Brown Mountain (elevation 4466') was named in honor of
John
Brown , the abolitionist, whose attempt to end slavery is credited
by some with polarizing the political camps of the North and South, thus
precipitating the American Civil War.
It was Owen and Jason Brown who named the mountain. They were sons
of John Brown, and they moved to northwest Altadena, some time after
Owen
Brown took part in his father's raid on
Harper's
Ferry. Jason did not take part in the raid. Owen was not tried
and hung like his father, nor killed in the raid, like two of his brothers.
Owen's military objective in the raid was across a river from town, and
he was able to escape, while the main raiding party was captured. Owen
(that's his picture, below) is buried near Brown Mountain on "Little Round
Top". His gravestone reads:
Owen Brown
son of
John Brown
The Liberator
Died Jan. 9, 1889
Aged 64 Yrs.