To these papers of his father should now be added John Brown's own account of his childhood and youth, written for Harry Stearns, a boy of thirteen. This is printed and punctuated exactly as Brown wrote it.
THE CHILDHOOD OF JOHN BROWN.
Red Rock, Ia., 15th July, 1859.
Mr. Henry L. Stearns.
My dear young friend,—I have not forgotten my promise to write you; but my constant care, & anxiety have obliged me to put it off a long time. I do not flatter myself that I can write anything which will very much interest you: but have concluded to send you a short story of a certain boy of my acquaintance: & for convenience & shortness of name, I will call him John. This story will be mainly a narration of follies and errors; which it is to be hoped you may avoid; but there is one thing connected with it, which will be calculated to encourage any young person to persevering effort; & that is the degree of success in accomplishing his objects which to a great degree marked the course of this boy throughout my entire acquaintance with him; notwithstanding his moderate capacity; & still more moderate acquirements.
John was born May 9th, 1800, at Torrington, Litchfield Co. Connecticut; of poor but respectable parents: a decendant on the side of his father of one of the company of the Mayflower who landed at Plymouth 1620. His mother was decended from a man who came at an early period to New England from Amsterdam, in Holland. Both his Father's and his Mother's Fathers served in the war of the revolution: His Father's Father; died in a barn in New York while in the service; in 1776.
I can not tell you of anything in the first Four years of John's life worth mentioning save that at that early age he was tempted by Three large Brass Pins belonging to a girl who lived in the family & stole them. In this he was detected by his Mother; & after having a fall day to think of the wrong; received from her a thorough whipping. When he was Five years old his Father moved to Ohio; then a wilderness filled with wild beasts, & Indians. During the long journey, which was performed in part or mostly with an ox-team; he was called on by turns to assist a boy Five years older (who had been adopted by his Father & Mother) & learned to think he could accomplish smart things in driving the Cows; & riding the horses. Sometimes he met with Rattle Snakes which were very large; & which some of the company generally managed to kill. After getting to Ohio in 1805 he was for some time rather afraid of
