John Brown to his Family, November 2, 1855

Brownsville, K. T., Nov. 2, 1855.

Dear Wife And Children, Every One, — We last week received Watson's letter of October 3, too late to answer till now. I felt grateful to learn that you were all then well, and I think I fully sympathize with you in all the hardships and discouragements you have to meet; but you may be assured you are not alone in having trials. I believe I wrote you that we found every one here more or less unwell but Wealthy and Johnny, without any sort of a place where a stout man even could protect himself from the cutting cold winds and storms, which prevail here (the winds, I mean, in particular) much more than in any place where we have ever lived; and that no crops of hay or anything raised had been taken care of; with corn wasting by cattle and horses, without fences; and, I may add, without any meat; and Jason's folks without sugar, or any kind of breadstuffs but corn ground with great labor in a hand-mill about two miles off. Since I wrote before, Wealthy, Johnny, Ellen, and myself have escaped being sick. Some have had the ague, but lightly; but Jason and Oliver have had a hard time of it, and are yet feeble. They appear some better just now. Under existing circumstances we have made but little progress; but we have made a little. We have got a shanty three logs high, chinked, and mudded, and roofed with our tent, and a chimney so far advanced that we can keep a fire in it for Jason.¹ John has his shanty a little better fixed than it was, but miserable enough now; and we have got their little crop of beans secured, which, together with johnnycake, mush and milk, pumpkins, and squashes, constitute our fare. Potatoes they have none of any account; milk, beans, pumpkins, and squashes a very moderate supply, just for the present use. We have also got a few house-logs cut for Jason. I do not send you this account to render you more unhappy, but merely to let you know that those here are not altogether in paradise, while you have to stay in that miserable frosty region. We had here, October 25, the hardest freezing I ever witnessed south of North Elba at that season of the year.

After all, God's tender mercies are not taken from us, and blessed be his name forever! I believe things will a little brighten here before long, and as the winter approaches, and that we may be able to send you a more favorable account. There is no proper officer before whom a deed can be acknowledged short of Lawrence, and Jason and Owen have not been able to go there at all since we got here. I want to learn very much whether you have received any return from the cattle of Mr. Hurlbut, in Connecticut, so that I may at once write him if you have not. I trust you will not neglect this, as it takes so long to get letters through, and it will greatly lessen my anxiety about your being made in some measure comfortable for the winter. We hear that the fall has been very sickly in Ohio and other States. I can discover no reason why this country should continue sickly, but it has proven exceedingly so this fall. I feel more and more confident that slavery will soon die out here, — and to God be the praise! Commending you all to his infinite grace, I remain

Your affectionate husband and father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 203-4