John Brown
Man of Faith
John Brown was born to a deeply religious family in 1800. His father was very opposed to slavery, and John Brown became even more opposed to slavery than him. As John went through life he struggled financially. He went through many jobs but was unsuccessful at all of them. "This lack of funds. . . didn't stop him from supporting the causes he believed in"1. He did what ever he could do to aid the fight to stop slavery, an institution which he had faith in the importance of its destruction. What land he had he gave to fugitive salves to support themselves and their new life. He assisted the underground railroad in freeing many slaves. John also helped establish "the League of Gileadites," an organization that worked to protect slaves from slave catchers2. John also moved into a struggling black community in North Elba, New York to show the people there how to work the land3. He was willing to struggle to survive along side them in the rough land they were given so that they could lead a life of freedom from slavery and poverty. John Brown and his wife chose to raise a young black child as one of their own, which shows their dedication to the cause against slavery. He raised this child amongst 20 other children (7 from his first wife, Dianthe, who died, and John moved on to another wife, Mary Anne, shortly after with whom he had 13 more). They thought of black people as equals and good people in a time when many whites felt superior and treated them horribly.
Finding no stable life anywhere, John moved often. In 1855 he moved to Kansas to establish a safe-zone for anti-slavery settlers with 5 of his sons. There John became even more angry with the supporters of slavery when they burned the free-state village of Lawrence. He brought his own private army to drag off unarmed inhabitants of a pro-slavery community and brutally kill them in the night. This was the extent of his abolitionist passion.
John Brown became a fugitive, but got to Virginia where he made planned to do what he felt was his only option. He planned an attack to free the slaves of the south. He organized an army of 21 men (5 blacks, 16 whites) to attack a federal armory at Harper's Ferry. His attack on October 16, 1859 was successful. His men gained control of the supplies, and John believed that this successful attack would rally the support of the slaves in the area and eventually he'd have a huge army of freed slaves. Unfortunatly they didn't, and John was met by Federal troups led by Robert E. Lee. His men put up a fight, but they gave up when John was severely wounded and 2 of his sons had been killed. John Brown was tried and convicted of treason, insurrection and murder, and sentanced to death. Before he was sentanced to be hung on December 2, 1859 he said:
". . . I believe to have interfered as I have done, . . . in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it be deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children, and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit: so let it be done."4 (for full quote go to http://members.aol.com/jfepperson/brown.html)
John Brown was a great man willing to die for the cause he believed in. He trusted and believed that his death for the abolishment of slavery would help his cause, and he proved to be correct. John believed that God had given him the mission of abolishing slavery from dreams he'd been seeing throughout his life 5. This shows his Faith in God. He followed the golden rule he grew up hearing "Do on to others as you would that others should do unto you"6. He knew that he was fighting for the right cause and didn't back down when it got difficult to stand up. He was a man of great faith.
Sources
"Africans in America" People & Events: John Brown n.pag. [Online] Date of Access 10/27/05 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1550.html
"John Brown" n.pag. [Online] Date of Access 10/27/05 http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASbrown.htm
"John Brown" n.pag [Online] Date of Access 11/1/05http://www.civilwarhome.com/johnbrownbio.htm
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