The Molly Brown House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
303.832.4092
Fax: 303.832.2340

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In the summer of 1887 Margaret returned to Hannibal to be with her mother for the birth of her first child. On August 30, 1887, Lawrence Palmer Brown was born. Rev. M.J. McLaughlin baptized the baby on September 13, 1887 with Daniel Tobin and Margaret O'Leary serving as godparents. In 1888, Margaret, J.J. and Lawrence, or Larry as the family called him, moved back to Leadville, briefly living at 320 East Ninth Street before moving permanently to 322 West Seventh Street.

The Brown's second child, Catherine Ellen Brown, nicknamed Helen, was born July 1, 1889 in Leadville, Colorado. Baby Catherine Ellen was baptized at the Annunciation Church in Leadville on July 21, 1889. Her godparents were Patrick Shovelin and Helen Tobin. By the time Helen arrived there was no need to go to Missouri since most of the Tobin family had joined the Browns in Leadville. Margaret's brother Daniel and his new wife Mary, Margaret's mother and father and her two youngest siblings moved to Leadville to be near one another. Margaret's half sister and her husband John Becker were the only members still living in Hannibal.

Surrounded by her successful husband, young babies and family, Margaret would later say these were the happiest years of her life.

Content from Kristen Iversen's book, Molly Brown, Unraveling the Myth.  Published by Johnson Books in 1999.