The collection has no restrictions.
The entire collection is located on-site except for the microfilm of the Owen Brown ledger.
Material gathered by Oswald Garrison Villard in the researches for his biography JOHN BROWN, 1800-1859: A BIOGRAPHY FIFTY YEARS AFTER. A large part of the materials is copies of correspondence both contemporary and of a later period, concerning John Brown and his associates, especially in the Kansas Territory and at the Harper's Ferry raid. Of the original letters in the collection, many are from descendants and family of John Brown and the men who accompanied him on his raid. There are clippings, pamphlets, proof sheets, and other printed matter. Photographs number 181 items.
Selected materials cataloged: remainder arranged.
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
The collection has no restrictions.
The entire collection is located on-site except for the microfilm of the Owen Brown ledger.
Readers must use microfilm of Owen Brown ledger.
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); John Brown manuscripts; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Owen Brown ledger is only available on microfilm. The microfilm of the Owen Brown ledger is located off-site.
Richard Realf letters and manuscripts available on: microfilm.
Type of reproduction--Copies in part
Many, if not most of these copies were made by Mr. Villard's secretarial staff from originals in various parts of the United States.
Source of acquisition--Villard, Oswald Garrison. Method of acquisition--Purchase; Date of acquisition--01/10/1947. Accession number--M-47-01-10.
Villard, Oswald Garrison. John Brown, 1800-1859. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 04/12/1989.
2009-06-26 File created.
2013-09-16 XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi.
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
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Box 1A
(Letter from, to Author, 1909)
Box 1A
(Misc. letter, originals in possession of Mrs. S.C. Davis and Mrs. S.L. Clark. Also Miss Mayo's interview with Mrs. Davis)
Box 1A
(Letters from/to the Author, Miss Mayo, also notes of Miss Mayo's interview with Mrs. Adams. Story of Miss Mayo's trip to Petrolia to see Mrs. Adams.)
Box 1A
(Miss Mayo's address book)
Box 1A
(Statement of, to Miss Mayo on the Harper's Ferry Raid.)
Box 1A
(Copies of his letters to his brother and to Hinton.)
Box 1A
(Pamphlet by, "A Voice from Harper's Ferry: A Narrative of Events at Harper's Ferry." Boston, 1861. Photograph of Anderson. Notes by Miss Mayo and letters from the Library of Congress concerning Anderson.)
Box 1A
(Speeches of, together with his testimony before the Harper's Ferry Committee of the Senate in relation to John Brown, etc. Various original letters and copies of others.)
Box 1A
(Report of the John Born-Year, New York, 1861.)
Box 1A
(Material for the John Brown Chronology.)
Box 1A
(Author's correspondence with S.B. Avis. Captain Avis was Deputy Sheriff of Charles town at the time of the Brown Raid.)
Box 1A
(Miscellaneous signatures. Also letter from John Brown to Amos Chamberlain.)
Box 2
(Two letters from him to the Author in regard to his personal knowledge of John Brown.)
Box 2
(Miscellaneous correspondence in regard to Colonel Baylor who commanded a regiment of Virginia Militia when John Brown took possession of Harper's Ferry.)
Box 2
Box 2
(Reviews of Sanborn, Redpath, Hinton. Reasons for new life of Brown. J.T. Morse on Sanborn; L.W. Bacon on Sanborn; C.E. Norton on Redpath.)
Box 2
(Newspaper clipping and sketch of. Report of John Brown Assoc. of Torrington, Connecticut. Clipping of news article of destruction of the house by fire.)
Box 2
(The author's handwritten chapter of; Miss Mayo's notes pertaining to.)
Box 2
(or John Brown League (See Also: J.B. in Cleveland). Correspondence pertaining to.)
Box 2
(Biographical notes from the Kansas state Historical Society. Miss Mayo's notes and copies of letters concerning.)
Box 2
(Copy of letter from him to his brother in law, John S. Clark in regard to execution of J.B. Alos copies of clipping from Richmond papers concerning Booth.)
