12 May 1899

Thompson, Ruth Brown, 1829-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

She and all of her family hope that Ross will come to visit them. Praises him for his tireless work for others. Says she never met Lucretia Mott, nor Harriet Tubman, but admires them both and says of Tubman "what an old soldier she has been. Recounts a visit with old friends. Last two pages found on page 24 of GLC3007.56.

GLC03007.48

1877-1900

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter

Title: to Alexander M. Ross [Fragment]

Discusses events at Kennedy Farm while preparing to raid Harpers Ferry. Anne Brown was there to help cook and clean. Author and recipient inferred from content. Only the last four pages remain.

GLC03007.49

1894 circa

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter

Title: to Alexander M. Ross [Incomplete]

Defending her father, John Brown, against what appear to be statements that he took money and used it for personal needs. Concludes that Mary Stearns' "mind must be disordered" with age due to statements that she made. The statements seem to imply that she gave John Brown money which he then put to personal use. Refutes these statements, citing Franklin Sanborn's "Life and Letters of John Brown" for support. Recounts the event under debate. Also mentions others who gave her father money, and says it was always used for the greater good. Also upset that Frederick Douglass "never wrote a…

GLC03007.50

1877-1900

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross [Fragment]

Wonders why so much evil exists in the world and about the nature of good and bad and the inequality of rich and poor. Recipient inferred from content. Only the last two pages remain.

GLC03007.51

1877-1900

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

"The struggle for a married woman's rights will be a longer and a harder fought battle than any other that the world has ever known." Preaches rights for married women, and catalogs the abuses of husbands. Also supports temperance. Wonders why God did not make mankind better. Author and recipient inferred from content. Only last two pages remain.

GLC03007.53

1950-1970

Manuscript document

Title: [Names and addresses of John Brown collector and two others]

Lists the names and addresses of Dr. C. W. Olsen, Boyd Stutler, and Mrs. M. Winchester. Boyd Stutler, 1889-1970, was a famous collector of John Brown documents, the other two are unknown.

GLC03007.54

December 1859

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Photograph

Title: [Photograph of John Brown's last written words]

Albumen print of the last written words of John Brown. "I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty, land: will never be purged away, but with Blood. I had as I now think: vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed; it might be done."

GLC04463.08.01

1859

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Document

Title: [Facsimile of John Brown's last written words]

Reproduction on paper of the original copy of John Brown's last written words.

GLC04463.08.02

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

10 September 1882

Brown, John Jr., 1821-1895

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wealthy C. Brown

Relates examination of a corpse believed to be one of his brothers, either Watson or Oliver, both of whom died at Harpers Ferry.

GLC06348.03

24 June 1846

United States. Congress (29th, 1st session : 1846)

Pamphlet

Title: Schooner Amistad.

Includes a letter from James Buchanan, Secretary of State, to Charles J. Ingersoll, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. Contains correspondence between A. Calderon de la Barca, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Spain, and John C. Calhoun, Secretary of State before Buchanan. All items pertain to the Amistad.

GLC00267.067.02

March 8, 1862

Iowa Legislature

Printed document

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Iowa, in reference to the Compromise measures passed by the Congress of the United States.

32nd Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives miscellaneous document no. 20. Resolves to support the compromise measures passed by Congress addressing slavery and the boundaries of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

GLC00267.145.02

06 August 1852

Iowa Legislature

Printed document

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Connecticut, on the subject of the Compromise measures of the 31st Congress.

32nd Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives miscellaneous document no. 65. Resolves to support the compromise measures passed by Congress addressing slavery and the boundaries of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

GLC00267.145.03

2 July 1840

United States. Congress (26th, 1st session : 1840)

Pamphlet

Title: Spanish schooner L'Amistad (to be annexed to Doc. 185).

To be annexed to GLC05795.01. Contains correspondence between Pedro Alcantara de Argaiz, Spanish minister at Washington, D.C., and John Forsyth, Secretary of State. Contains Spanish and English versions. In a letter to Forsyth, Argaiz writes "Under the circumstances herein set forth, the undersigned, minister of her Catholic Majesty, finds himself under the disagreeable necessity of protesting fully and with all necessary energy, against the order issued for the imprisonment of Don Jose Ruiz and Don Pedro Montes, and he asks the Executive Power of the Union to use all the means which it…

GLC05795.02

April 24, 1856

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Ann Brown

The letter discusses the defeat of a pro-slavery judge. Recounts story of "one of the most deeply exciting times...since our arival in the territory. A United States Judge came here & attempted to hold a Court, & to enforce the enactment of the Bogus Legislature but was most effectually routed." The laws the court was attempting to enforce made it a crime to oppose slavery in any way, even verbally. Brown and other anti-slavery men drove the judge away and prevented them from enforcing these laws. Also discusses family health and says her brother, Orson Day, and his family have just…

GLC00929.01

March 18, 1885

Brown, John Jr., 1821-1895

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Franklin B. Sanborn

Brown critiques Sanborn's book for having too many of John Brown's personal letters. He read part of Sanborn's manuscript for "The Life and Letters of John Brown" out loud to his brother Owen. They both worry readers may get bored of so many letters and personal details about John Brown, and also note these letters were intended only for his family.

