The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-05
Recalls Hanging of Father on
Fifty-Ninth Anniversary.
Has Lived to See Whole of Large
Family Buried.
TALKS OF EARLY DAYS
Ninety Years Old, But Remem-
bers Bloody Scenes Wildly.
Other Items Of General Interest
to Kansas Readers.

Cleveland, o.. Dec. Sin little
shack in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Jason
Brown, the only living son of John
Brown of Osawatomie, today recalled
that Saturday was the 59th anniver-
sary of the hanging of his father at
Harper's Ferry. Jason Brown is pass
ing his last days in abject poverty.
For the past few years since his re-
turn from California, where he lived
for two decades. he made his home on
farm near Akron, Ohio. Two years
ago, however, he moved to Put-in-Bay
to live with the widow of his brother
John. This brother lived on the is
land for many years, and his body is
buried there in the little cemetery.
Jason himself expects to be buried be-
side him when his turn comes.
In many respects Jason Brown has
had the most remarkable career of any
of John Browns children-there were
twenty of them. Jason was the eldest,
and he has lived to see every one of
them buried. Two were killed in Kan
sas, three were shot at Harper's Ferry
and six others met violent deaths.
Jason Brown was born near Hud-
son, Ohio, nearly ninety years ago. He
spent his early life on his fathers
farm. When 81 years old he moved to
Kansas with his father and several of
his brothers and their families. Until
the outbreak of the civil war he made
his home in the west, spending his
time farming and fighting. He was
not with his father during the raid at
Harpers Ferry, although he took part
In the civil war and served with dis
tinction through several campaigns.
He was wounded several times, cap
tured by the Confederates and had all
sorts of exciting adventures.
Tells of His Life.
After the war was over he returned
to Ohio and settled near Akron, where
he lived uneventfully until he moved
to California in the early sos. For
twenty years he made his home in the
redwood district in southern Califor-
MIA, returning to Ohio to live with his
son when his health gave out.
Although he is fairly vigorous for a
man nearly 80 years of age, he is fail
ing rapidly, and the end may come at
any time.
IT wasn't in the massacre of Osa-
watomie, but took part in the battle
there several months LATER said the
veteran recently. THAT was the hard
est fought battle in the several years
of border warfare, and I fought in
nearly every skirmish in the vicinity.
THAT was in the fall of 1856" he
continued. 1.-THE proslavery men had
made life unbearable for US there. My
father was assaulted several times and
our crops were ruined. Finally, when
one of my brothers was killed by the
DrOSIdV6fy men, my IdLneT LOOK uOWIi
his gun, and with small force of
men led a midnight attack on the town
of Osawatomie That night he avenged
the murder of my brother. 1 wanted
to march with my father, but he re-
fused to let me go with his free SOL
day, he said: I'm afraid I may never
come back home. I want you to look
after things in case they kill me-
my father came out safe, and he
was only wounded once during all the
fighting in Kansas. He was wounded
was captured, however. He was al
ways in the thickest of the fighting,
and his clothing was frequently shot
full of holes, but I suppose he was
needed to carry out mission, and
Providence spared his life until that
mission was accomplished.
Fought With His Father.
Eat the battle of Osawatomie. /
| fought beside him and was wounded
| in the arm. A dozen men were shot
down beside him, but the bullets did
not touch him. The failure of the pro-
slavery men to wing him made the
superstitious ones believe he had a
charmed life, and they We're in terror
of linn all the time. It was Fate; that's
the only way it can be explained
SIT has been said that We went tc
| Kansas looking for trouble. That is
| not so. we were attracted there IN
| the hope of making a better living
than we could in Ohio. had a farm
near Akron, the but crops failed sew
eraI successive seasons and the pros
poets in Kansas seemed much bright
er. My father, of course, was inter
ested in the slavery question long be-
fore we moved to Osawatomie. He
had helped hundreds of negroes tc
reach Canada, and for number Of
years was in charge of a colony OF
liberated slaves in New York state. He
had no intention of causing any trou-
BILE when he went to Kansas, and il
the slavery people had let him alone
he would never have led the attack
on Osawatomie. There was bittel
Iquarreling between the Northerners
and Southerners long before we came
there. He did what he thought was
right. and I think every one believes
that"