her maiden name was Almira V. Rudd.
That she was married to the said Francis C. Brown on or about the 20th day of April 1858
at Christ Church in Washington D. C. by Joshua Morsell D.D. Rector of the said church
and that there is recorded evidence of such marriage.
She further declared that the said Francis C. Brown her husband died in the service of the
United States as a presence at Washington DC on the 27th day of July 1861.- by an
explosion in the "Rocket House" at the Navy Yard at Washington D.C. -
She also declares that she remains a widow ever since his death and she has not been
engaged in or aided any rebellion against the United States, and hereby appoints W. S.
Sincoln of Washington DC as her attorney to prosecute this claim and to receive her
pension certificate.-
The following are the dates of birth and place of residence of all children of her deceased
husband who were under sixteen years of age at the time of his death. First Mary E.
Brown born Oct 21 1859 - resides in Washington D.C. - William H. Brown born
February 15th 1862 - resides in Washington D.C. his post office address is No. 1111 n.
street S.E. Washington D.C.
She also declares that her said husband Francis C. Brown is the said worker reported
killed as Frank Brown - That at the Navy Yard he was called Frank Brown but his first
name is Francis C. Brown -
[Signed] Almira V. Brown
Also personally appeared before me Joseph Lawrence and John W. Thompson residents
of the Washington D.C. to me were known as credible persons who being duly swore
declared that they were present and saw said Almira V. Brown sign her name to the
foregoing declaration and that they have every reason to believe from the appearance of
said applicant and their acquaintance with her that she is the identical widow she
represents herself to be and represents that the said deceased recognized said applicant as
lawful wife and that she was so recognized in the community in which they resided and
that they have no interest direct or indirect in this claim.
[Signed] Jos. W. Lawrence
[Signed] John W. Thompson
Signed and subscribed before me this 16th day of December 1878 and I herby certify that
I have no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of this claim and that the contents
of the foregoing memo mad know and explained tot he applicant and witnesses before
signing -
[Signed] R. J. Wiley Clerk of the Sup Court D.C.
[Signed] M. A. Clancy asst Clerk
[Annexed attachments]
U.S. Navy Yard Washington
Commandants Office
(COPY)
July 30, 1861
An accidental explosion occurred in the Rocket House of the Laboratory in
the Yard on Saturday last by which tow of the workmen were killed and the buildings much
damaged .
I recommend therefore the immediate provision be made replace the buildings by
several operations of a smaller size, so that the several operations shall be repaired as
much as possible.
I also recommend that provision be made for wives and children of those killed.
Respectfully
[Signed] J. A. Dahlgren
Commandant
Captain A.A. Harewod U. S. Army
Chief Bureaus of Ordnance &c
Ordnance Office
NAVY YARD, WASHINGTON D.C.
November 5, 1878
Extract from the records of the Ordnance Department Navy Yard Washington, D.C.
"Saturday July 22- 1861- Hands employed in the Laboratory The same as yesterday until
3 - o'clock P.M., when a dreadful explosion took place in the Rocket House which resulted
in the death of the estimable men Jno Ferguson and Frank Brown and badly burning of Jno
Martin and Nicholas Ray. The house was shattered very much."
I certify the above to be a correct transcript from the records of this Department
H.S. Howison [signed]
Commander, U.S.N.
Ordnance Office
Navy Yard Washington D.C.
January 11, 1879
Commodore Jno C. Febiger
Commandant Navy Yard
Washington DC
Sir
In compliance with your order of the 9th instant, I have to report that the records
of this Department show that Frank Brown was killed July 27th 1861 by an accidental
explosion in the Rocket House of the Laboratory in this Yard. The records do not show
how long or in what capacity -he was employed.
Mr. John W. Thompson, who was Quarterman of the Laboratory at the time the
explosion occurred, informs me that the name of Frank Brown was born on the rolls of
the Department of the Yards and Docks, and that Brown was detailed for duty in the
laboratory as a laborer.
I am Sir, your Obt Servt
[Signed] H.L. Howison Commd, Supr of Ordnance
Incidental Matter
Rejected as this man was a civilian employee of the U. S. Navy Yard and Killed by
explosion in the Yard. Atty informed
Official Personnel Folder ( OPF) , Brown, Almira V. National Archives and Records Service, St Louis Missouri National Archives and Records Administration, pension application: Brown, Almira V. # 2171 . This pension application for Almira V. Brown was filed under the War Department's provisions for widows and orphans claims for losses suffered during the War of the Rebellion ( Civil War). The Recreator 1920 Publication of the Washington Navy Yard Employees Asssociation
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