The morning call., 1891-11-22
JOHN BROWN JR.
At PUT-IN-BAY.
4 Son Of The Leader Of The Harl8rS
Ferry Affair in His Quiet Home.
he Is Now 20 Years Old and Lives in the
Historic Past-Ee Talks Freely to
Newspaper Correspondent,

Frank A. Burr, in letter from Putin
Bay, Lake Erie, to the Pittsburg Dispatch,
furnishes a very interesting account Of John
Brown Jr., son of John Brown of Ossa-
wattomie and of Harpers Ferry fame. Mr..
Burr accidentally met him on the island Of
Put-in-Bay, and engaging him in CONVERSE
ton Mr.. Brown, who is an old man with
silyery hair aud whiskers, said: 81 am the
son of John Brown of Ossawattomie, and
the only one of the race living this side Of
the Rocky Mountains.
81 live on and enjoy these acres and the
products they bear" he continued. "In
my retirement | look back upon the events
of the past with which my family name Is
connected with a mingled feeling of pride
and sorrow. My fathers memory IS to me
very sacred. His life and history is also
reverence TO US all. There are seven of US
left, four women and three men. All of
them live in California except myself. l
have dwelt on this island almost ever since
the tragedy at Harpers Ferry, and expect to
as long as live"
Il am more than content with the judg-
ment the country has made U of the events
OF 1859. They demanded much of life and
death; but both were made without heSta-
tion by those who were chilled upon to act.
Look at the evidence Of these facts. My
fathers grave al North Elba, in the interior
Of New York, is visited every YEARLY tnOu-
sands of people who believe that in his at
tempt TO destroy slavery he did to the full
his duty as he saw it. No man does great
things without great sacrifices. and my par
entwas no exception to the rule. His family
shared his ambitions and are proud of his
record. Despite the loss Of noble father,
who impaired his spirit and his purpose to
all his children, we have lived to see his idol
completed by other hands.
Brother Watson, who was killed with
him at Harpers Ferry, or rather mortally
wounded, IS, you know, buried by his side,
and there is a touching story connected with
my recovery of his remains. They were
spirited away from the place where he died,
aud were not discovered for some years
afterward. One day received a letter from
doctor.in MartinsVille, Ind, Informed me
that they were in a medical school at Jeffer-
sonvlle in the Ho0sier Slate. Invent down,
found the Identification complete, and the
officers of the school surrendered the body
TO me without question. They were we'll
preserved and were being used as an an
RtOmical specimen Tor the education Of
young doctors. l brought them North and
buried them beside my father, because
thought it fitting that the TWO men of our
family who fell at the inception of the war
which destroyed slavery should rest side
ct is a good many years since these
events at BarpeTs Ferry, and have had
many queer experiences In relation to
them"
The correspondent then writes: isn't II
strange that in an afti rn0on OF accidents
should have found Mr.. Brown, who bears
the name Of tie remarkable man who began
the war on his own account with handful
of men. The son who bears the father
name is now past 10 years of age; but he is
still full Of that fire which made his father
such a marked man. Imagine that he does
not look unlike his parent did when he died.
His little vineyard of seven acres from
which lie picks good living. unless all the
evidences fail. stands back from the main
roasi some distance, and the house where he
lySs is Just beside the waters Of the lake.
All about it are proofs OF neatness and a
reasonable degree of prosperity.
y After we had chatted for time we went
down 10 seat under the spreading branches
OF tree, and there talked for an hour. just
TO the left of us was little office facing the
house, in which tie veteran preserves the
relics OF the contest at the little Virginia
town at the igla!icn Of tue Potomac aad