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[[Image:Virginia Pounds Brown.jpg|right|thumb|Virginia Pounds Brown]]
[[Image:Virginia Pounds Brown.jpg|right|thumb|Virginia Pounds Brown]]
'''Mary Virginia Pounds Brown''' (born [[May 29]], [[1916]] in [[Birmingham]]) is a librarian, historian and author.
'''Mary Virginia Pounds Brown''' (born [[May 29]], [[1916]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[May 26]], [[2014]] in Birmingham) was a librarian, historian and author.


Brown grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia in [[1937]]. She went on to attend graduate classes at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, then returned to Birmingham and took a job as a library assistant at the [[Birmingham Public Library]].
Brown, the daughter of [[Virginia Lawson Pounds|Mary Lawson]] and [[John Pounds|John Lewis Pounds]] grew up in Birmingham and graduated from [[Ramsay High School]]. She narrowly lost the title of "wittiest" in her senior class to [[Miles Copeland]].


In [[1941]] she left to return to school, and earned her master's in library science a year later. She became a reference librarian at [[Birmingham-Southern College]] and served as library director from [[1944]] to [[1948]].
Brown graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia in [[1937]]. She went on to attend graduate classes at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, then returned to Birmingham and took a job as a library assistant at the [[Birmingham Public Library]].


She married [[Torchmark]] accountant [[Bestor Brown]]. In [[1950]]<!--or 1954?--> they opened [[The Book-Keepers]] bookstore in [[Mountain Brook Village]], selling the business in [[1975]]<!--or 1976?-->.
In [[1941]] she left to return to school, and earned her master's in library science a year later. Her first husband, [[John Lassiter]], died at sea while serving the U.S. Navy in [[World War II]]. She became a reference librarian at [[Birmingham-Southern College]] and served as library director from [[1944]] to [[1948]]. She married [[Torchmark]] accountant [[Bestor Brown|William Bestor Brown]] in [[1947]].


Brown collaborated with [[Helen Akens]] on her first publication, a history of Alabama for young readers published in [[1962]]. During the writing of that book, she became interested in Alabama's native people, and published several works on that subject.
In [[1950]]<!--or 1954?--> they opened [[The Book-Keepers]] bookstore in [[Mountain Brook Village]], selling the business in [[1975]]<!--or 1976?-->. Her first published work was an article on place names in the ''[[Alabama Review]]'' in [[1952]]. She edited and published [[Mary Gordon Duffee]]'s ''[[Sketches of Alabama]]'' and re-published [[Ethel Armes]]' ''[[The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama]]''.


Brown was an avid golfer until giving up the game in [[2008]] at the age of 91.
In [[1962]] Brown collaborated with [[Helen Akens]] on her first book, ''[[Alabama: Mounds to Missiles]]'', a history of Alabama for young readers that was partly inspired by a request from a German visitor to her store for an easy-to-read history of the state that he could send to his family. During the writing of that book, she became interested in Alabama's native people, and published several works on that subject. Through her writings she aimed to fill gaps in the state's accessible history, including the contributions of Native Americans, African-Americans and women.
 
Brown was an accomplished athlete, playing tennis and golf at the [[Birmingham Country Club]]. She continued golfing until [[2008]], when she was 91. She died in [[2014]].


==Publications==
==Publications==
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* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1975) ''The Gold Disc of Coosa''. Huntsville: Strode Publishers
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1975) ''The Gold Disc of Coosa''. Huntsville: Strode Publishers
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens (1981) ''Toting the Lead Row: Ruby Pickens Tartt, Alabama Folklorist.'' Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens (1981) ''Toting the Lead Row: Ruby Pickens Tartt, Alabama Folklorist.'' Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens (1983) ''The World of the Southern Indians''. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1984) ''Grand Old Days of Birmingham Golf, 1898-1930.''. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1984) ''Grand Old Days of Birmingham Golf, 1898-1930.''. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens, eds. (1985) ''Southern Indian Myths and Legends''. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens, eds. (1985) ''Southern Indian Myths and Legends''. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1996) ''Cochula's Journey.'' Montgomery: Black Belt Press
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (1996) ''Cochula's Journey.'' Montgomery: Black Belt Press
* Brown, Virginia Pounds & Matthew Lawson, editors (2000) ''Mr. Gillespy of Glen Iris Park: Journals of James McAdory Gillespy, 1890-1911''. Birmingham: Birmingham Public Library
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (2003) ''Mother & Me: An Intimate Memoir of Her Last Years''. Montgomery: NewSouth Books
* Brown, Virginia Pounds (2003) ''Mother & Me: An Intimate Memoir of Her Last Years''. Montgomery: NewSouth Books


