"Not Like His Father": What John Brown Said About His Son Jason

In a letter to Quaker activist Rebecca Spring, the abolitionist offered an unguarded portrait of Jason Brown — his honesty, his suffering in Kansas, and a father's quiet pride.

In a letter written days before his execution in December 1859, abolitionist John Brown described his son Jason Brown as honest, brave, and "not like his father" — too conscientious and too tender-hearted for the brutal world he inhabited. That letter, addressed to Quaker activist Rebecca Spring, is one of the most personal documents John Brown ever produced. In this session of the John Brown Roundtable, scholar Dr. Lou DeCaro Jr. reads from that letter before chatting with Marty Brown—a direct descendant of John and Dianthe Lusk Brown through their son Jason—to explore what it means to carry that history forward. The conversation draws on primary sources and living memory to illuminate a side of the Brown family rarely covered in standard histories of Harpers Ferry and the antislavery movement.

Transcript

Good evening, everyone. As Martha says, if John Brown has tapped you on the shoulder, then you have found your tribe. And isn't it wonderful how this has come together? This is our fourth session, our fourth conversation.

Introducing Marty Brown, Descendant Through Jason Brown

We have a special one tonight with Marty Brown, whom I will introduce. She is a direct descendant. I just wanted to share — because we're going to be talking about her descent from Jason Brown, and then however Marty wants to take us in sharing about being a Brown descendant.

The Quaker Woman Who Won John Brown's Trust

There is a wonderful letter that John Brown wrote only days before he was hanged. He wrote to a Quaker woman named Rebecca Spring, who had boldly gone down to visit him on her own — with her 16-year-old son — amid all the hostility directed at her. She afterward became a close friend, welcomed Mary Brown when she came to visit her husband, and later corresponded with the surviving raiders who were executed in 1860, especially Aaron Stevens. She really won the trust of John Brown.

John Brown's Portrait of Jason

John Brown wrote a wonderful letter in which he talks about his son Jason. This is what he said:

He is a very laborious, ingenious, temperate, honest, and truthful man. He is very expert as a gardener, vine dresser, and manager of fruit trees. But he does not pride himself on account of his skill in anything — always has underrated himself, is bashful and retiring in his habits. Is — and this is a great line — is not like his father, too much inclined to assume and dictate. Is too conscientious in his dealings and too tender of people's feelings to get from them his just desserts. And he is very poor.

Jason in Kansas: Suffering, Bravery, and the Battle of Osawatomie

He suffered almost everything on the way to and while in Kansas — but death — and returned to Ohio not a spoiled but next to a ruined man. He never quarrels, and yet I know that he is both morally and physically brave. He will not deny his principles to save his life, and he turned not back in the day of battle. At the Battle of Osawatomie, he fought by my side. He is a most tender, loving, and steadfast friend, and on the right side of things in general — a practical Samaritan, if not Christian.

And could I know that he was located with a population who were disposed to encourage him — without expecting him to pay too dearly in the end for it — I should feel greatly relieved.

Well, if Jason Brown were here tonight, he would find that population that would embrace him.