At a little past Twenty years led by his own inclination & prompted also by his Father, he married a remarkably plain; but neat industrious & economical girl; of excellent character; earnest piety; & good practical common sense; about one year younger than himself. This woman by her mild, frank, & more than all else: by her very consistent conduct; acquired & ever while she lived maintained a most powerful; & good influence over him. Her plain but kind admonitions generally had the right effect; without arousing his haughty obstinate temper. John began early in life to discover a great liking to fine Cattle, Horses, Sheep, & Swine; & as soon as circumstances would enable him he began to be a practical Shepherd: it being a calling for which in early life he had a kind of enthusiastic longing: together with the idea that as a business it bid fair to afford him the means of carrying out his greatest or principal object. I have now given you a kind of general idea of the early life of this boy; & if I believed it would be worth the trouble; or afford much interest to any good feeling person: I might be tempted to tell you something of his course in after life; or manhood. I do not say that I will do it.
You will discover that in using up my half sheets to save paper; I have written Two pages, so that one does not follow the other as it should. I have no time to write it over; & but for unavoidable hindrances in traveling I can hardly say when I should have written what I have. With an honest desire for your best good, I subscribe myself,
Your Friend,
P. S. I had like to have forgotten to acknowledge your contribution in aid of the cause in which I serve. God Almighty bless you; my son.
This autobiography had its origin, as did so many other words and acts of John Brown in 1857–1859, in the hospitalities of one house in Massachusetts where the old hero was always welcome. Mr. George Luther Stearns, a wealthy merchant and manufacturer of Boston, but living in a beautiful villa at Medford, had invited Brown to Boston in December, 1856, when he came eastward from his first campaigns in Kansas. Brown accepted the invitation, and reached Boston a little after Christmas, 1856, meeting Mr. Stearns in the street and going with him to the rooms of the Massachusetts Kansas Committee, where I first met
