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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926 to Alexander M. Ross

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03007.19 Author/Creator: Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926 Place Written: Rohnerville, California Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 15 May 1888 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.5 cm, Width: 12.5 cm Order a Copy

Knows that John Brown first conceived of raiding Harpers Ferry before going to Kansas, no matter what magazines say. Reporters "say 'It is impossible to trace exactly how and when the Harper's Ferry invasion first took shape in John Brown's mind, but the indications are that it grew little by little out of his Kansas experience.' Now in reply to this I will say that my father explained his plan to capture Harper's Ferry in all its details, to me, the winter before he, or any member of his family, were in Kansas." Declares Brown also thought of New Orleans instead of Harper's Ferry, but gave it up. Discusses family's move to Kansas.

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926
Ross, Alexander Milton, 1832-1897
Brown, John, 1800-1859

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