1842—He goes into bankruptcy.
1843—He loses four children in September.
1844—He forms the firm of "Perkins and Brown, wool merchants."
1845–51—He is in charge of the Perkins and Brown warehouse, Springfield, O.
1846—Gerrit Smith offers Adirondack farms to Negroes, August 1st.
1847—Frederick Douglass visits Brown and hears his plan for a slave raid.
1849—He goes to Europe to sell wool, and visits France and Germany, August and September.
1849—First removal of his family to North Elba, N. Y.
1850—The new Fugitive Slave Law passed.
1851–1854—Winding up of the wool business.
1851—He founds the League of Gileadites, January 15th.
In Kansas
1854—Kansas and Nebraska Bill becomes a law, May 30th. Five sons start for Kansas in October.
1855—John Brown at the Syracuse convention of Abolitionists in June. He starts for Kansas with a sixth son and his son-in-law in September. Two sons take part in Big Springs convention in September. John Brown arrives in Kansas, October 6th. He helps to defend Lawrence in December.
1856—He attends a mass meeting at Osawatomie in April. He visits Buford's camp in May. The sacking of Lawrence, May 21st. The Pottawatomie murders, May 23-26th. Arrest of two sons, May 28th. Battle of Black Jack, June 2d. Goes to Iowa with his wounded son-in-law and joins Lane's army, July and August. Joins in attacks to rid Lawrence of surrounding forts, August. Battle of Osawatomie, August 30th. Missouri's last invasion of Kansas, September 15th. Geary arrives and induces Brown to leave Kansas, September. Brown starts for the East with his sons, September 20th.
