Brown, John

One page (8 5/8 x 7 5/8 in.; 247 x 195 mm) on a bifolium, [North Elba, New York?,] 13 April 1857, signatures of witness (Daniel Foster, Mary Ellen Burfell, Thomas Russell) on the second page, but Brown’s own signature neatly cut away as a souvenir, as endorsed, "The signature of John Brown was cut from the above for Mr. Wm. R. Lawrence. by Mr., Mrs. George L. Stearns, Feb 12th," docketed on verso of integral leaf "1857. April 13. John Brown's Will."

One page (8 5/8 x 7 5/8 in.; 247 x 195 mm) on a bifolium, [North Elba, New York?,] 13 April 1857, signatures of witness (Daniel Foster, Mary Ellen Burfell, Thomas Russell) on the second page, but Brown's own signature neatly cut away as a souvenir, as noted, "The signature of John Brown was cut from the above for Mr. Wm. R. Lawrence. by Mr., Mrs. George L. Stearns, Feb 12th ."
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A copy of the will made by John Brown when he was "intending to visit Kansas." The will gave all of Brown's "trust funds and personal profits for the aid of the Free State cause in Kansas now in my hands, or in the hands of W. H. D. Callender of Hartford Conn. & George L. Stearns of Medford Mass., Leonard Caleb jr. of Boston Mass. and William H. Russell of New Haven Conn., … for the aid of the free state cause in Kansas, leaving the manner of doing so entirely to their discretion. …"

George Luther Stearns was one of the "Secret Six" who funded Brown's raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry in October 1859.