In March 1855 , abolitionists Rev. Samuel Adair and his wife Florella settled in a cabin near Osawatomie to serve as missionaries to the community . Florella 's half-brother , John Brown came to " Bleeding Kansas " later the same year with a wagon of guns in order to help fight the pro slavery forces like his five sons , who were already living in another community in the area . Brown then came to Osawatomie to visit the Adairs and fight pro slavery forces there . By 1856 , having established himself as a leader of free state guerillas , Brown made Osawatomie and the Adair cabin his base . In a raid in May 1856 , Brown killed five pro slavery men along Pottawatomie Creek near the current town of Lane , Kansas . This was then referred to as the " Pottawatomie massacre " , which inflamed the fighting throughout the Kansas Territory . The second and main Battle of Osawatomie took place on August 30 , 1856 . Osawatomie played a key role throughout the Civil War , serving as a center for Jayhawker activity
Pottawatomie massacre
Pottawatomie massacre
Osawatomie, Kansas