The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-06-06
THE TWO JOHN BROWNS.
Something About the Harper's Ferry
One and the Other.

The only man living today of the IS
who, with John Brown of Ossawattomie,
struck the blow at Harper's Ferry, is
Jason Brown, who resides at Pasadena,
Cal, and he is old, older than was John
Brown, Jr., who died recently at the age
of rs in his home in Put-in-Bay island.
So time passes away; the wide breach be-
tween North and South has narrowed and
is being brdged by sympathy and a bet
ter understanding. No one would have
entered more heartily into the ceremony
of unwilling the monument to the Con-
federate dead than John Brown, Jr.,
who has worn manacles in a Kansas
prison for his hatred of slavery who
mourned father and four brothers; who
had seen the hair of his wife turn white
at 80 through grief and terror, and who
had before him, until his death, the re-
minder of that terrible sacrifice of the
peace and security of his family in an
mbecle son, born to him while he was a
hunted fugitive.
The writer of this sketch had an in
terview with him on his island home one
bleak autumn evening six years ago,
when the summer guests had all departed
from the big hotels at Put7in-Bay and he
could stride through the beach unmOlest-
ed by curiosity or the camera. For he
was not only a historical character but
also a local celebrity-a man who would
make his individuality felt in any COM
munity. He had a robust frame and
stood half head taller than the average
man even at the age of 6S. He was broad
of shoulder strong of stride, handsome of
face. with his shock Of iron gray hair and
patriarchal white beard. He was free
and cordial of manner, had q liberal Gull
ture and was uncompromising in princi-
pie.
'Every man who deserves the name"
he said, "has a principle for which he
sacrifices much or everything. Mine is
prohibition Abolition abolished. It's too
early in the day to say that prohibition
is not going to prohibit. 1t will when
there is a Moses inspired by God to lead
the children out of their bondage to
drink I don't feel the call as did my ia
Their. But it took the essence of aboli-
tionism, concentrated through ten gener-
atoms of Browns, TO produce my father.
at began with Peter Brown: the car
renter who came over in the Mayfower.
None of the family ever owned a slave.
| though the custom was common enough
| in the North in colonial days, and the
Browns were always prosperous men.
I remember once my father reading the
constitution of the United States to his
seven boys and saying: Some one will
larise and secure to the black man the life,
liberty and pursuit of happiness guarap.
lteed in that document. Home of the
freel What a mockery! - d.
| 81 can remember hundred times in my
youth how we were thrilled by my ia
theirs tremendous earnestness. As we
grew older we noticed that he prayed oft
en- alone. We believed in him as the
family of Mahomet believed in the proph
let. and would have followed him unques
tioningly at. any time. When Kansas
was opened for settlement and the slavery
question was being agitated, he said
Now, boys, is the time. Kansas needs
lfreesoilers who will fight and die If nee
lessary.' Without word of argument
Jason. Owen, Frederick, Salmon and my
lself-fve Brown brothers-went to Kan
sas with. seed, fruit trees. live stock
/ implements, our young families and two
squirrel rifles and a revolver.
4 "Six thousand border ruffians from Mis-
4 souri, had voted at the election of th'
spring before. There were less thai
l1000 electors in the State at the time.