John Brown Plaques, (sculpture).

John Brown Plaques, (sculpture).

Jno. Williams, Inc., founder.

John Brown Plaques, (sculpture).

John Brown Gravesite, (sculpture).

Portrait plaque: 1916. Second plaque installed summer 1946.

Digital Reference:

Plaques: bronze; Base: stone.

Portrait plaque: approx. 49 x 28 x 1 in.; Second plaque: approx. 38 x 22 1/2 x 1 in.

(Lower right corner of portrait plaque:) DESIGNED AND CAST BY/JNO. WILLIAMS, INC. NEW YORK (Portrait plaque, raised lettering:) JOHN BROWN (bust) OF OSAWATOMIE/HERE LIES BURIED/JOHN BROWN /BORN AT TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT/MAY 9TH, 1800/HE EMIGRATED TO KANSAS IN 1855 WHERE HE TOOK AN/ACTIVE PART IN THE CONTEST AGAINST THE PRO-SLAVERY PARTY/HE GAINED IN AUGUST 1856 A VICTORY AT OSAWATOMIE/OVER A SUPERIOR NUMBER OF MISSOURIANS WHO HAD/INVADED KANSAS (WHENCE HIS SURNAME OSAWATOMIE)./HE CONCEIVED THE IDEA OF BECOMING A LIBERATOR OF/THE NEGRO SLAVES IN THE SOUTH AND ON THE NIGHT OF/OCTOBER 16, 1859 AT THE HEAD OF A DEVOTED BAND OF/22 FOLLOWERS HE SEIZED THE UNITED STATES ARSENAL/AT HARPER'S FERRY, VIRGINIA WITH THE VIEW OF ARMING/THE NEGROES WHO MIGHT COME TO HIS FORTIFIED CAMP./IN THE FIGHT WITH THE UNITED STATES TROOPS AND CIVILIANS/WHICH FOLLOWED HE WAS OVERPOWERED AND TAKEN PRISONER/OCTOBER 18, 1859, AND WAS TRIED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA/AT CHARLESTOWN, VIRGINIA AND WAS EXECUTED DECEMBER 2, 1859./HERE LIE BURIED WITH HIM/TWELVE OF HIS FOLLOWERS/(list of names follows, followed by a listing of escaped and captured followers)/THIS TABLET ERECTED BY THE EFFORTS OF/BYRON B. BREWSTER OF LAKE PLACID, N.Y.

(Second plaque:) (Raised lettering: lengthy inscription commemorating women of the John Brown family and others)/ERECTED BY THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF/THE JOHN BROWN MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION/IN THE SUMMER OF 1946/(list of six names follows) Founder's mark appears.

Across from John Brown's gravestone is a large boulder featuring two bronze inscription plaques commemorating abolitionist John Brown. One plaque has a relief portrait bust of Brown with a moustache and beard, seen to the shoulders, wearing a jacket.

Portrait male -- Brown, John -- Bust

History -- United States -- Black History

Ethnic -- African American

Occupation -- Other -- Reformer

Outdoor Sculpture -- New York -- Lake Placid

Administered by State of New York, Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, John Brown Farm State Historic Site, John Brown Road, Lake Placid, New York 12946

Located John Brown Farm State Historic Site, John Brown Road, Lake Placid, New York 12946

Formerly located John Brown Century House, John Brown Road, Lake Placid, New York

The sculpture is installed at the gravesite of abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859), who settled in Lake Placid, New York in 1849. The portrait plaque was erected through the efforts of Bryon B. Brewster of Lake Placid. The second plaque was erected by the John Brown Memorial Association in the summer of 1946. The John Brown Farm State Historic Site was once called the John Brown Century House. IAS files contain: full transcriptions of both plaques.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, New York survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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