Annie Sheppard Brown
Annie Sheppard was born in Dawes, Alabama on December 31, 1920, to William Sheppard Sr (Born 1879) and Ella Franklin (Born 1880). Annie’s parents moved from Alabama to Biloxi Mississippi. She attended M.F. Nichols Colored High School when she met Vernel Brown Sr and they married in 1938.
They purchased their first home at 424 Elmer Street in 1939. After the loss of their first child Mary in 1938 who lived only one month. Their second child was stillborn. In 1941, Annie gave birth to their first child Lillie Mae Brown who died due to medical complications at 18 years old. Two years later their first son Vernel “Jody” Brown Jr was born in 1943. Annette Brown their second daughter was born a twin in 1949 but her twin brother did not survive. They had another son Lionel Brown (born 1951). In the same year that they built their second home at 1929 Mckinley Street in Gary, Indiana. In 1958, their last son was born Darnel Kevin Brown Sr. Annie and Vernel separated in 1959 and divorced in 1982.
Annie went work as a day laborer cleaning houses in 1960 in Chicago, IL and Merriville, In. with Katherine Jackson (Mother of the Jackson 5). Annie would babysit Rebe, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, or Michael on her time off. Katherine would reciprocate by watching Annie’s kids in the basement at her home on 2300 Jackson Street. Annie also worked a second job as a cook for the Vice President of First National Bank and who later the became a partner at JP Morgan Chase Bank and the co-founder of Morgan Stanley Investments. She prepared Jewish dinners for the Henry Sturgis Morgan and his family. He would often praise her as being the best cook of Jewish meals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Sturgis_Morgan
In 1963, She accepted the position of head cook at the Evanston Nursing Home, in Evanston, Illinois. She worked there until she became ill and retired in 1977. Annie passed away on her ex-husband’s birthday March 3, in 1992 at the age of 72.
They purchased their first home at 424 Elmer Street in 1939. After the loss of their first child Mary in 1938 who lived only one month. Their second child was stillborn. In 1941, Annie gave birth to their first child Lillie Mae Brown who died due to medical complications at 18 years old. Two years later their first son Vernel “Jody” Brown Jr was born in 1943. Annette Brown their second daughter was born a twin in 1949 but her twin brother did not survive. They had another son Lionel Brown (born 1951). In the same year that they built their second home at 1929 Mckinley Street in Gary, Indiana. In 1958, their last son was born Darnel Kevin Brown Sr. Annie and Vernel separated in 1959 and divorced in 1982.
Annie went work as a day laborer cleaning houses in 1960 in Chicago, IL and Merriville, In. with Katherine Jackson (Mother of the Jackson 5). Annie would babysit Rebe, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, or Michael on her time off. Katherine would reciprocate by watching Annie’s kids in the basement at her home on 2300 Jackson Street. Annie also worked a second job as a cook for the Vice President of First National Bank and who later the became a partner at JP Morgan Chase Bank and the co-founder of Morgan Stanley Investments. She prepared Jewish dinners for the Henry Sturgis Morgan and his family. He would often praise her as being the best cook of Jewish meals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Sturgis_Morgan
In 1963, She accepted the position of head cook at the Evanston Nursing Home, in Evanston, Illinois. She worked there until she became ill and retired in 1977. Annie passed away on her ex-husband’s birthday March 3, in 1992 at the age of 72.