GLC00929.02

December 31, 1862

Jones, William W., fl. 1862-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Philip B. Jones

One letter addressed to Philip B. Jones from William W. Jones dated December 31, 1862. Pertains to paying $1,400 to enslave a man named Joe. Also states his concern that cost for enslaved people are rising. Mentions possibly selling two enslaved women named Sylvia and Betty. Says he has enclosed the bills of sale of other enslaved people. (see GLC01445).

GLC01449.01

February 18, 1863

Jones, William, 1760-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Philip B. Jones

One letter addressed to Philip B. Jones from William W. Jones dated Feburary 18, 1863. Letter pertains to paying $1,400 for a 35-year old enslaved man named Joe currently being held in Gradys Jail. Also mentions that Joe's wife (unnamed) was included in the bill of sale but found her unattractive. Details another enslaved woman named Maria being sold by a man named Cross for $3,500. Writes, "If this war is ever Ended [fairly], Women and Children are the property to put money in."

GLC01449.02

26 March 1910

Jenkins, James H., 1841-?

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Words and music for the song "John Brown's Body"]

Transcription of the verses and the chorus for the song "John Brown's Body," with music. Also lists three Civil War regiments in which Jenkins served. One of these, the Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, was the unit that invented the song. Written on the verso of stationary for the Old National Bank in Oshkosh.

GLC02484.01

17 November 1910

Jenkins, James H., 1841-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles G. Stack

Promises that as soon as his health improves he will comply with the request to send a photograph. Some text lost on the right side of the letter.

GLC02484.02

circa 1910

Jenkins, James H., 1841-?

Printed document

Title: The story of a song

Jenkins account of the origins of the song "John Brown's Body." Credits Jenkins as "the author of 'John Brown's Body.'" Says the song was created spontaneously by a group of Union Soldiers, inspired partly by a soldier named John Brown.

GLC02484.03

1860-1899

Ross, Alexander Milton, 1832-1897

Header Record

Title: Collection of John Brown documents from Alexander M. Ross [Decimalized .01-.56]

Fifty three letters, one document, one photograph, and one letterbook, collected by Alexander M. Ross and related to John Brown's family. Mostly letters from John Brown's children to Ross.

GLC03007

19 May 1865

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

Was a prisoner of war a year ago here; has visited his old prison. Local attitudes towards the Union have changed due to Grant. "The conduct of the soldiers has been remarkable, when we consider the bitterness, the cruelty, the fiendishness with which the Southrons waged war upon us. I ascribe it to influence which intelligence and Christianity has upon the Northern people." Confederate money is worthless and the people are destitute. Freedmen act in "mutinous conduct," and the soldiers must settle disputes.

GLC03523.23.40

15 November 1828

Elliott, Jesse D. (Jesse Duncan), 1782-1845

Manuscript

Title: to Isaac Mayo

Written by Captain Elliott as commander of the West India Squadron to Lieutenant Mayo as commander of the schooner "Grampus" stationed off the coast of Cuba. This is a clerical copy, with clerical signature of Elliott, of general instructions to Mayo. Marked "Confidential." Says future official communications should be sent to him and copies sent to the Secretary of Navy. Says the government thinks it necessary to have a naval presence in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico and has put him in charge of it. Says the Spanish blockade in the West Indies is illegal, but not to interfere without…

GLC04604.14

5 June 1830

Mayo, Isaac, 1791-1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: Circumstances leading to and attending the seize of the Phoenix

Written by Lieutenant Commander Mayo as commander of the U.S.S. Grampus. Relates the chase made by the "Grampus" to capture the slave trade ship"Phoenix" off the coast of Saint Domingo. J.C. Hall, captain of the merchant ship "Kremlin," which sailed out of Boston, Massachusetts (see letter Mayo wrote to Hall at GLC04604.19), was threatened by the "Phoenix" and witnessed Mayo's seizure. The "Phoenix" raised a Spanish flag when encountered. Says they had to fire shots to get them to take down their sails and surrender. Sent a Lt. Wilson and an armed party to board the 90.5 ton schooner. The…

GLC04604.17