Boyhood and Youth
1800— John Brown is born in Torrington, Conn., May 9th. Attempted insurrection of slaves under Gabriel in Virginia, in September. 1805— The family migrates to Ohio. 1812— John Brown meets a slave boy. 1816— He joins the church. 1819— He attends school at Plainfield, Mass.
The Tanner
1819–1825— John Brown works as a tanner at Hudson, O. 1821— He marries Dianthe Lusk, June 21st. 1822— Attempted slave insurrection in South Carolina in June. 1825–1835— He works as a tanner at Randolph, Pa., and is postmaster. 1831— Nat Turner’s insurrection, in Virginia, August 21st. 1832— His first wife dies, August 10th. 1833— He marries Mary Ann Day, July 11th. 1834— He outlines his plan for Negro education, November 21st. 1835–1840— He lives in and near Hudson, O., and speculates in land. 1837— He loses heavily in the panic. 1839— He and his family swear blood-feud with slavery. 1840— He surveys Virginia lands for Oberlin College, and proposes buying 1,000 acres.
The Shepherd
1841— John Brown begins sheep-farming.
In Kansas
1854— Kansas and Nebraska Bill becomes a law, May 30th. Five sons start for Kansas in October. 1855— John Brown at the Syracuse convention of Abolitionists in June. He starts for Kansas with a sixth son and his son-in-law in September. Two sons take part in Big Springs convention in September. John Brown arrives in Kansas, October 6th. He helps to defend Lawrence in December. 1856— He attends a mass meeting at Osawatomie in April. He visits Buford’s camp in May. The sacking of Lawrence, May 21st. The Pottawatomie murders, May 23–26th. Arrest of two sons, May 28th. Battle of Black Jack, June 2d. Goes to Iowa with his wounded son-in-law and joins Lane’s army, July and August. Joins in attacks to rid Lawrence of surrounding forts, August. Battle of Osawatomie, August 30th. Missouri’s last invasion of Kansas, September 15th. Geary arrives and induces Brown to leave Kansas, September. Brown starts for the East with his sons, September 20th.
The Abolitionist
1857— John Brown is in Boston in January. He attends the New York meeting of the National Kansas Committee, in January. Before the Massachusetts legislature in February. Tours New England to raise money, March and April. Contracts for 1,000 pikes in Connecticut. 1857— He starts West, May. He is at Tabor, I., August and September. He founds a military school in Iowa, December. 1858— John Brown returns to the East, January. He is at Frederick Douglass’s house, February. He reveals his plan to Sanborn in February. He is in Canada, April. Forbes’ disclosures, May. Chatham convention, May 8–10th. Hamilton’s massacre in Kansas, May 19th. Plans postponed, May 20th. John Brown starts West, June 3d. He arrives in Kansas, June 25th. He is in South Kansas, coöperating with Montgomery, July-December. The raid into Missouri for slaves, December 20th.