Sarah Ann Browning (1814 - 1903)

Born 7 Feb 1814 in Camberwell, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 22 Apr 1903 at age 89 in Florence, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

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Biography

Sarah was born in 1814. She was the daughter of Robert Browning and Sarah Wiedemann. She passed away in 1903.^[1][2]

She was the only sibling of her famous brother, Robert Browning, never married, and she did not have any children. She spent her life living with her parents, her brother, and finally, her nephew, Pen. She assisted her brother in his work, as well.

A friend of her brother's remembered her as follows: “… she is marvellously clever—such fine clear animal spirits—talks much and well, and yet withal is so simply and deeply good-hearted that it is a real pleasure to be with her ” ^[3]

Sarianna was listed in the 1871 Census of England and Wales, living with her father, Robert (born Camberwell); her brother, Robert (born Florence); and three servants.^[4]

After the death of her father in 1866, Sarianna lived with her brother, Robert, and his wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. After her brother's death, she lived with her nephew, Pen, near Florence, Italy, where she died 22 April 1903 at the age of 89. Her remains were buried at Cimitero Evangelico degli Allori in Florence.^[5][6]

There is a very nice and comprehensive biography of Sarianna that appears online at The Browning's Correspondence, found here.

Obituary:^[7]

Lived for Others

Browning's Sister Gave Her Life in Turn for Parents, Brother and Nephew

"Sarianna Browning, sister of Robert Browning, died recently in Florence, Italy, in her ninetieth year. Her vigor of mind lasted to the end. The poet wrote of her in 1866: "All her life has been spent in caring for my mother, and seventeen years after for my father." After that father's death she remained with her brother and his son, and in "Pen's" house she died. The Athenaeum says of her: "Mother, father, brother, nephew, her life was given to each in turn with a devotion so perfect that it seemed natural, and was, indeed, the expression of a nature in which there was no thought of self. Not that there was any want of individuality in her character, far from it. Her friends have said that during her brother's life she was content somewhat to efface herself behind his vigorous and vivacious personality; but certainly in her latter years she had a vigor and vivacity of her own which heightened the charm of her sweet and most unselfish disposition."

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQLG-4P8 : 11 December 2014), Sarahanna Browning, 10 Apr 1814, Baptism; citing p. 20, Walworth, London, record group RG4, Public Record Office, London.
2. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYTJ-47J : 11 February 2018, Sarahanna Browning, 07 Jan 1814); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 0595438 (RG4 4202), 0595438 (RG4 4361).
3. ↑ Sarianna Browning The Brownings' Correspondence.
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB6G-YW4 : 25 April 2019), S Browning in entry for Robert Browning, 1871.
5. ↑ Sarianna Browning The Brownings' Correspondence.
6. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial for Sarianna Brorwning.
7. ↑ Minneapolis Journal, Tuesday, June 16, 1903, Minneapollis, MN, page 9.