The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-15
OLD JOHN BROWNS SON.
He Lives Quietly and Calmly at Put-in-Bay
The Harper's Ferry Attempt.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.

-Ine HarperS rerry AttempI
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Sturdy John Brown, jr-, SON of "Old John
Brown, of ~Ossawatomie." is living a quiet,
retired, but happy. life among his vine
yards on Put-in-Bay island. Brown is hap
Ply in the midst of his family. and he is as
solid a prOhibitiOnist as ever. While large
ly depending on his grapes for a livelihood.
he would not sell a single stem if he knew
that 1T was bought for w~ine-making pur-
poses. His wife is a silvery-haired old lady,
tall and erect; his daughter Edith is an eX.
pert on the piano. and his only son, a tall
and seemingly g~Ood-natured sort of fellow,
goes through life with an intellect wrecked,
the result of his parents sutferings. John
Brown. claims that the abolition idea, for
which his father suffered, fought and died,
began in the Mayf1Ower with his ancestor,
Peter Brown, the carpenter. John Brown.
of Put-in-Bay, while reserved with strang-
ers, delights to tell the tragic story Of his
fathers life to intimate acquaintance. 1t
was in 1912 when old John Brown first I'M
folded his plans to his family. He brought
the family together and preached to them
q sermon on slavery, in which he asked:
Where was there a Moses TO dethrone the
idols and bring the people back to the true
GOd7r
The exciting events in Kansas soon fol-
owed ree-sOil meetings were held, and,
with old JOhn Brown at the head, five pro-
slavery men were taken from their beds
and murdered at PottawatOmie. John
BroMn' jr, was among those nos cap.
We're tied with heavy rope. and in
the hot sun, the horses trOtting all
the way. he was obliged to run in front of
the horses. When the ropes were removed
two rings of skin came off with them, and
he is still exhibiting the scars as slavery's
bracelets. He speaks very. tenderly and
r~everently of his martyred father. A
home" he said, The was as gentle as a child,
and so he was with everything weak, and
small, and suffering. He sung all us chill
dren to sleep with his f~avOrite song. Blow
Ye, the Trumpet, Blow and helped my
mother in the care of numerous children"
He still loves to recall the sad recollec-
tions of that historical raid on Harper's
Ferry, when, on Sunday night, Oct. 16, 1859,
eighteen determined men came from their
hiding-places. at a signal from the old en-
thusiast, to the Kennedy farm, where he
lived as j. Smith. The night was cold and
dark, the rain poured down in torrents, and
out in the rain the old enthusiast stood and
exclaimed to his little handful of men:
1--WE will take the ferry tonight. Come,
boys. Remember a long life is nOtOf so
much concern as one we'll endedp And so,
with sledge-hamlners. pixies and crowbars
and forty rounds of ammunition each.
powder magazine without a shot being
fired, and by the time Colonel Lee arrived
from Washington eleven of the brave, des-
perate men were dead. Old JONI Brown was
captured and executed. John Brown, jr., in
speaking of his fathers death, said: Il
think, as my father himself thought, that
he was an instrument, an historic character
produced by the eXigencies of the times
that required him."