Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1895-05-12
JOHN BROWNS SON.

SoElN DhOWIN SOlNs
It will be matter of some surprise
to many people, to whom the exciting
scenes in Kansas and the tragedy at
Harper's Ferry are as stories of yes
terday, to be reminded that John
Browns eldest son, who recently died,
was almost "a wears old. John
Brown, Jr., was born at Hudson, Ohio,
in July, 1921, when his father was 81
years old, and he died at Put. in Bay, an
island in Lake Erie, near Sandusky,
where he had lived peacefully and IN.
oetentatiously for many years as a
farmer and grape-grower. He married
in 1S47, and in October, 1854, went to
Kansas with four other of John Browns
sons-Jason, Owen, Frederick and Sal
mon. Although as pronounced aboli'
tionists as their father, the sons always
claimed that they went to Kansas as
actual settlers, and not as agitators,
although there is no doubt that they
were influenced by the appeal for free
soil" settlers to save Kansas from be-
coming slave state. Jown Brown did
not himself 60 to Kansas until 1855. In
the following autumn the "border ruff
fans" began war in Kansas, and John
Brown and his sons plunged actively
into the struggle. In the winter OF
1856, John Brown, Jr., raised a com
panv of rifemen from the freestate
settlers who lived in the vicinity Of
Potawatomie creek, and marched with
them to the defense OF Lawrence, but
did not reach the place in time to pre-
serve it from destruction at the hands
OF the Missourians. His and his
brother Jason's houses were burned by
men from Alabama under command of
Buford, their cattle and horses were
driven off and dispersed; and at Osa-
watomie he and Jason were arrested on
the charge OF treason against the
United States, by United States troops,
The Springfield Republican says that
on this occasion Captain Wood of a
United States cavalry company tied his
arms behind him 80 that the rope sank
into the flesh, and 30 he was driven on
foot at the head of the column for nine
miles, and the ropes were not taken off
for twenty seven hours. Upon remov-
ing the rope ring of the skin came off,
and Brown always exhibited this to his
friends as "slavery's bracelet" He
became temporarily insane. He was
not present at the killing of several
malignant pro-slavery settlers, which
was termed from his fathers stand
point the Potawatomie executions, but
which others have characterized as
murders of harmless citizens. John
Brown, Jr., was confded in by his
father with reference to his plan for a
general uprising of the slaves, in 1869,
but did not know of the point of attack.
Browns confdants supposed for long
time that the attempt would be made
in the mountains of Virginia, and when
it occurred, John Brown, Jr., was sur
prised at the place of attack. He was
not with his father in the ill-timed as
sault, and it ia possible that the elder
Brown designed to spare him from the
risk to which he invited, if he did not
urge, his other SONS. He cut no figure
during the war or after, but lived quiet
ly on the fertile island in Lake Erie,
where he gained a comfortable sub
sistence, and had been we'll nigh for
gotten. when the news of his death re-
called the exciting scenes that preceded
the great civil conflict, and his father s