"They are themselves mistaken who take him to be a madman" [1]
– Henry Wise, Governor of Virginia
After meeting the captured John Brown
I am planning to break down my website into three major sections: Prelude, Kansas, and Virginia. Each section will feature quotes by John Brown related to that period of his life.
This section will cover the quotes during his early years as a farmer and an Underground Railroad station master in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. The prelude to the violent actions in Kansas and Virginia, this page will show how the John Brown was shaped as a person by his environment, including the turbulent national events, such as the murder of Elijah P. Lovejoy by the proslavery mob and the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in the US Congress.
The Kansas years (1855-1859) are one of the most important periods in John Brown's life. One of the main players in the Bleeding Kansas conflict, John Brown's actions and words in Kansas truly defined him as an staunch anti-slavery fighter. His clashes against the pro-slavery forces at Black Jack and Ossawatomie, liberation of eleven slaves from Missouri, and even the controversial killings at Pottawatomie are all going to be addressed in this page.
The final section will cover the quotes regarding John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia along with his trial and execution in Charles Town. This section will feature quotes from the raid participants and witnesses, interviews with John Brown after his capture, and the trial in the court. I am planning to