Osawatomie, K. T., Nov. 23,1855.
Dear Wife And
Children, All, — Ruth's letter to Henry, saying she was about moving,
and dated 23d October (I think), was received by last week's mail. We were all
glad to learn again of your welfare; and as to your all staying in one house, I
can see no possible objection, if you can only be well agreed, and try to make
each other as comfortable as may be. Nothing new of account has occurred
amongst us since I wrote. Henry, Jason, and Oliver are unable to do much yet,
but appear to have but little ague now. The others are all getting middling
well. We have got both families so sheltered that they need not suffer
hereafter; have got part of the hay (which had lain in cocks) secured; made
some progress in preparation to build a house for John and Owen; and Salmon has
caught a prairie wolf in the steel trap. We continue to have a good deal of
stormy weather, — rains with severe winds, and forming into ice as they fall,
together with cold nights that freeze the ground considerably. "Still God
has not forsaken us," and we get “day by day our daily bread,” and I wish
we all had a great deal more gratitude to mingle with our undeserved blessings.
Much suffering would be avoided by people settling in Kansas, were they aware
that they would need plenty of warm clothing and light warm houses as much as
in New Hampshire or Vermont; for such is the fact. Since Watson wrote, I have
felt a great deal troubled about your prospects of a cold house to winter in,
and since I wrote last I have thought of a cheap ready way to help it much, at
any rate. Take any common straight-edged boards, and run them from the ground
up to the eaves, barn fashion, not driving the nails in so far but that they
may easily be drawn, covering all but doors and windows as close as may be in
that way, and breaking joints if need be. This can be done by any one, and in
any weather not very severe, and the boards may afterwards be mostly saved for
other uses. I think much, too, of your widowed state, and I sometimes allow
myself to dream a little of again some time enjoying the comforts of home; but
I do not dare to dream much. May God abundantly reward all your sacrifices for
the cause of humanity, and a thousandfold more than compensate your lack of
worldly connections! We have received two newspapers you sent us, which were
indeed a great treat, shut away as we are from the means of getting the news of
the day. Should you continue to direct them to some of the boys, after reading,
we should prize them much.
Your affectionate
husband and father,
John Brown.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of
John Brown, p. 204-5
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