Pasadena Standard 12 January 1889:
Died, at the residence of his brother-in-law, Henry Thompson, in this city, on January 8, 1889, Owen Brown, aged 64 years, 2 months and 4 days.
Owen Brown was born at Hudson, Ohio, November 4, 1824, and was the third son of John Brown’s first family, there being twenty children in all.
Owen was with his father all through the struggle between the free state men and border ruffians in Kansas in 1836 and following years, and took part in the first pitched battle at Black jack on the Missouri and Kansas border, and also at Ossawatomie where his younger brother, an unarmed lad, was deliberately shot down in the street. Jason was also in these battles.
Owen was with his father at Harpers Ferry, a participant in that memorable raid which struck the death knell of slavery, not only in the United States but throughout the civilized world. He was one of seven who escaped from there through mountain fastnesses and swamps and forests and sassafras leaves, and such things as they could possibly devour without making a fire to cook. For they were pursued by soldiers and citizens with dogs and guns, and a price was set on their heads. The Atlantic Monthly some 15 or 20 years ago published a narrative of their escape, which excels in thrilling pathos, and in plain matter-of-fact incidents of hardship, endurance, and apparently supernatural deliverances from discovery and capture, the most vivid conceptions of fiction. Two of them made reckless ventures to get food and were captured and hung. The remaining five escaped, Owen finally reaching his brother John’s home on an island in Lake Erie.
About five years ago Jason and Owen Brown took a homestead on a bench of mountain land five or six miles north of Pasadena, at the settlement now called Las Casitas. This they subsequently sold and took land higher up the mountain side, built a cabin, cleared and worked a few acres, and lied there-two feeble old men, alone. (Jason was with his father in the Kansas struggle, but was not at Harpers Ferry.) They were much visited by tourists and citizens, some from mere curiosity and others from a warm sympathy with the historic career of the family. They had made a good wagon trail up to their mountain hermitage, and were continuing it as a donkey path to the top of the mountain known as Brown’s Peak, but it is not completed yet. Owen had a desire to be buried on the top of Brown’s Peak; and if Jason ever succeeds in finishing the trail he will try to have his brother’s grave up there as he desired. But meanwhile he is buried on a lesser peak on their mountain homestead.1 Owen Brown was never married…
http://tchester.org/sgm/msc/brown_funeral_notice.html
MICHAEL CICHY AND THE OWEN BROWN GRAVESITE.
In November 2005 the Honorable C. Edward Simpson of Pasadena, in the case of
Save the Altadena Trails, et al. v. Michael Cichy, found for plaintiffs,
thereby re-establishing the public’s right to travel over that portion of
the historic El Prieto Fire Road that runs across defendant’s property, and
to visit the Owen Brown Grave Site which is located within his land. Judge
Simpson stated from the bench “it is clear that there is a long-standing
historic interest on the part of the public in the road and in the grave
site and that there has been continuous public access to these locations
since the 19th century.”
While STAT (Save the Altadena Trails) was working with the court to restore access to this trail and historic site, Mr. Cichy was living on the fire road in a dilapidated van
and had been storing a myriad of construction materials and debris on the
property that was not zoned for either of those activities. Los Angeles
County cited him for zoning violations and demanded that he remove the
vehicle and materials from the property. The court ruling also mandated that
he could not drive a vehicle on the El Prieto Fire Road. Mr. Cichy complied
by removing his vehicle but unfortunately resorted to throwing much of the
debris over the hillside – apparently to create the appearance that the
debris had been removed.
After an absence of over 2 years, Mr. Cichy has been seen back at the
property and appears to be living in his pickup truck, parked on another
landowner’s driveway. He has been hauling truck loads of materials up to the
site – some of which has apparently been thrown over the hillside. He is
storing more materials on the site, in clear violation of zoning
regulations. He has also been observed smoking on the hillside and appears
to be throwing cigarette butts into the dry brush.
Members of STAT and residents of the Meadows community have contacted LA
County and the court in attempt to put a stop to this activity. This
situation has not been resolved, and we will keep you updated. The county is
requesting proof of his actions, such as video or photos of him throwing
debris of the hillside or smoking. If anyone is able to get this
documentation, please let us know.
http://www.altadenablog.com/2009/01/news-on-la-vina-owen-brown-gravesite-access.html
Directions and map to gravesite:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=640410
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September 21, 2012 at 5:11 am
sesshu
Friday, August 24, 2012
Breaking: Owen Brown grave marker recovered
by Timothy Rutt
After going missing a decade ago, the grave marker for Owen Brown, son of the abolitionist John Brown, has been recovered.
According to Paul Ayers of Save The Altadena Trails (STAT), the marker was found yesterday by local resident Ian White and his son, who were hiking in an area near the Meadows, not too far from where Brown is buried. Ayers said that he was contacted by White and “we got a crew together and moved it” to a secure location.
Ayers said that the area where the stone was found is fairly well-hiked, so speculation is that the stone was dumped there recently. “It’s been missing since 2002, and suddenly shows up yesterday,” Ayers said.
Beyond that, Ayers will not say, as he says several legal questions emerge with the reappearance of the stone, including: whose property is it? Who has the legal right to dispose of it? and can it be replaced on the gravesite with any assurance it will stay there?
Owen Brown, who participated with his father in the raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859, died in Pasadena in 1889. His funeral attracted a reported 2,000 mourners, roughly equivalent to the population of Pasadena at the time. He was buried in Little Round Top, near what is now the Meadows. The marker was erected ten years later.
Little Round Top and some adjoining property was purchased in 2002 by Michael Cichy, who reportedly tried to impede access to that section of the historic El Prieto Fire Road that ran across his land and led to the gravesite. The marker disappeared sometime thereafter — there are conflicting reports of it disappearing in either 2002 or 2004. STAT brought legal action to restore access to the fire road and Little Round Top, which was granted in 2005.
In an email, Ayers says “It is STAT’s intention to take all necessary legal and logistical steps necessary to restore the grave stone to its rightful place marking Owen Brown’s grave at the top of Little Round Top. We will keep you informed of our progress.”
STAT is also asking for donations to restore the gravestone. Ayers notes that donations are not tax-deductible. Please send donations to:
SAVE THE ALTADENA TRAILS
C/O Paul Ayers, Esq.
ZINDER & KOCH
700 N. Brand Blvd., Ste. 400
Glendale, CA 91203
May 20, 2013 at 7:50 am
browniac
Visited the site today. Someone had kindly placed a wooden sign to mark the grave. Thank you to that person or group responsible for placing the sing there.
Hiking there is easy and uncomplicated. Be sure to park just as the pavement ends as local property owners have posted signs declaring the road a private drive. I don’t know the law, but there are no signs prohibiting hikers and even if there were such signs, a judge has declared this trail to be open to the public.
For those who care nothing for Owen Brown, John Brown, or the events that occurred in Harpers Ferry in 1859, the view alone is worth the walk (the walk is also worth the walk).
To those who care about Owen Brown, John Brown, and the events that occurred in Harpers Ferry in 1859, you’ll find your way there.
June 5, 2013 at 5:34 am
sesshu
You can continue further west to Brown Saddle, with a view of Brown Mountain, named for his father I presume. There’s shade and running water in the canyon nearby.