John Brown to his Family, June 23, 1859

Akron, Ohio, June 23, 1859.

Dear Wife And Children, All, — My best wish for you all is that you may truly love God and his commandments. We found all well at West Andover, and all middling well here. I have the ague some yet. I sent a calf-skin from Troy by express., directed to Watson Brown, North Elba, to go by stage from Westport. I now enclose five dollars to help you further about getting up a good loom. We start for the Ohio River to-day. Write me under cover to John at West Andover, for the present. The frost has been far more destructive in Western New York and in Ohio than it was in Essex County. Farmers here are mowing the finest-looking wheat I ever saw, for fodder only. Jason has been quite a sufferer. May God abundantly bless and keep you all!

Your affectionate husband and father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 526

John Brown to his Family, May 19, 1859

Boston, Mass., May 19, 1859.

Dear Wife And Children, All, — I intend to be with yon again next week; but as I may fail to bring it about, I now write to say to Watson and Oliver that I think it quite certain that I shall very soon be off for the southwest, so that they may (I think safely) calculate their business accordingly. I shall be glad to have my summer clothing put in order, so far as it can be done comfortably; I have had no shake now for five days, and am getting quite smart again, and my hearing improves. You all may as well be still about my movements. God bless you all!

Your affectionate husband and father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 526

John Brown to His Family, March 2, 1859

Springdale, Cedar County, Iowa, March 2, 1859.

Dear Wife And Children, All, — I write to let you know that all is yet well with me, except that I am not very strong. I have something of the ague yet hanging about me. I confidently expect to be able to send you some help about team, etc., in a very few days. However, if I should be delayed about it longer than I could wish, do not be discouraged. I was much relieved to find on coming here that you had got the draft sent by Mr. Painter. He has been helping me a little in advance of its being due, since I got on. Do not be in haste to buy a team until you can have time to get further word from me. I shall do as fast as I can; and may God bless and keep you all!

Your affectionate husband and father.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 490

John Brown to His Family, January 11, 1859

Osawatomie, Kansas, Jan. 11, 1859.

Dear Children, All, — I have but a moment in which to tell you that I am in middling health; but have not been able to tell you as yet where to write me. This I hope will be different soon. I suppose you get Kansas news generally through the papers.¹ May God ever bless you all!

Your affectionate father,

John Brown.

______________

¹ They would thus learn that he had made his foray, and that both Governor Medary of Kansas and President Buchanan had set a price on his head. Charles Robinson's account of this foray (published twenty years later in the “Topeka Commonwealth”) is characteristic: “Brown and his heroes went over the line into Missouri, killed an old peaceable citizen, and robbed him of all the personal effects they could drive or carry away. Such proceedings caused the Free-State men to organize to drive him from the Territory; and he went to Harper's Ferry, where he displayed his wonderful generalship in committing suicide.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 489-90

John Brown to his Children, December 2, 1858

Osawatomie, Kansas, Dec. 2, 1858.

Dear Children, — I have a moment to write you, and I hasten to improve it. My health is some improved since I wrote you last, but still I get a shake now and then. Other friends are middling well, I believe. In some of the border counties south, there is the worst feeling at this time, which affords but little prospect of quiet. Other portions of the Territory are comparatively undisturbed. The winter may be supposed to have fairly set in, which may compel parties to defer hostilities at least. I want you to write my family to inquire particularly whether they are so circumstanced as to be able to get through the winter without suffering, so that I may hear from them when I know where to have you direct to me. I have but this moment returned from the south, and expect to go back at once.

Your affectionate friend.

P. S. Am still preparing for my other journey.

Yours.

P. S. I want you, some of you, for the present, to write John, saying all about the condition of your different families, and whether you are suffering for anything, or are likely to be, and for what, that I may get the information by-and-by, through him, when there is any chance. You may depend on my doing all in my power to make you comfortable. To God and his infinite grace I commend you all.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 480-1

John Brown to Mary Ann Day Brown, September 13, 1858

Osawatomie, Kansas, Sept. 13, 1858.

Dear Wife, — Your letter of the 25th August I was most glad to get, notwithstanding it told me of your trials; and 1 would be thankful that the same hand that brought me your letter brought me another, supplying me with the means of sending you some relief. I hope you will all learn to put your trust in God, and not become discouraged when you meet with poor success and with losses. I wrote you two or three days ago, telling you how I had been sick, but was getting better. I am still very weak, and write with great labor. I enclose draft for fifty dollars, payable to Watson. I want Mr. Allen paid out of it, to his full satisfaction, for the barrel of flour lent, as a first thing, and the balance used to supply substantial comforts for the family, or to pay any little debts. I shall have the means, after a while, of paying for another yoke of oxen, and I hope to have it soon; but of that I cannot be certain. It would be well to make considerable inquiry for a good, youngish yoke, without faults, and also to find where you can get them most reasonably for the money. Do not, any of you, go in debt for a team. You may, perhaps, hire a few days' work of some good team to log with, or of some good man to help to pile logs without a team, sad I will endeavor to send the pay on for that soon. Do the best you can, and neither be hasty nor discouraged. You must acknowledge the receipt of this at once, and tell me all how you get along. May God abundantly bless you all!

Your affectionate husband.

[JOHN BROWN.]

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 478-9

John Brown to his Family, September 9, 1858

Osawatomie, Kansas, Sept . 9, 1858.

Dear Wife And Children, All, — I received Henry's letter of the 21st July a long time ago, but was too sick to answer it at the time, and have been ever since till now. I am still very weak, but gaining pretty well. I was never any more sick. I left the Missouri line about six weeks since; soon after, I was taken down. Things are now very quiet, so far as I know. What course I shall next take, I cannot tell, till I have more strength. I have learned with pain that the flour did not go on, and shall try to send you some money instead of it, so that Mr. Allen may be well paid for the barrel he lent. I can write you no more now, but I want to know how you all get along. Enclose everything to Augustus Wattles, Moneka, Linn County, Kansas, in sealed envelope, with my name only on it. God bless you all!

Your affectionate husband and father.

 [JOHN BROWN.]

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 478