The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-26
John Browns Gr.vestons.

The inscription on the headstone which
markes the place where John Browns
body lies mouiderng in the grave" was
cut by Kansas man. B. A. BaYett, for
many years a marbel worker, but now a
druggist Of North Topeka, did it.
How well do I remember dressing down
the stone and cutting the inscription" said
Mr.. Barrett. 1T was in January, ls68,
about six weeks after John Brown had been
hung. At the time I was running tomb
stone establishment at Wadham's Mills,
Eiba county, n. Y, thirty-fve miles from
the Brown homestead, near North Elba.
Mrs Brown engaged me to do the work
while she was at our place on Christmas
attending an abolition celebration given In
her honor. She told me that she had a
suitable stone and that could come up
there and do the work.
Two weeks later went there. found
resting against the side of the little farm
house an old tombstone bearing the name
OF John Brown. 1t was not the John
Brown Of abolition fame. but his grand
father, an old revolutionary soldier. The
slab had been removed from the grave of
the grandfather to make room for a monu-
ment and John Brown took it home. He
told his family that he wanted it to mark
his grave. The stone was soft. free stone
slab about three feet high. twenty inches
wide and three inches thick.
The weather was intensely cold and /
lad to work IN the kitchen. I was just
week at the job. and the Brown family
what was left Of it-watched me work all
the time. There was no verse or anything
on the stone. Mrs. Brown wanted to put
one on, but when we measured up we
found that 1t would take all the space to
give the names and dates Of the birth and
death Of John Brown and his four sons.
Browns name was placed at the top and
the sons came next in the order Of death.
II tell you they fed me well that week
Never had better eating in my life. But
I will tell you confidentially that the hos
pitality Of the Brown family was about the
only redeeming feature. Not one Of them
would ever be selected to participate in a
beauty show. AS a whole, never saw
more ugly lot of women. But they were
kind IN disposition and that covered a
multitude Of shortcomings. Mrs. Brown
was a very large. masculine woman. with
coarse features. But she did know how
to cook.
81 returned to my home after completing
the work. The stone was not set during
the winter. but I was up 10 another abol
ton celebration on July 4 the same year,
and saw the stone at the head Of the grave.
Brown is buried on his farm: not in the
North Elba cemetery.
mo, did not cut the inscription on the |
big boulder at the foot OF the grave. That |
was done by Andrew ]. Daniels, who
learned the trade under me. When l en-
listed in the army he took charge Of the !
shop In the spring Of 1865 ne went out to |
The Brown farm and did the lettering on |
the boulder. The rock Is about the size of /
an ordinary house, and II stands at the l
'cot of the grave. Or. perhaps. It would /
oe better 20 say that the grave stands az
he foot OF il. Daniels is now postmaster |
II Westport, of the same county, unless
Axman Bristow OF Kansas, has cut his
,fficial head off
II have read the various stories of John
Srown and his burial. Some were true
rat more were not. never cared 70 rush
nto print, however. about them I do
Tot know that Major Hudson's story OF
he burial Is correct. had charge OF the
iearse for the vicinity Of Westport al the
ime. and they tried to get me TO take IL
nd haul Browns body 10 North Elba.
The roads were bad. and the toughest you
yer saw. They hauled the corpse from
Nestport to North Elba In al old spring
wagon"