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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Ross, Alexander Milton (1832-1897) [Alexander Ross' scrapbook related to John Brown's family]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03007.56 Author/Creator: Ross, Alexander Milton (1832-1897) Place Written: Various Type: Scrapbook Date: 1878-1898 Pagination: 22 p. ; 24 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Ross' collection of letters relating to John Brown's family, mostly letters sent to him by John Brown's children. Scrapbook contains twenty one letters and one cartoon relating to John Brown, as well as envelopes for most of the letters. Letters written by Anne Brown Adams, Ruth Brown Thompson, John Brown Jr., Sarah Brown, Owen Brown, George B. Gill. One letter is signed W. H. Harrison, the pseudonym of Albert Hazlett. Also contains letters written by others to Anne Brown, which she copied and forwarded to Ross. Inside the pages is a small envelope labeled "California wild flowers. Poppies," containing flower petals, likely sent to Ross by Anne Brown Adams.

Anne Brown Adams was the daughter of John Brown.
Alexander M. Ross was a famous Canadian naturalist, also a prominent abolitionist and a strong supporter of John Brown.
Albert Hazlett was one of the Harpers Ferry raiders. After escaping from Harpers Ferry he assumed the name William H. Harrison, and all the other raiders pretended not to know him. His ruse failed, and he was sentenced to hang March 16, 1860.
George B. Gill played a major role in John Brown's anti-slavery efforts, but could not participate in the Harper's Ferry raid due to illness.

Ross, Alexander Milton, 1832-1897
Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926
Thompson, Ruth Brown, 1829-1904
Brown, John Jr., 1821-1895
Brown, Owen, 1824-1889
Hazlett, Albert, 1837-1860
Brown, John, 1800-1859

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