Alexander Brown began importing linens from his native Northern Ireland to Baltimore in 1800. By 1825, he had placed his sons in Liverpool, Philadelphia, and New York, and had agents in all the key southern ports. The Browns traded in cotton and many other commodities. They preferred not to invest their own money in land or slaves. Instead, Brown loaned money to southerners, who then consigned cotton to Brown and used the firm's commercial services in shipping, insurance, and negotiating international exchange rates. In 1839, Brown received 7% of all the cotton shipped to Liverpool. By the 1850s, Brown Brothers focused on investment banking.