John Brown House Akron

History

History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.

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Built circa 1830 by Benjamin O. Greene and Salmon Hoisington, it was rented by the Perkins family as the Stone House (today's Perkins Stone Mansion) was being built. Colonel Simon Perkins purchased the structure in early 1844 and then rented it to John Brown and his family.

Recovering from bankruptcy in 1844, John Brown signed an agreement with Colonel Simon Perkins to establish a wool partnership. The arrangement required Perkins to furnish food and shelter for the sheep, with Brown providing care by washing the sheep, shearing the wool, and preparing the products for market. Also included in the contract were provisions for the Brown family: “Said Perkins agrees to let said Brown the frame dwelling house on his farm (south of the house in which he now lives) door-yard, garden grounds, and the privilege of getting wood for fuel, for the rent of thirty dollars a year . . .”

John Brown and his family rented the house from 1844 to 1854. In 1846, the partnership of Perkins and Brown prospered to the point of an expansion office in Springfield, Massachusetts, to establish better trade relations with wool dealers in the area. Brown and his oldest sons went to Massachusetts to set up the partnership. His sons then returned to Akron to manage the Perkins and Brown flock of sheep while Mary and the younger children went to Massachusetts. Brown would travel back and forth between Massachusetts and, later, New York, working for Perkins and using the Akron house as their home base.

Unfortunately, this venture ended in various lawsuits that cost the partnership approximately $40,000 (over a million dollars in today's economy). John Brown left Akron after fulfilling the rest of his contract, but he continued to petition the people of Summit County for anti-slavery support.

A new exhibit, "Family. Farm. Freedom." was unveiled in 2019 on May 9th, John Brown 219th birthday. Funded in part by the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom in collaboration with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the exhibit shares the life of John Brown with interpretation and hands-on exhibits for all ages. For our Juneteenth community gathering that same year, renowned artist Woodrow Nash, also a Society board director, donated and unveiled a new bust of John Brown.

Added by: sdonley on 03/25/2025 DB#:702
Source(s):
https://www.summithistory.org/john-brown-house

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