John Brown Letters

              [corresponds to page 1 of John Brown letter to Owen Brown October 19, 1855] 
Brownsville, Kansas Territory 19 th [superscript] Oct 1855 
Dear Father 
We arrived here Two Weeks ago Tomorrow Evening. & finding 
but Two well persons in all the number, with no Houses to shelter them; nor 
any crop of Hay, Corn, Beans, or Potatoes, secured for Winter; I have felt driven 
to neglect writing almost entirely; & have only written One Letter before this (this one 
to my Wife) since I got on.  I might have written before day Mornings but had no 
place with the cold chilling Winds shut out where I could improve such Hours. 
I felt very much disappointed at finding all my children here in such very un 
comfortable circumstances. We are doing all we can to help them; & that is not 
much as Henry Thompson, & Oliver have both had something [caret] of [written above line] the Ague since 
we got on. I was at Mr. Adairs over Sunday last; & found them all more 
or less sick; but all able to be up, & about a little. I think all here are on the 
gain slowly; Frederick however has it on him now while I am writing. Mr. Adairs 
family are much more comfortably situated. I think much of [caret] the [written above line] sickness in my family out here 
is from most unreasonable exposure; but from what we learn the sickness has been quite 
general over the more Eastern country. We hear that you have been very sick & not expected 
to live but that you got about a little. We shall all be looking anxiously to hear from you 
again. We had a slow tedious journey out on account of our heavy load, & our Horse hav 
-ing the distemper. He has got well. We used all the money we had, & all you sent in 
getting on but Sixty cents. Think I can soon sell something Horse, or Waggon, so as to 
replace what we used. We came by the place where Austin was buried, & took him 
up; & brought him on with us; which seems to have a good effect on Jason, & Ellen. 
We reached in time to be at the Free State [underlined] election & hearing that trouble was expected we 
turned out powerfully armed; but no enemy appeared. From what we can learn 
not only Missouri but other Slave States are getting quite discouraged about Kan 
sas; & I think there is no doubt of a favourable result, if Free State folks will hold 
on patiently. The country is much like the upland portion of Illinois where you 
have been; but I have seen no wet or Marshy lands as yet, & I may say on the 
whole is just about as good as I expected, & better timbered. I do not think this the 
only desirable spot on Earth I have seen but believe that in the end it will be a 
good country; & generally healthy. I should think a majority of the settlers were of 
the poorer class, & will have to submit to some privations for some little time. 
Jason thinks the prospect for a sale of [caret mark] fruit [written above line] Trees will not be very good for some time yet. 
over