Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-05-07
From the Rutland Herald.
Cayendish.
AN INCIDENT OF OLD JOHN BROWN.


purchased a large landed interest there
has stocked his farm with sheep, and no,
goes out to see personally with what fidel
ity his shepherds have attended to hi
herds during the past winter. Last win
ter he wandered still further west, as IA
rs Lawrence, Kansas. Returning, h,
brought back daughter of Mrs. G.
II. Nichols, formerly of Townshend, anC
later, the editress of the Windham Coun
| ty Democrat, at Brattleboro, as his wife
Mrs. Nichols will be remembered by
Vermonters as one who held the pen of {
"ready writer" and was a public speak
er of note in New England. When Kan,
sas was first organized as territory
Mrs Nichols (who is daughter of the
late Chaplin Howard, Esq, and a sister
of A. G. Howard and 0. S. Howard,
prominent citizens of Townshend), with
the enterprise and energy characteristic
of her family, at once moved into the
disputed territory, and occupied an adj
vanced post in the army of~4reedom, at
a time when Stringfellow, Titus, H. Clay
Pate, ct I'd Onane genus of South Carnli-
mans, Virginians and Missourians, were
engaged in the attempt to force slavery
into free Kansas.
We remember hearing cold John
Brown" at personal interview with us
in 1857, describe the self-denial, the hero
ism and activity of this family put forth
against the invading hordes of slavery.
Two Of Mrs. Nichols sons were enroll
ed among Browns list of minute men"
and one of them was wounded in the
battle of Ottawatomie, or as the old man
called it, Black Jack"
John Brown was then at Proctorsville,
on visit to Gov. Fletcher, examined
the act of the Vermont Legislature, APP
propliating twenty thousand dollars, to
be used-at the discretion of the Gov
ernor-to aid the suffering poor of
Kansas" He was accompanied by his
son, who had with him the chain with
which the Missourians bound him when
captive among them. A light COM
plexioned, sandy-haired youth, who after
ward was shot at Harper's Ferry, for
rashly attempting to do what jeff. Davis,
Wise and Lee fora long time did, 4. e.,
resist the laws of the United States, as
found at that time in Virginia.
I" Old man Brown" as he was then
sometimes called, presenteda very differ
ent appearance on the occasion of his
visit to Proctcrsville, than his photo
graphs show him at Harper's Ferry and
Charlestown, Fa,--hair closely cut,
beard neatly shaven, tight, stiff stock
around his neck, no collar, or dickev,
closely fitting swallow-tailed coat, he re-
minded one Of the Roundheads in Crom-
wells time, and the Puritan of 1920. as
we read OF them. A devoted religious
he then was. He wanted re-
cruits, young men of piety and steady
habits. None others need apply" He
showed us his muster-roll and articles
OF agreement and enlistment" as he call
ed the neatly written paper. Therein
all who signed it agreed to follow and
obey him-commit no excuses and be
ever vigilant in the cause of freedom
against the slavery invaders of Kansas.
All their undertaking in that direction
were to be commenced by prayer to God
and daily worship was enjoined
We have said that the old man came
to examine the act of the Legislature
He wanted, if it could be lawfully done.
to procure, under that act, whatever
muskets and military material of de-
tense, old fashioned and out of date
though they might be, at low price.
there were IN the Quartermaster Gener
ais department, to be repaired and re-
fitted for use against the Missourians,
when, as he said, they should, at the
opening of the spring, advance again in
to Kansas, for, he said to us, that it was
his belief that as soon as spring opened
and the marauders had replenished their
stock of whiskey they would again move |
on Lawrence and all along the border to
drive out all the Free State men. His
plan was to rendezvous his men and ma
teriai quietly during the winter lust over
the Kansas border, and Tabor, in Iowa.
was named, and there prepare to meet
the enemy. So soon as Dave" Akin,
son, General Strongfellow and their clans
should begin again their advance he
would, thus fully prepared, throw him
self between them and "the suHarino
poor of Kansas" So far as his scheme
was then developed he had in view only
the defense of his adopted State; and
We do not believehe had the least thought
1t that time, of the Harper's Ferry raid
On reading this Legislative Act.
Brown at once said he was satisfied that
iov. Fletcher had no authority to send
@ Kansas any thing but food and raj
nent, and those articles he said thew