John Brown was first invited to Linn County by Augustus Wattles in the fall of 1858 to assist in fighting the pro-slavery men[4] after the Marais des Cygnes massacre.

He had the open letter dated at Trading Post, Kansas, to protect the Wattles household.

Augustus Wattles later testified to Congress that after he "severely censured" Brown "for going into Missouri contrary to our agreement and getting these slaves", Brown replied, "I considered the matter well; you will have no more attacks from Missouri; I shall now leave Kansas; you will never see me again; I consider it my duty to draw the scene of the excitement to some other part of the country".

[2] One of the various projects John O. Wattles was involved in was a railroad from Jefferson City, Missouri, to Emporia, Kansas, by way of Moneka.

Congress granted the right of way for the railroad, but the death of Wattles and the outbreak of the Civil War put an end to all proceedings.