Box 2
(Concerning the execution of J.W. Booth.)
Box 2
(Miss Mayo's biographical notes concerning)
Box 2
(His pamphlet "Reminiscences of Old John Brown," 1880. Miss Mayo's notes concerning.)
Box 2
(Newspaper stories of on his 85th birthday; copies of his letters to his sister. Memorandum of his statement to F.G. Adams on April 2, 1884 concerning his Kansas activities, etc.; copies of his letters to his father. Miss Mayo's report of her interview with Jason Brown on December 13 and 14, 1908. Original letter of Jason Brown to the author, dated March 13, 1908.)
Box 3
(Paper pertaining to)
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
(Notes and copies of letters and data in connection with retaining of counsel for J.B.)
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
Box 3
(Pamphlet "Epitome of the Life of John Born including attack on Harper's Ferry, His Capture and Trial, as related by Cleon Moore of Charles-Town, West Virginia," 1904. Newspaper clippings and notes concerning)
Box 3
Box 3
(Pamphlets, letters and notes concerning.)
Box 3
(Author's handwritten chapter)
Box 4
Box 4
Box 4
Box 4
(Kansas conditions. Extensive citations from the press of the period.)
Box 4
(Press citations, notes, and interviews concerning.)
Box 4
Box 4
(The Delamater narrative. Clippings from the press and interviews concerning.)
Box 4
(Various personal reminiscences and interviews concerning.)
Box 4
(Notes and affidavits concerning.)
Box 4
(Jail chronology. Various interviews and letters concerning.)
Box 4
Box 4
(Letters to and concerning. Original letter of J.J. Benning to J.B. dated February23, 1860)
Box 4
(Correspondence concerning and copies of court records.)
Box 4
Box 4
(Copies of many letters of J.B. with various correspondents and his wife and family.)
Box 4
Box 4
(Jail period. Copies.)
Box 21
Box 21
Box 21
("John Brown at Harper's Ferry")
Box 21
Box 21
(Canadian Negroes and the John Brown Raid," by Fred Landon)
Box 21
Box 21
Box 21
Box 21
("The Last Days of Old John Brown," by Lou V. Chapin)
Box 21
("John Brown," by Gamaliel Bradford)
Box 21
("My Father, John Brown," by Salmon Brown)
Box 21
Box 21
Box 21
("The Hero of Harper's Ferry," by Ina Capitola Emery)
Box 21
("How I Captured John Brown," by Joel Clark Rockwell)
Box 21
Box 21
("Some Jewish Associates of John Brown," by Leon Hunter.)
Box 21
Box 21
Box 21
Box 5
Box 5
Box 5
[Missing as of February16,
(In French by Jacques Fernand)
Box 5
(Correspondence in regards to)
Box 5
(Treatment of after his death)
Box 5
(Manuscript of Oswald Garrison Villard and notes)
Box 5
Box 5
(Thaddeus Stevens' address to the Pennsylvania Bar Association, June 1906. Various notes.)
Box 5
Box 5
Box 5
Box 5
Box 5
(Author's manuscript of the trial chapter)
Box 5
(Notes, interviews, etc.)
Box 5
Box 5
Box 13V Shared MS 1
Box 6
(Copies of family letters from various collections.)
Box 6
(Some original letters of; copies of letters to various correspondents. Miss Mayo's notes concerning.)
Box 6
(Miss Mayo's extracts from the writings of.)
Box 6
(original letter from/to his family dated February 4, 1851 copies of various letters to his wife; photograph of)
Box 6
(Biographical notes concerning; his signature on fragment of a letter.)
Box 6
(excerpts from his diaries, copies of letters concerning; copies of various letters from; biographical material collected by Miss Mayo.)
Box Microfilm MN# Ms Coll/Brown (Villard)
Box 6
(Copies of letters of, biographical material concerning clippings from 1905 newspapers when he was 80; photograph of; newspaper clipping telling of his suicide at 83.)
Box 6
(Affidavits and interviews.)
Box 6
(Letter to Mr. Villard from; Miss Mayo's interview with.)
