13 September 1892

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Wonders if her children should participate in the "John Brown's Fort" attraction at the Chicago World's Fair. "Mr. Holmes Pres. of the John Brown Fort Co." has asked if her children will come work at the exhibition. At first he promised good wages, but now only offers menial work and little pay. Is now very skeptical, and wonders if she should send her children. Notes that "Ever since John Brown's death, there have been parties raising money on one pretext or another for 'John Brown's poor family.' The poor family have never received but a small amount of what has been claimed to have…

GLC03007.32

21 October 1892

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Discusses Ross' plans that somehow involve helping the black community. It is not clear exactly what this plan involves, but she suggests he try using the black newspapers to help his plans. Worries that few African Americans will care about his plan, since "they take too little interest in doing for their own kind. You will recollect that father only succeeded in getting five colored men to join him. He found it much easier to get white men and money from white men to help him. Doing good to others is often very, very discouraging, especially when they do not seem to take the slightest…

GLC03007.33

15 November 1892

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Thanks him for his help. Talks about her hard times financially, and reports briefly on her siblings. Discusses Richard Hinton, who is writing a book on John Brown, and Richard W. Howard, "the pretender" who is offering newspapers a fabricated story about having been with John Brown at Harpers Ferry. Hinton's book, "John Brown and His Men" was published in 1894.

GLC03007.34

7 December 1892

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Discusses her financial struggles and John Brown. Her husband "has not earned a dollar for more than a year" since their is no work to be found, and her crops fared poorly. May try to write articles about her father for money, though "so many people write about him that I fancy people are getting tired of the subject." Promises to tell Ross more about Harpers Ferry once she gets the time. Two attached pages at the end belong with GLC3007.39.

GLC03007.35

7 January 1893

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Discusses various men who have inquired about John Brown. Some seek relics, others want stories from her. Is disappointed with Franklin Sanborn and what he has written about her father. Also mentions Sanborn's plans to write a book about John Brown and give the proceeds to her sister Ruth. Talks of her own hardships, a bad storm, and thanks Ross for a gifts, including some that will help feed her poor family.

GLC03007.36

9 August 1893

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Encloses copies of some documents he might find interesting, and reports her sister Ruth is in poor health.

GLC03007.37

10 January 1894

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Discusses Mary Stearns and a fund to help her family. Explains that Mrs. Stearns liked her father, but not his family, recounts a story of her unkindness, and wonders if Stearns has become infirm in her old age. Adams claims to hold no grudge against her. Also discusses a fund set up by John Brown's wealthy supporters to help his family. Says the money was misspent, and she received very little from it, and that much due only to the work of Franklin Sanborn. Says she has been very ill lately, and apologizes for inconveniencing him with news of her troubles.

GLC03007.38

24 June 1894

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

May write articles about John Brown for money, and discusses her family. Has "written a sketch for an eastern paper" which she hopes to get paid for, and has other offers to write about her father. Discusses her financial hardships, lives of her grown children and her sister Ruth, and a malicious neighbor. The last two pages are attached to GLC03007.35. Recipient inferred from content.

GLC03007.39

9 November 1894

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Reading Richard Hinton's book "John Brown and His Men," but doing so slowly, since much of it is painful to her. Says the book should have appeal and that it has a few small mistakes "that no one except I would notice." Received a letter from her Aunt Martha, John Brown's only living sibling. Got fifty five dollars for one magazine article, but another was rejected. Her husband is ill, and she just took a mortgage on her ranch to pay debts.

GLC03007.40

1 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with tyhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. States that Charles is still very sick but he believes he will pull through and hopes to bring him home. Says he is delerious. Writes that it cost him $17 to get to the hospital in Richmond, Virginia from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Informs that Charles will be discharged from the military soon. On stationary of the U.S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.12

2 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Reports that the doctor thinks Charles will be out of danger in two days but now he is very delirious. States he has not been getting enough sleep. Gives her instructions on ploughing. On stationary of the U.S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.13

4 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Writes that Charles is a little better and the doctor feels he will be rational in two or three days. Says that he is not feeling so well because of loss of sleep and having to take care of Charles. On stationary of the U.S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.14

6 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. States Charles seems a bit better. He went to Charles' company to get his descriptive list in order to get him discharged. Advises "the boys" to plant pumpkins where the corn was, and six week beans. Expresses his desire to return home. On stationary of the U.S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.15

7 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Reports that Charles is about the same. He is anxious to return home but does not know when that will be. Asks her to tell him if the girl came to help her with work. Advises her not to work so hard and not to worry.

