Litchfield enquirer., 1862-09-18
JOHN BROWNS BIRTHPLACE.

EDITOR COURIER Learning, yesterday, for the first time that the house in which John Brown, the martyr, was born was near, we i'm mediately set out to visit it. It is located in Torrington not far form the eastern boundary of this town, and stands on farm of one hun dred and twenty-two acres owned by Genera Moses Cooke, a resident of Goshen Center. A son of this gentleman accompanied us to his eel ebrated farm house, and rendered us many po- lite attentions.
 The house is now occupied py an Irish family and is two stories hgh of, faded red coler short roof in front and long roof in the rear. As you open the front door, the chimney stack, cham Der stairs appe IT rendering it impractabls to advance but about three feet On the right and left of the entrance are doors opening into an east and west front room Over these are two chambers looking to the south. Back of the lower from are in line Q pantry, kitchen and bedroom. In the latter. it is supposed that the destined to be hung in Virginia, was born' May 9th, 1900. The old kitchen is, without the same that it was sixty two years since. The old fire plece, with it's large proportions, it's iron crane, it's brick oven in the hack, shut in by sheet iron door, is just as it was when John landed there from the spirit world just as it was when he, boy, was removed by his father at five years of age, to Hudson. Ohio.
 The base of the chimney is only twelve feet by nine, and is set in cellar not over four feet high. The house is said to have been built by Mir. Moorehousa, in l797. Conspicuous in the chimney apove the roof, are the letters I M. H., and the figures 178-the figure after the being clipped out of the brick. The letters stand for Isaac H. Hodges, the mason. East of the house is sort of corn crib and pig house, on the west wagon and woodhouse. Both are old and evidently were erected, with barn just west of north of the house, at the time the latter was built.
 About a half mile from the Brown house there resides Mr. Frederick J. Whiting respecta. ble farmer,who was born the same year of Brown the February previous. He remembers him when child and was intimate with him in man. hood. Their fathers were as loving as two brothers. Old Mir Whiting bought of John Browns father the homestead in 1905, paying him $l2OO. At their parting, Brown said to Whiting, We have always lived in harmony. and desire that our families correspond, and | regard each other as the children of brothers" In 1921, Mir. Owen Brown, the father, visit ed his Torrington residence and his former friend. Speaking of two of his fifteen or sixteen children fof three wives,) he remarked: "Oliver has caused mo great trouble and, expense, but John is son of consolation"
 Formerly this John came through here with cattle on his way to Hartford. One season he purchased large number of fine wool sheep hereabout and took them West for the improve. ment of the stock there.
 About the year 1889. MT. F. J. Whiting re- members hearing John Brown say while on vis- it at, his house, that he thought there would be some Moses raised up to deliver the Africans from bondage in this country, just as the Israel ties were delivered of old from their oppression in Egypt. Mir. W. said to us that he seemed to speak calmly of the matter at the referred to, but he makes no doubt bnt that he became finally insane on the subject.
 Let such of your readers as come in this re. zion, not fail to visit the birth h-place of the old hero whose puritanic principles, and heroic death are sung by thousands and admired by the million whose soul is said to be "Inarch ing on," and whose name hundred years hence may be very conspicuous in the history of this Republic.-Gt Barrington Courier.