Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-27
LAST SURVIVOR OF FAMOUS
OLD JOHN BROWN RAIDERS
He IL Hiram SpriEEs, PatriarchaI
Resident of MattOOn, Ill,
Native of Indiana

NhtANe OF Indiana.
Hiram Spriggs, resident of Nation,
ILL.,, has the distinction of being the only
man living who was actively associated
with John Brown. Mr.. Spriggs was not
only active during the anti-savery raids.
but his three years service In the civil
war was thrilling and strenuous.
Although Mr.. Spriggs is now rs years
old and sufferer from rheumatism, his
memory is vivid his mind is clear and his
steel blue eyes are thoughtful and pene-
trating. His square jaw, heavily bearded:
his firm mouth, yelled by long dropping
mustache, emphasizes his determination.
fearlessness and tenacity Of purpose
He was born in 1893 on a farm in Jen-
nings county, Indiana. where he grew to
manhood. He cultivated a strength of
body and mind which made him a force
to be reckoned with when 1t came TO a
question of endurance. During his year
and half of experience with John Brown
and his three years in the civil war he
was never sick a day.
After the death OF his father, John
Spriggs, who was a milwright as well az
farmer, he moved with his mother ana
other members of the family to Kansas
where they entered land near Garnet on
the Pottawatomie river. There they lived
In seclusion, save for the interest young
Spriggs took in the anti-slavery question.
The injustice wrought against the help
less blacks fired his soul with indignation.
but prudently he held his peace until
Brown called for volunteers to avenge tho
death Of his boy and the burning of Osa-
watomie, his home town. by the BUSH
whackers or slavery sympathizers.
In speaking of Brown, Mr. Spriggs says:
He was a man of medium height, of few
words, but very active" He was what
people call a crank, but as all active pro-
motors and enthusiastic advocates Of re-
form in advance of the people are 80
named, 1t is not surprising that John
Brown was thought mad. The career of
John Brown was the outcome of a most
cowardly deed. He had sent his 11-year-
old son to the postoffice across the river.
The boy was returning with the mail when
he was robbed and killed. The body was
tied to tree and shot to pieces by the
border ruffians, who then burned and
sacked Osawatomie. Browns home escaped
destruction. When Mr.. Brown heard Of
the death of his SOC he vowed vengeance,
declaring he would fight slavery until tho
last negro was freed. He was preacher
of the Campbellite faith and poured his
wrath from the pulpit
Brown struck the system at its heart
by crossing the border into Missouri and
helping slaves to escape their masters
Three or four times he drove to the rem
devious in wagons with a number of his
company including Mr.. Spriggs, all armed
to the teeth. Returning, they Travelled only
at night until they reached Gardner. a
small place in the eastern part of Kan.
sas, where the slaves-six the first time,
nine the second and fourteen tho third
were hidden and kept under cover for a
Few days until the excitement OF their
escape had passed They were then hur-
ried through Kansas to Spring Dale, Ia.
where relief party was waiting to as
sist Brown and his party into Canada The
last consignment was taken in the fall OF
SO. From there Brown went to Harper's
Ferry, where he rented a farm under the
name Of Smith. In his enthusiasm he
thought the slaves OF the south and their
northern sympathizers would rally to him
and that he would abolish slavery.
He took the arsenal, government works
and bridge and arrested Colonel Washing
ton and other prominent men. He was
overcome by the re-enforcements under
command of Colonel Robert e. Lee He
and his little band of seventeen white men,
five negroes and two sons were captured
after desperate fight, in which both OF
Browns sons were killed. He was tried at
Charlestown Va. condemned and hanged
for treason and murder on December 3,
1879.
Mr.. SDriggs, the last survivor OF the
raids, has warm spot in his heart for his
anti-slavery leader and bold defender OF
justice. Aside from his activity IN the
raids Mr. Spriggs has other records
worthy of mention.
When the cal for volunteers reached
Kansas Mr.. Spriggs enlisted in Company
f. Eleventh Kansas cavalry and he was
no less active, energetic and brave in the
defense Of his country than In warfare
against slavery Most of his service during
the civil war was in Missouri and Ar
kansas.
Mr.. Spriggs was mustered out Of the
service In the fall OF 1865, several months
after the close OF the war. His deepest
sorrow was when his wife, Caron Jor-
dan Spriggs, died in 1871. He moved to
Illinois, and thirty years ago married Mrs.
Sophia Whitney Vanetta. She is still living
and the couple reside in Nation spend.
ing their old age in the restful quiet OF Q
simple life.-Chicago Record Herald.