Article describes early days of John Brown as a tanner, farmer, wool merchant. He had twenty children of which many did not live to adulthood. He worked with a NY philanthropist to provide land to a large number of African Americans in multiple settlement in the Lake Placid area. He owned a farm there himself and strived to be a teacher of farming to the settlers. Later he was involved in the anti-slavery movement in Kansas and afterwards held the infamous raid on Harper’s Ferry. Two of his children died in the battle and he was later hanged for treason. The remaining family moved to California. Two sisters lived in Saratoga CA and one brother Owen lived in Southern California. Jason Brown lived for several years in Ben Lomond.