Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-05-06
CaVendish.
AN INCIDENT OF OLD JOHN BROwl

AN INCIDENT OF OLD JOHN BROWN.
Gen. George f. Davis, of Cavendish,
goes this week to Missouri, to be absent
four or five weeks The General has pur-
| chased a large landed interest there, has
stocked his farm with sheep, and now goes
out to see personally with what fidelity
his shepherds have attended to his herds
during the past winter. Last winter he
wandered still further west, as far as
Lawrence, Kansas. Returning, he brought
back daughter of Mrs. G. I. II. Nichols,
formerly of Townshend, and later, the
editress of the Windham County Demo
crat, at Brattltboro, as his wife. Mrs.
Nichols will be remembered by Vermont,
ers as one who held the pom of "ready
writer" and was public speaker of note
in New England. When Kansas was
first organized as a territory, Mrs. Nichols
who is daughter of the late Chaplin
Howard, Esq, and sister of A. G. How
ard and o. 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 advanced post in the
army of freedom, at a time when String
fellow, Titus, II. Clay Pate, Ct ID omne
genus of South Carolinians, Virginians
and Missourians, were engaged in the at
tempt to force slavery into free Kansas.
We remember hearing "Old 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
anrollad among Rrnun's liot 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 Proc
torsville, on a visit to Gov Fletcher, ex-
amined the act of the Vermont Legisla-
ture, appropriating twenty thousand dol
Governor-to aid the SIS ,ffering poor OF
Kansas" He was accompanied by his
son, who had with him the chain with
which the Missourians bound him when
a captive among them. A light complex.
toned, sandy-haired youth, who afterward
was shot at Harper's Ferry, for rashly at
tempting to do what jeff Davis, Wise
and Lee for a long time did, i. e., resist
the laws of the United States, "s found at
that time in Virginia.
"Old man Brown" AS he was then
sometimes called, presented very differ
ent appearance on the occasion of his
visit to Pr9ctorsville, than his photographs
show him at Harper's Ferry and Charles
town, Va,-hair closely cut, beard neatly
shaver. tight, stiff stock around his neck,
no collar, or dickey, closely fitting swal-
low-tailed coat.-hc reminded one of the
Roundheads in Cromwelrs time, and the
Puritan of 1920, as we read of them. A
devoted religious enthusiast he then was
He wanted recruits, 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 called the neatly written paper. Therein
all who signed it agreed TO follow and obey
him-commit no excuses and be ever Wig
liant in the cause of freedom against the
slavery invaders Of Kansas. All their
undertakings 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, te
procure, under that act, whatever mus
kets and military material of defense, ole
fashioned and out of date though they
might be, at low price, there were in
the Quartermaster Generals DepartD ent
to be repaired and .refittted for usc against
the Missourians, when, he said, they
should, at the opening of the spring, adj
/ vance again into Kansas, for, he said tt
us, that it was his belief that as soon al
spring opened and the marauders had re-
plenished their stock of whisky they
would again move on Lawrence and al
along the border to drive out all the Free
State men. His plan was to rendezvous
his men and material quietly during tn,
winter just over the Kansas border, ani
Tabor, in Iowa, was named, and there pre-
pare to meet the enemy. So soon a,
"Dave" Atchinson, General Strongfellov
and their clans should begin again theil
advance, he would, thus fully prepared
throw himself between them and 9Th,
suffering poor Of Kansas" So far as hi
scheme was then developed he had il
view only the defense of his ndoptet
State; and wsFdo not believe he had tn
, least thought, at that time, of the Har
; per's Ferry raid.
81 On reading this Legislative Act, Brow,
: at once said he Twas satiaaed that Gov
!. Elstch9 had no authority 70 sand I.
Kanaaa any thing but s.ioodhnd raiment'
D and thoee articles he mid thsy did 70