It happened here

A historical marker was set Tuesday morning in the Lawrence Cemetery by the Department of Natural Resources commemorating John Brown's 1858 raid in Vernon County. A group of people met at the cemetery for the ceremony at the cemetery, about one and a half miles north of Stotesbury on V Highway. Kneeling, from left: Pat Brophy and Terry Ramsey. Back row: Eustius Barnes, Ron Baker, David Barnes, Norann Brooks, Jim Denny, Alan Laboube, Kenneth Burns, Art Mullies, Rita Burns and Elvin Henley.--Photos by Steve Moyer/Daily Mail

One more link in a chain of historical markers cropping up throughout the region was put into place Tuesday.

A group of gathered at Lawrence Cemetery north of Stotesbury to see Department of Natural Resources workers place a marker to commemorate the raid by John Brown. Jim Denny, a historian with the Division of State Parks of the DNR provided some context for the marker.

"I head up the Civil War marker program under whose auspices this marker is being installed. This marker came about just about like all programs around here get done, Terry Ramsey called me up and told me to do it," Denny said with a chuckle. "There was some interest among a group of folks in Iowa and Kansas to create a John Brown Trail and part of the John Brown trail were these markers. We may well be the first effort to actually do that. It just seemed like a great pre-Civil War story to tell, it was certainly part of the events that led up to the Civil War."

The marker outlines the details of the raid and the events that led up to it. Brown, an avowed abolitionist intent on stirring up conflict, had returned to the area after a prolonged absence sporting a new beard and a new name, Shubel Morgan. Brown and a band of followers took up residence in a cabin on the Kansas side of the border northwest of Fulton and called it Fort Bain. On Dec. 19, 1858, an escaped slave named Jim claimed that he and other slaves were going to be sold south to Texas.

Putting the latest in a series of historical markers relating to the area's Civil War heritage was no easy task. It took a long process of behind-the-scenes tasks from identifying the site to arranging the logistics and funding. Then the literal groundwork finally came about on Tuesday, when workers Ron Baker and Alan Laboube from the Department of Natural Resources dug into the hard-packed Vernon County soil at Lawrence Cemetery near Stotesbury. The digging itself and final leveling of the marker turned out to be no easy task, but the job was finally accomplished.

Brown decided to take to opportunity to make a raid he hoped would goad Missouri residents into a violent reaction. On Dec. 20, he led two parties of raiders into Vernon County. Brown led the larger party of 12 to 15 men himself and Aaron Stevens led the second consisting of eight to nine men. Brown and his group went to the Lawrence farm approximately three miles north of the present town of Stotesbury and confronted Harvey G. Hicklin, Lawrence's son-in-law, and his family.

Stevens led his group to the home of 60-year-old David Cruise, a prominent early settler. After being admitted to the house after claiming to be travelers needing shelter from the bitter cold the raiders shot cruise in cold blood and ransacked the house, forcing Mrs. Cruise to help. One of Cruise's two slaves, George was away, allegedly 'sparking' someone, but a slave named Jane, who was pregnant, was present and was loaded on a wagon along with provisions and clothing. She gave birth a few days later, while still traveling.

While his followers ransacked the Lawrence farm Brown chatted with Hicklin and said that he intended to free the slaves and take provisions and property to cover their expenses. Five slaves were taken from the farm and Brown took off, leaving behind guards to prevent anyone from raising an alarm.

After the guards left Hicklin ran to the John Larue farm where he discovered Brown had preceded him there, carrying off five more slaves, a wagon, six horses, 800 pounds of pork, clothing and bedding. Larue and a boarder, Dr. A. Ervin, had been taken hostage.

Local historian Pat Brophy points out that despite the quantity of loot Brown absconded with just a few days after the raid people in Franklin County, Kan. were "tending to the needs of the slaves because they were in great need."

The marker confirms that some of Brown's raiders took loot for themselves: "Escorting the liberated slaves, Brown's band arrived at Osawatomie, Kan., on Christmas Eve. While part of the raiders dispersed with their share of loot, Brown watched for the pursuit he hoped would come."

Less than a year after the Vernon County raids Brown led the infamous raid on Harper's Ferry, Va., which has been asserted to have pushed the southern states toward secession and hastened the start of the Civil War.