Box 6
(Some copies of letters from and material concerning.)
Box 6
Box 6
(Letter from Kansas State Historical Society concerning.)
Box 6
Box 6
(Original manuscript of chapter in Mr. Villard's biography of J.B.)
Box 7
(Pamphlet "Recollections of an Old Settler")
Box 7
(Letter from to Mr. Villard, 1909)
Box 7
(Pamphlet containing correspondence between her and Governor Wise and Mrs. Mason of Virginia, 1860 copies of letters to her from various correspondents.)
Box 7
(Pamphlets of "An Appeal to the Record"; "John Brown, volumes I and II; also his blue pring maps of the Underground Railroad in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska; Mr. Villard's correspondence with.)
Box 7
(Mr. Villard's original manuscript chapter.)
Box 7
(Pamphlet "Confession of John E. Cook, brother-in-law of Governor A.P. Willard of Indiana, and one of the participants in the Harper's Ferry Invasion." Miss Mayo's interviews concerning, also correspondence.)
Box 7
(Negro who was with Brown at Harper's Ferry. Copies of letters from; excerpts from newspapers and interviews concerning.)
Box 7
(Material concerning their connection with Brown, letters, etc.)
Box 7
(Letters from to Miss Mayo)
Box 7
(Biographical note.)
Box 7
(Address on John Brown by him, 1881 newspaper clippings concerning; Miss Mayo's interview with Annie Brown Adams concerning Douglass. Letter from Douglass to Richard J. Hinton, dated August 15, 1892 and an earlier one dated January 17, 1892. Miscellaneous correspondence concerning.)
Box 7
(Letter concerning.)
Box 7
1857
(Copies of Kansas Historical Society documents, letters, etc. concerning Brown's finances, meetings attended, etc..)
Box 7
("Footnotes on Kansas History" pamphlet by; letter to Miss Mayo from.)
Box 7
(Mr. Villiard's manuscript)
Box 7
(Mr. Villard's original manuscript of chapter in J. B. biography)
Box 8
(Letters from to Mr. Villard, 1908-1909)
Box 8
(Mr. Villard's original manuscript of chapter in J.B. Biography)
Box 8
(Pamphlet by, "John Brown's Men: The Lives of Those Killed at Harper's Ferry with a Supplementary Bibliography of John Brown." Letters from to Mr. Villard, 1907-1910.)
Box 8
(David J. Gue's signed story.)
Box 8
(Letter to Judge Bibb, 1858 (original) )
Box 8
(Copies of his correspondence with Sumner; Miss Mayo's notes concerning.)
Box 8
(Letter from Kansas State Historical Society in regard to spelling of his name.)
Box 8
(Letters concerning her own story of her visit to the Charlestown jail.)
Box 8
("Scrap Book 1859 concerning newspaper clippings of Brown trial, many of J.B.'s published letters and other Browniana; also correspondence between Mr. Garrison and his nephew, the author, 1907-1910)
Box 8
(Miss Mayo's notes concerning.)
Box 8
(Miss Mayo's notes concerning.)
Box 8
(Manuscript of Miss Mayo's interview with; letter from him to Miss Mayo; various notes by Miss Mayo concerning.)
Box 8
(Miss Mayo's interview with various members in regard to Pottowatomie.)
Box 8
(His pamphlet "The Capture of John Brown." Correspondence concerning his connection with the Harper's Ferry Raid.)
Box 8
(Miss Mayo's notes concerning from the Kansas Historical Society, etc.)
Box 8
(Correspondence concerning.)
Box 9
(Associate of J.B., Free Stater; Mr. Villard's correspondence with his grandchildren. Miss Mayo's notes made from the Hanway material at the Kansas Historical Society.)
Box 9
(Various data concerning.)
Box 9
(Senate Document Y printed March 2, 1860 being Correspondence relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October 1859 published eyewitness accounts; pamphlets concerning; Miss Mayo's interviews with eyewitnesses, etc., etc.)
