Dear editor,
In regards to John Brown’s cave, I have always understood that there is no evidence that this cave is named for the abolitionist John Brown, who lived part of the years of 1855-1856 far to the north of Allen County in Franklin County, where he orchestrated the pottawatomie Massacre of pro-slavery settlers, and operated in other counties in that vicinity.
I have assumed that our local cave is like that of the alleged “John Brown spring” in Linn County. In 1905 the Lawrence Journal noted: “There is nothing to indicate that [abolitionist] Brown ever drank out of the Snyder spring. Even fakes multiply.”
The 2017 article in the Register about our local cave noted that there is no evidence that it is named for the abolitionist. Members of the Kansas Speleological Society, who explore caves, had spoken with Don Burns of Iola: “‘It seems like every town has a John Brown cave,’ they told Burns, ‘and every other town has a Jesse James.’”
When I saw the front-page article in the Register of Sept. 14 with its headline “From monsters to madmen,” and the front-page photo of abolitionist John Brown, I thought “Wow,” the proof has been found. On reading the article, I had to read deep into it to find any reference to abolitionist John Brown. After a short description of him, this language follows: “Though it may only be ‘mere’ legend, one dreams him there all the same.” No proof, just a reference to a “‘mere’ legend,” followed by ten paragraphs of a dream of the author, Trevor Hoag, concerning escaped slaves and abolitionist John Brown at our local cave.
There is no discussion of the fact that there is absolutely no evidence to make the abolitionist the eponym for our local cave. Why did the Register decide to go with only a supposed “legend” rather than explore also the lack of evidence for this “legend”?
I have long suspected that the cave is named for an early-day settler with the name of John Brown. In less than two hours of research, this is what I found. In June of 1855, the year Allen County was established, the family of Alexander W.J. Brown settled east of present-day Iola near Rock Creek just north of current U.S. 54. This is where the Iola Electric Park was subsequently located in the early 1900s This is not that far from the location of the cave southeast of present-day Iola.
Included in the Brown family was a son, John L. Brown, 1838-1886, who was Allen County Sheriff in the 1880s. When the Brown family came as the first permanent settlers on Rock Creek, there were very few people that first year of settlement in the county; no Iola until 1859; all was prairie except for trees located by bodies of water; and everyone lived in tents initially. A nearby cave would have likely been discovered by the Browns as they explored the area around their new home. I suspect they utilized the cove, perhaps for storage at the entrance. Possibly young John Brown used it the most and thus he is the eponym for our John Brown’s cave.
I did not check the deed records at the Register of Deeds office to see if John L. Brown might have ever owned the land where the cave is located.
There is no evidence for the claim that the cave is named for the abolitionist, just the fact that many recognize his name and thus conclude that it is named for a major historical figure. In contrast, long dead and long forgotten local man John Brown lived in the area of the cave from the beginning of our county’s history. I vote for him as the eponym.
Clyde Toland,
Iola, Kan.
