New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-14
JOHN BROWNS TANNERY
1T STANDS TO-DAY AS HE BUILT 1T IN
1926


BILE NATURE-THE GRAVE OF HIS FIRST
WIFE AT THE OLD, HOME.
From The Kansas City Sar.
In 1903, when John Brown was five years old.
his parents removed from TorringtOn, Conn,
where he was born to Hudson, Ohio The boy
worked his fathers farm and learned
the tanners trade. At the age Of TWEEN
ty he was married to Dianthe Lusk. Six years
later he located with his young wife and small
family IN Richmond Township, Crawford COun-
ty Penn, then wilderness and as yet sparsely
settled. The township had perhaps twenty-five
families when he settled on tract No. ]. 10, con-
tanning about four hundred acres, on the State
road from Meadville to NewYOrk, about ten
miles from the railroad station Of Cambridge
Springs. The farm was an unbrOken forest.
Immediately on his arrival Brown built
double log house and began TO clear a iye-acre
tract Of land. which he put under cultivation.
He had come to Crawford County to follow the
tanners business because Of its large growth
OF hemlock timber. He built a tannery in size
26xJ0 feet. and began tanning leather for the
market This building is in good condition
to-day as 1t was in 1876. the year in which it
was built. 1t is a twO-stOry structure. the lower
Iart OF stone and the upper part of wood. The
tannery contained eighteen watts OF leeches and
was an important industry for those days.
When, on account Of business reverses he had
to dispose OF his property. the tannery passed
INTO the hands OF a Methodist preacher by the
name or Butt. He sold ii to a Mr.. Quiggle and
he In turn transferred ii to Morrison NcGlOry
Ira H. Clark the next owner. and was the
last to use the building for tannery. For a
Y lille it was utilized as q cheese factory and in
the autumn Of 1853 it was converted into a
jelly factory and corn grinding mill. few
years ago it was purchased by a Mr. Cannon
Who converted the upper story il to a dwelling
house and uses the lower part as a mill for
grinding corn. The building now has a porch
along the front 1t still has in it the original
doors and windows and frames and in the rear
may still De seen the old ella Dboards which John
Brown nailed on to the building
Just across the road, in a field is the spring
which furnished the water for the tannery
dwelling-house and cattle, and little distance
away the site of the old log house built nv
him. now marked by the outlines Of an irregu-
lar foundation and a growth Of underbrush
Near the spring also is the orchard. now num-
berlng only ten trees. planted by his hands The
barn which he built is still in a good state of
preservation. 1t served for many years as a sta
ton along the underground railway" In the
haymoW he had built room Of rough boards
with 4 trap door and proper ventilation around
which the hay was piled The negro fugitive
descended into the room by means Of step
ladder, the trap door was let down and the hay
thrown upon it. When the slave owner or agent
came to find his property there was nothing
which indicated that the slave secreted on
the premises.
Eastward from the spring. in an open field is
buried John Browns first wife Dianthc who
died on August TO- 1882 An infant SON diving
three days after his mother lies buried in the
same grave. In another grave is buried a son.
Frederick aged four years Two COMMISSIONERS
mark the resting places Of wife and children
around which has been built picket fence His
first wife. Danthe. bore him seven children and
his second wife, Mary Day whom he married a
year later. was the mother of thirteen children
FIVE OF his twenty children were born in Rich
mond Township.
During the nine years he lived there ne was
regarded as one of its leading and most public
spirited citizens. He the first to introduce
blooded horses and blOOded live stock into the
cCunty. He did extensive business and
had constantly in his employ from five to fifteen
NOR tIa al .ls.l
ment Of a mail route from Meadville To Rice
Vile through Richmond. and was Rich
monds first postmaster appointed by President
John quincy Adams. He also had the contract
for carrying the mails for a number of years
between Meadville and Riceville q distance Of
twenty miles. When a youth Of sixteen years
he was converted" and joined the COngrega
tional Church. While living in Richmond he
was the leader in the organization of indie !
pendent Congregational society, which was
perfected on January H. 1892 He wrote out
its articles Of faith and the clerk of the
society while he lived there. He also took a
deep interest in education. During a part of
the year his home was the school for the chill |
dren of the neghborhood. He took several
weekly papers. and his hired men ami household /
generally were expected to read them in order /
To keep posted on the events of the day. He
arranged for debates and took part in them. /
lie was also interested in athletics, ana ne /.
would urge the young men and those employed /
by him to feats Of physical skill. He discour-
aged the use Of profanity, tobacco and liquors. /
iic H'Iu udily ldHuy NOISilIp With every oHc !
working for him compelled to attend. He /
was very practical in his religion. He helped |
the poor. and many an incident is related how
he often sent his men with provisions to sick |
or INDECENT families
Brown had peculiar sense Of justice. The |
story il told that he refused to sell leather until
the last drop of moisture out of it for fear |
that he would sell the customer water and reap |
the gain. Another story is told how he caused a |
man to be arrested some trivial offence. al |
though he had sustained no personal injury. but |
because he thought the crime ought to be pun |
ished. and then he supplied the wants of the |
prisoner md his family out Of his private means
until the day of the trial From his family he !
Ipma n1pd nd he Stp