GLC03523.26.16

9 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Informs that Charley is about the same, still very sick but the doctor thinks he will pull through. Received a letter from her and was happy to get it. Gives her some instructions on running the farm. On stationary of the U.S. Christian Commission. Written and signed in pencil but includes a few other B. A. Woolston signatures in ink as well as Maria Woolston's address in what appears to be another hand. On stationary of the U. S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.17

10 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Informs that Charles is very sick with a cold and is very weak but he still has hope that he will pull through. Asks about the farm and tells her to have the boys stay home to mind the cows. On stationary of the U. S. Christian Commission.

GLC03523.26.18

11 June 1865

Woolston, Benjamin A., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes to his wife about their son, Charles Woolston, a soldier sick with typhoid fever in the hospital whom he went to go visit. Reports that Charles has just died. Discusses how he will get him home to Bucks County, Pennsylvania to be buried.

GLC03523.26.19

22 June 1865

Lownsbury, Siss, fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: Dear Cousin

Condolence letter for the death of Charles Woolston, a soldier in the 3rd regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry who died of bronchitis and typhoid fever on 11 June 1865. Possibly written to Maria Woolston, Charles' mother. Expresses her sorrow at his death and at this "crul war" that also killed her brother.

GLC03523.26.21

1 November 1850

Brown, Jason, 1823-1912

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ruth Brown

Inquires if she has been married and discusses family business. Hears rumors that Ruth has been married to a Mr. Thompson, and wishes to know if it is true. In fact, Ruth had married Henry Thompson, a neighbor at North Elba, one month earlier. Also discusses the various movements of members of the family, including John Brown.

GLC06348.01

27 March 1860

Brown, Wealthy C., 1829-1911

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her sister

Addressed to "My Dearly Loved Sister," probably referring to one of John Brown's daughters at North Elba. Expresses sadness at the death of Martha Evelyn Brewster Brown, Oliver Brown's wife, and remembers Oliver's love for her. Sends her condolences to the whole Brown family in regards to all who died at Harpers Ferry. Also praises James Redpath. Martha had done much of the housekeeping on the Maryland farm where the Harpers Ferry raid was prepared, but had returned to North Elba shortly before the raid. Mentions receiving a letter from Annie (Wealthy's sister-in-law and daughter of John…

GLC06348.02

July 17, 1913

Sweeney, J.D, 1869-?

Photograph signed

Title: [Photograph of house of John Brown's widow]

Photograph of the house of John Brown's widow in California. Photograph taken by T. Major Edgecomb. Docket on verso in green ink states "After the execution of John Brown, his widow and several of her young children came to Red Bluff. Citizens raised a sum of money which came from near and far and built a home for her. There she lived for several years, then moved over the Coach Range. A few still remain who recall having played with the Brown girls."

GLC06806.02.02

10 June 1860

Battle, Narcissa Caroline, 1824-1906

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Slave sale letter]

A woman writes to her child about a slave sale she attended. "I went to town & bought all the negroes except Charity mamma & Charity's four youngest Children... Mamma is down at Watson's very much pestered she never would say before the sale who she wanted to buy her but now she is brought to her senses. Daughter I am not much grieved about either Chany or Charity they both have acted the lady ever since they came in my possession & I have been the slave now let them see the difference between me & other people... if they live the plantation will be filled with babies...The…

GLC09039

21 January 1778

Rooke, William, fl. 1777-1778

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dorothy Rooke

Writes to his sister, stating that he hopes an unspecified person (possibly Henry Rooke) has returned from America to England. Refers to battle between Generals William Howe and George Washington. Mentions confusing reports he has received concerning the battle. Discusses the possibility of Washington having been taken as a prisoner, and America's loss of troops during the battle. Discusses his travels through Italy viewing artistic masterpieces, including those of Correggio. States "tho' there are numbers of very capital performances there is at the same time a great deal of trash to…

GLC03881.03

11 May 1793

Dundas, Isabella, 1747-1823

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Thanks James for his support and care of William Dundas (Isabella's son) and discusses the arrangement, which was for William's education. Indicates that William had recently travelled home for vacation. Discusses their brother (her brother-in-law) George's appointment to a naval position on a ship. A note on p. 4 asks that this letter be forwarded to Agnes.

GLC02549.54

18 December 1779

Dundas, David, Sir, Bart, 1749-1826

Autograph letter

Title: to James Dundas [fragment]

Discusses a journey Agnes will be making to Edinburgh. Discusses the hardships of starting a business. Responds to James's "observations on the prevailing Luxury of the times." Discusses the difficulties finding employment for those without influence, commenting that "perhaps never was the Influence of the Crown carried to so great an Extent." Comments on quarrels among friends.

GLC02549.58