==References==
==References==
* Thompson, Ian (February 17, 2011) "Mary Virginia Brown is a storehouse of Birmingham golf history." ''Birmingham News''
* Thompson, Ian (February 17, 2011) "Mary Virginia Brown is a storehouse of Birmingham golf history." ''Birmingham News''
* [http://www.alabamaliterarymap.org/author.cfm?AuthorID=149 Virginia Pounds Brown] (May 30, 2008) at "This Goodly Land: Alabama's Literary Landscape"
* [http://alabamaliterarymap.lib.ua.edu/author?AuthorID=149 Virginia Pounds Brown] at ''This Goodly Land: Alabama's Literary Landscape''
* "Mary Virginia Pounds Brown" obituary (May 27, 2014) {{BN}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Mary Virginia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Mary Virginia}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Librarians]]
[[Category:Librarians]]
[[Category:Birmingham-Southern staff]]
[[Category:Birmingham-Southern staff]]
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[[Category:Historians]]
[[Category:Historians]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Children's authors]]
[[Category:Golfers]]
[[Category:Golfers]]
[[Category:Memoirists]]

Latest revision as of 08:49, 15 July 2021

Virginia Pounds Brown

Mary Virginia Pounds Brown (born May 29, 1916 in Birmingham; died May 26, 2014 in Birmingham) was a librarian, historian and author.

Brown, the daughter of Mary Lawson and John Lewis Pounds grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Ramsay High School. She narrowly lost the title of "wittiest" in her senior class to Miles Copeland.

Brown graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1937. She went on to attend graduate classes at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, then returned to Birmingham and took a job as a library assistant at the Birmingham Public Library.

In 1941 she left to return to school, and earned her master's in library science a year later. Her first husband, John Lassiter, died at sea while serving the U.S. Navy in World War II. She became a reference librarian at Birmingham-Southern College and served as library director from 1944 to 1948. She married Torchmark accountant William Bestor Brown in 1947.

In 1950 they opened The Book-Keepers bookstore in Mountain Brook Village, selling the business in 1975. Her first published work was an article on place names in the Alabama Review in 1952. She edited and published Mary Gordon Duffee's Sketches of Alabama and re-published Ethel Armes' The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama.

In 1962 Brown collaborated with Helen Akens on her first book, Alabama: Mounds to Missiles, a history of Alabama for young readers that was partly inspired by a request from a German visitor to her store for an easy-to-read history of the state that he could send to his family. During the writing of that book, she became interested in Alabama's native people, and published several works on that subject. Through her writings she aimed to fill gaps in the state's accessible history, including the contributions of Native Americans, African-Americans and women.

Brown was an accomplished athlete, playing tennis and golf at the Birmingham Country Club. She continued golfing until 2008, when she was 91. She died in 2014.

Publications

  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Helen Morgan Akens (1962) Alabama: Mounds to Missiles. Huntsville: Strode Publishers
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Helen Morgan Akens (1967) Alabama Heritage. Huntsville: Strode Publishers
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds and Jane Porter Nabers, eds. (1970) Mary Gordon Duffee's Sketches of Alabama. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press ISBN 081735011X
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds (1975) The Gold Disc of Coosa. Huntsville: Strode Publishers
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens (1981) Toting the Lead Row: Ruby Pickens Tartt, Alabama Folklorist. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens (1983) The World of the Southern Indians. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds (1984) Grand Old Days of Birmingham Golf, 1898-1930.. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Laurella Owens, eds. (1985) Southern Indian Myths and Legends. Birmingham: Beechwood Books
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds (1996) Cochula's Journey. Montgomery: Black Belt Press
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds & Matthew Lawson, editors (2000) Mr. Gillespy of Glen Iris Park: Journals of James McAdory Gillespy, 1890-1911. Birmingham: Birmingham Public Library
  • Brown, Virginia Pounds (2003) Mother & Me: An Intimate Memoir of Her Last Years. Montgomery: NewSouth Books

References

  • Thompson, Ian (February 17, 2011) "Mary Virginia Brown is a storehouse of Birmingham golf history." Birmingham News
  • Virginia Pounds Brown at This Goodly Land: Alabama's Literary Landscape
  • "Mary Virginia Pounds Brown" obituary (May 27, 2014) The Birmingham News
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