Box 9
(Original manuscript of Mr. Villard's chapter in J.B. Biography)
Box 9
(Miss Mayo's notes, letters, and interviews concerning)
Box 9
Box 9
Box 9
Box 9
(Captured in raid. Copies of correspondence concerning, copies of executive papers, etc.)
Box 9
(Article "How Patrick Higgins Met John Brown" by Oswald Garrison Villard which appeared in Harper's Weekly. This is Higgin's own story told to the author. Also photographs of Higgins.)
Box 9
Box 9
(Correspondence with Oswald Garrison Villard and others of his writings.)
Box 10
Box 10
Box 10
Box 10
(Letter from to O.G.V.)
Box 10
(Letter to Miss Mayo from.)
Box 10
(One of Brown's men, papers concerning.)
Box 10
(Letters concerning; Miss Mayo's notes, copies of Howe's letters, newspaper clippings, etc. with regard to Harper's Ferry)
Box 10
(Biographical note. His connection with J.B. etc.)
Box 10
(J.B. Prosecuting Attorney. Copies of his correspondence with Governor Wise, other material.)
Box 10
(His connection with the J.B. Fund fro the aid of B's family; photostat copy of letter of gratitude from B's family to Hyatt from North Elba in 1860. Copies of Sumner correspondence in Hyatt case, etc.)
Box 11
(Letter from.)
Box 11
(Pamphlet on him "One of John Brown's Men" by John W. Wayland, 1909. Copies of papers in the Kansas Historical Society concerning; George B. Gill on Kagi, etc.)
Box 11
(Various pamphlets, correspondence, clippings and notes relating to.)
Box 11
Box 11
Box 11
Box 11
(Account of a trip Mr. Villard took in company with William E. Connelly, Arthur Capper, Harold T. Chase, over the country identified with John Brown and his operations in Kansas.)
Box 11
(Copies of excepts from.)
Box 11
(Plan of; copy of a drawing made by Annie Brown in the Featherstonhaugh collection.)
Box 12
(A pamphlet biography of, and notes concerning his connection with J.B.)
Box 12
(Copies of his correspondence and other copies of documents relating to J.B.)
Box 12
(Negro. Biographical material and notes concerning his connection with the Harper's Ferry Raid, and J.B.)
Box 12
(Photograph of.)
Box 12
(Various letters and notes concerning.)
Box 12
(Notes and correspondence concerning his connection with Harper's Ferry Raid.)
Box 12
(Letter to Miss Mayo from. He offered his material concerning Brown to her.)
Box 12
(Newspaper clipping quoting speech of Lincoln's made in Kansas on the day John Brown was hanged.)
Box 12
(List of items in collection of.)
Box 12
(Letter to Miss May in regard to his lecture on John Brown.)
Box 12
(Copies of papers in the Cornell University Library, 1859.)
Box 12
(Secretary of Kansas State Historical Society. Letter to Mr. Villard.)
Box 12
(Mr. Villard's correspondence with during the time Miss Mayo was collecting material for the John Brown Biography.)
Box 12
(Notes concerning.)
Box 12
(Copies of J.B.'s books made from originals in the Boston Public Library. Copies of J.B. Jr.'s letter on "Preludes.")
Box 12
(1 original letter from dated September 22, 1858. Joined Brown and financed him, was in Harper's Ferry raid, but escaped. Various correspondence concerning and biographical material.)
Box 12
(Brief notes concerning.)
Box 12
(Miss Mayo's notes concerning. His original signature.)
Box 12
(Correspondence with in regard to H.F. Raid, etc.)
Box 12
[Missing as of June 23,
(Original manuscript of chaper in J.B. Biography by Mr. Villard)
Box 13
Box 13
(Pamphlet report, 1862)
Box 13
(Mr. Villard's original manuscript of a chapter in J.B. Biography)
Box 13
(Notes concerning.)
Box 13
(July 4, 1860 notes and clippings about.)
Box 13
(Letter concerning.)
Box 13
(Concerning J.B.'s connection with.)
