The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-04-13
BUST OF JOHN BROWN
SHORT HISTORY OF 1T BY W.
E. BARTON, D. D.


of the head of John Brown which has
Just been presented to the Wellington
town library by Mrs. George L. Stearns
of Tufts College, MedfOrd, Mass. The
following account is furnished ny Rev.
William E. Barton, D. D., who received
it from Mrs. Stearns.
Mr.. Stearns who died in 1867, was
Boston merchant, and was prosperous In
business. He said OF himself that he
was not rich man, but man of large
income. That income he devoted to
philanthropic and charitable purposes,
and the young wife who with him built
the large and beautiful home where she
has lived for fifty years, was heart and
soul with him in all good work.
Mr.. Stearns was devoted abOlitiOnist,
the friend Of Wendell Phillips, Garrison,
Howe, Sumner, Emerson, AlcOtt, and the
entire circle of noted men and women
Of the time who had cOnsecrated their
efforts to the freedom Of the slave.
"When John Brown was in Boston, in
the winter of 1851" says Ridpath's Life
of Brown, "amOng other noble friends of
freedom there, he made the acquaintance
of Mr.. and Mrs. Stearns, of MelfOrd; who
recognizing him at once as an historic
character, although clad in aplain suit
of clothes, and with leathern strap for
q necktie. received him to their hOspita-
BILE home, with all the honor due to a
hero and saint"
Many interesting things came out Of
that visit. One is the only accurate in
formation we have concerning Browns
earlier years, which Is published in full
In the biographies of Brown, Mr.,
Stearns' son, Henry, asked Brown to
write to him the story of his early life,
which is now familiar to all readers Of
raanfiT aaA aHSf ffe of Brown in the letter beginn-
ing;
Bed Rock, Iowa, 18th July, 1857.
'Mr. Henry L. Stearns,
My dear young friend:
II have not forgotten my promise to
write you; but my constant care and
anxiety have obliged me to put itoff a long
time. 1 do not fatter myself that l can
write anything that will very much in
terest you; but have concluded to send
YOU a short story Of d certain boy of my
acquaintance; and for convenience and
shortness Of name, Twill call him John"
The letter then goes oh to tell about
his own early life, and is most inter-
esting and Valuable bit Of autobiography.
Another thing was that Mr.. Stearns
became one Of Browns most ardent and
important friends, furnishing him much
Of the money needed for his work. Be-
fore Brown started on his Harper's Ferry
raid, armed with rifles which Mr.. SteaTns
paid for, he gave Mr.. Stearns the bowie
knife which he had taken from Clay Pate
in the days of the Kansas struggle. Mrs.
Stearns still has the knife.
When the war broke out Mr.. Stearns en-
listed in the oath Massachusetts, regiment,
to whose commander, Col. Robert G..
Shaw, beautiful monument was un-
veiled on Boston common last spring.
During the whole four years his time
and purse were at the country's service,
and he receipted many of his bills un.
paid.
During the Civil war he gave some
thirty thousand dollars a year for tht
freedmen, and the enlistment and equip
ment of the cOlOred troops. 1t was Of
this sc. L. S." that Whittier wrote,
"Ah well the world is discreet;
There are plenty to pause and wait
But here was man who set his feet
Sometimes in advance OF fate
Plucked off the old bark when the inner
Was slow to renew 1t,
And put to the Lords work the sinner
When saints failed to do it,"
When Brown was imprisoned a
Charleston, Edward A. Brackett tn,
sculptor, conceived the idea Of making {
bust of the old hero of 0ssawattamie
After vain effort to secure the cooper.
alton of anti-slavery men in Boston
most Of whom felt that they were doing
quite enough in contributing to the hir
ing Of counsel for Browns defense, h,
came to Mr.. Stearns, who submitted thl
question to his wife.
Mrs. Stearns herself contributed tn,
800 necessary to send Bracket to Vir
ginia to get the measurements Of Brown
head. She also charged him to tel
Brown, in case he should refuse to per
NIT the measurements to be made, tina
he had come at her expense and express
desire.
Mr.. Brackett was arrested on his arriv
al at Charleston, but released at the re
quest Of Mr.. GriswOld, Browns lawyer
who knew him. He was permitted Il
Iisit the Jail where Brown was confined
and to speak to him through his attorney