The house's chief historic significance came in 1859, when John Brown launched his raid on Harpers Ferry. Brown ordered a detachment of his forces under John Cook to go to Beall-Air and take hostage the owner, Colonel Lewis Washington, and free his slaves. On their return to Harpers Ferry with Washington the party stopped at Allstadt's and took Allstadt and his son John Thomas, and freed seven slaves as. All survived the siege. The slaves were re-enslaved. Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise and others who were pro-slavery claimed that these "contented" slaves were forced to leave their owners, and returned to them as soon as they could.