Box 13
(Copies of executive papers, etc.)
Box 13
Box 13
(Original manuscript of Mr. Villard's chapter in the J.B. Biography.)
Box 13
(Letter to Miss Mayo concerning.)
Box 13
(Correspodnence with in 1921.)
Box 14
(Presided at J.B.'s trial; his story of the raid.)
Box 14
(Pamphlet, being a letter from Parker to Francis Jackson, together with various notes of Miss Mayo.)
Box 14
(Correspondence with; last survivor John Brown's army.)
Box 14
(Copies of his "John Brown as Viewed by Henry Clay Pate," 1859 notes and interviews concerning.)
Box 14
(General material.)
Box 14
(Mr. Villard's original manuscript.)
Box 14
(General material.)
Box 14
(Original manuscript.)
Box 14
Box 15
(Letter from; newspaper clippings concerning his early days in Kansas. Also available on microfilm MN# 2001-3190.)
(Also available on microfilm MN# 2001-3190)
Box 15
Box 15
Box 15
(Correspondence with in regard to J.B.)
Box 15
(First governor of Kansas. Some writings of and about, and general material concerning.)
Box 15
(Letters from; clippings about.)
Box 15
(Correspondence with.)
Box 15
(One original letter from him to Colonel Hinton; copies of his various letters from Stearns and Hinton collections.)
Box 15
(Clippings of newspaper of his speech, "The Last Hours of John Brown." Various letters and general material.)
Box 16
Box 16
Box 16
(General material concerning.)
Box 16
(General material concerning.)
Box 16
( President of Kansas State Historical Society; speech delivered by him in 1898 on "Accuracy in History." Also excerpts from other addresses by him.)
Box 16
(Original letters of, clippings about, notes on.)
Box 16
(Granddaughter of Owen Brown; letter from)
Box 16
(General material concerning.)
Box 16
(Voluminous material, clippings, copies of his letters, etc.)
Box 16
(General material concerning.)
Box 16
(General material.)
Box 16
(Notes from two letters to him, 1859 and 1860.)
Box 17
(Some notes and correspondence concerning.)
Box 17
(Two letters from, 1908)
Box 17
(Copies of.)
Box 17
(Notes in regard to his connection with Brown at Harper's Ferry.)
Box 17
(Copies of his letters to various correspondents and J.B. whom he supported.)
Box 17
(Biographical notes concerning.)
Box 17
(Correspondence with.)
Box 17
(Letters from; copies of letters to various correspondents; James H. Holmes notes on their talks with him.)
Box 17
(Notes concerning.)
Box 17
(Correspondence and notes concerning.)
Box 17
Box 17
(Newspaper clippings of 1930 in regard to the finding of the original record of John Brown's Trial, long given up for lost.)
Box 17
(Laws, statutes, etc.)
Box 18
(General material.)
Box 18
(Letter from to Mr. Villard.)
Box 18
(His letters to Col. Hinton and Mr. Villard; extract from his book on Lyman Trumbull about John Brown; copy of his letter to the Chicago Tribune on Harper's Ferry.)
Box 18
(His connection with Border Ruffians; general material.)
Box 18
(Letter giving his term of service as Lt. Governor and Governor of Indiana, and the date of his death.)
Box 18
(Manuscript copy of the author's chapter in Biography of J.B. entitled "Captain of The Liberty Guards.")
Box 18
(Copies of many of his letters and writings; letter from his son to Mr. Villard, etc.)
Box 18
Box 18
(Chadwick, John Minor Bott, etc., etc.)
Box 18
(Mr. Villard's manuscript of last chapter in Biography of J.B.)
Box 18
(Two letters from him to Col. Hinton, and several of his printed sermons. He officiated at the funeral of J.B.)
Box 19
Box 19
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Box 20
Dollar Weekly Pennsylvanian (Dec. 10, 1859) removed to mapcase 14-L-1
(This series contains a list of general pamphlets in the collection, for list of magazine articles and pamphlets on John Brown in the collection, see Series II)
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Mapcase 14-L-1