A tintype portrait of John Brown, an abolitionist and one of the free-state leaders. This tintype was produced by M. A. Winnie while he was active in Topeka from 1888 and 1891 but is most likely a copy from a previous work done sometime between 1855 and 1859, during the time John Brown was in Kansas Territory. During his short time in the Kansas Territory Brown was involved in several skirmishes with proslavery factions. Brown's acts of violence against proslavery people made him a legendary figure by the time he left Kansas Territory. He was hanged on December 2, 1859 after a failed attempt to attack the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.